Sunday 13 May 2018

West Ham finish with a flourish to beat Everton 3-0 but will it be enough to get David Moyes the manager's job?

A surprisingly subdued West Ham manager David Moyes confirmed that this had probably been his team's best performance of the season.
The manager though seemed less than convinced about his own future at the club, whose owners have remained non-committal as to whether the former Everton manager will continue on a permanent basis next season.
Moyes confirmed that he will "meet and talk" with the board. He believes that the team has played well and improved over his time in charge. "You need longer than six months," said Moyes, who conceded this was not always possible in the Premier league today where people wanted instant results. In a possible sign of some disharmony behind the scenes, he confirmed that he wanted to radically change how things are done at the club, conceding "maybe not everybody is comfortable with change."
This game though certainly topped off Moyes CV for the job, with his team full of movement and creative runs.
The combination of Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic tormented Everton all afternoon, scoring all three goals between them.
The first goal came in the 38th minute when Lanzini, started and finished the move. A pass to Cheikou Kouyate was picked up on return to Lanzini, who placed his shot wide of Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, from the edge of the area.
Arnautovic then received the ball from substitute Edimilson Fernandes, to turn and blast home from outside the area.
West Ham didn't have it all their own way with Adrian producing a string of fine saves to defy the visitors. Everton pulled one back from the always threatening Oumar Niasse, who converted a corner.
Lanzini finished the game off, when he received the ball on the left, turned in to curl the ball in from 25 yards.
West Ham could have had more being denied a penalty when Cenk Tosun handled out a cross from Arnautovic. There was also a very marginal off side decision, which denied Arnautovic a second with a thumping header into the net.
The biggest cheer of the afternoon came for veteran defender James Collins, who came on as an 87th minute substitute. Collins is out of contract in the summer and he and the fans clearly want him to stay.
The owners would do well to note the amount of fan goodwill there is for players like Collins, who give of their all for the team.

*published in Morning Star - 14/6/2018

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