David Moyes is coming under increasingly heavy scrutiny after West Ham turned in another limp performance en route to their fifth successive Premier League defeat for the first time since 2017.
After finishing just outside the European spots last season courtesy of a final-day defeat to Brighton at the AMEX Stadium, and on the back of a run to the Europa League semi-finals, Moyes was backed heavily in the transfer market.
Lucas Paqueta became the club’s new record signing, while Gianluca Scamacca, Nayef Aguerd, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer and Flynn Downes were also all bought to the London Stadium in a £150m spending spree.
West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta during the Premier League match at the London Stadium, London. Picture date: Wednesday August 31, 2022. 2JTMNPH West Ham United’s Lucas Paqueta during the Premier League match at the London Stadium, London. Picture date: Wednesday August 31, 2022. (Alamy Stock Photo)
But it has backfired massively. Four wins from 17 games has left the Irons just a point above the relegation zone, two points above 20th-placed Southampton and having played a game more than everyone below them. If the sides below them won their game in hand, the Hammers would be bottom of the Premier League, and Moyes has looked clueless as to how to reverse the tide.
Despite the growing calls for change in the dugout of the east London club, however, the Guardian report that the club have no inclination to sack Moyes in the immediate future even as they teeter precariously above the drop zone.
‘David Moyes still has the support of West Ham’s board’, they wrote. Despite the limp defeat to Brentford, there are “no plans to make a managerial change at the moment”, the Guardian added.