West Ham United are the first club to defeat Liverpool this season. The Hammers outmuscled
Liverpool in a memorable 3-2 victory at the London Stadium and ended their 25-match unbeaten run.
West Ham have also gone ahead of Jurgen Klopp's side into third place in the table.
After the game, David Moyes took his time departing down the tunnel.
He milked the applause and rightly so. This is a manager that has been reborn,
in charge of a team that continues to rise. Moyes has transformed a struggling West Ham
side into one of the best English teams throughout his second term as manager.
However, it wasn’t a walk in the park. West Ham didn't beat any of the traditional top six
last season. Despite all of their highs, Moyes' hesitation to display what his club was capable of
against stronger opponents was a constant and valid criticism. Fans were upset with his
decision to play more cautious football against the "Big Six." They still managed to churn out
some points ranging from a draw against Manchester City to a dramatic 3-3 draw against Tottenham.
And yet there was a feeling in many of those games that they could have done more.
But, things have changed this season.
West Ham have already defeated Tottenham in the Premier League and knocked out both Manchester
United and Manchester City in the Carabao Cup to progress to the quarter-finals. They
are also undefeated in the Europa League. And now they have beaten an intimidating Liverpool side.
It's been a stunning campaign and a sensational turnaround for the Hammers and Michail Antonio has
been the face of their success. Moyes has turned the 31-year-old winger into one of the Premier
League's most in-form attackers this season. Antonio is currently the league's third top
scorer with six goals. Antonio is instrumental to David Moyes’ counter-attacking scheme.
He also makes himself known on the other side of the ball. Although it's tough to measure
a player's positional intelligence, Antonio clearly understands his way around the field.
Antonio was awarded Premier League Player of the Month in August after scoring four goals
and providing three assists in just three games this season. Only time will tell how
history remembers the guy who broke Paolo Di Canio's East London goalscoring record.
But Antonio is not the only driving force in the West Ham side. Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice have
formed an unbreakable partnership in the middle of the pitch. The two men have transformed West Ham's
midfield into one of the finest in the Premier League. The duo has a total of two league goals
and six assists this season. Souček has been a game-changer for David Moyes and West Ham
ever since he arrived from Slavia Prague a year ago. In the Premier League, he has become famous
for his headed goals and he arrives in the box with an exceptional positional sense
in a similar fashion to Marouane Fellaini who was very successful for Moyes at Everton.
The Czech midfielder stood out in 2020/21 when he scored 10 goals in 38 Premier League games. On
the other hand, West Ham have a unique talent in Declan Rice – a hybrid player who can seamlessly
break down an opposition attack, drive the ball forward and pick a progressive pass all at once.
The attack and the midfield were a defining factor for West Ham even last season as they
secured European football. The only place they lagged behind was in defense. And to
resolve that issue Moyes decided to sign Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma.
The Frenchman has quickly established himself as an undisputed starter. West Ham have won
seven and lost two Premier League games since Zouma made his Premier League debut
against Manchester United in September. Kurt Zouma is already a Champions League winner,
and now finally has the chance to be his team’s star. It’s about time.
Pundits have praised Moyes’ tactics but they often criticized him for using a relatively small
roster for a side playing in four tournaments. But
he has managed to ensure that all of his players understand their roles in the team. As a result,
West Ham have knocked out the two Manchester powerhouses from the Carabao Cup and achieved
three wins in Europe in games where the Scottish coach regularly rotated his players this season.
West Ham’s recent recruitment has been impressive. After spending about 150 million euros on signings
during Manuel Pellegrini's tenure, West Ham changed their transfer strategy under David Moyes.
The Scottish coach preferred relatively unknown players with huge potential. He signed Soucek,
Said Benrahma, Vladimir Coufal, and Jarrod Bowen, all of whom are crucial for the Hammers right now.
West Ham have proved that their spot in the Premier League's top four
is well deserved. There’s now only a three-point gap between the Hammers and league leaders Chelsea
while defending champions Manchester City are only ahead in second place on goal difference.
West Ham are a real threat to any side they come up against right now, and they know it.
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