April was a mixed bag in the league. We fought back to beat Wolves, drew against Spurs and Liverpool but lost against Fulham at home and were heavily beaten by Palace. What did you take away from our efforts in April in the league?
David Meagher: Sadly, with such a thin squad, it was inevitable that we would run out of steam once the business end of the season arrived. It’s weird that at this stage of David Moyes’ management that the side are so Jekyll and Hyde. The Wolves game was a prime example – from absolutely woeful in the first half to excellent in the second. One worrying trend is that we have become very leaky at the back.
Meirion Williams: Well in the last issue, I predicted five points and we got five points so if you want the lottery numbers give me a call. Not that I’ve ever won that. The thing is though, that I thought we would get points from the two games we lost so what do I know? I think the month showed that on our day we can compete but as is always the case, we show a lack of consistency.
Chris Wheal: Our squad looks knackered and having matches close to both sides of the Leverkusen games made it worse. Our small squad is made smaller because our subs rarely get a game, they don’t know how to fit in when they do come on.
David Blackmore: When we look back at this season as a whole, I think we’ll kick ourselves at some of the results and performances we’ve endured with the recent Fulham and Palace games being right up there. They were games that we needed to get maximum points from to maintain our push for Europe. They were games that, no disrespect to either side, we should be getting points from. But we looked nothing like the side in either game that went toe-to-toe against Leverkusen in the Europa League. Whilst the draws against Spurs and Liverpool were great, the work for these results were completely undone by the performances at home to Fulham and away at Palace.
Now the dust has settled, how are you feeling about our Europa League exit to Leverkusen?
DM: It really was a great performance, full of passion and for a while we had Leverkusen truly rattled. The referee was dreadful and in my opinion was ultimately the deciding factor. Again, having such a tiny squad really didn’t help as the key to beating them was through a high press which we couldn’t maintain after 60 minutes. If the Bowen’s chance had gone in we might have routed them.
MW: I disagree slightly with Dave in that you can’t blame the referee. Yes he was not great but Moyesball doesn’t help. We did very little in that first leg and got stung for it. The lack of options off the bench has been a worrying issue all year long. Ultimately the lack of options, be it tactically or in substitutions, cost us dearly.
CW: I have a sense of pride. They are a Champions League side and unbeaten. Mind you, we lost to the ref.
DB: I’m still disappointed but I’m proud that we really went for it. It took me a while to process and get over the defeat against Frankfurt a couple of years ago. That was another game that could’ve been so different. It was a killer blow to lose 2-0 away in Germany for the first leg against Leverkusen. Had we drawn that or even lost 1-0, then I think we would have had a great chance of progressing. I keep replaying that Bowen chance in my mind. Had that gone in, what could’ve happened? Could we have got a third before half time? Their goal going in, our reaction by applauding our shattered men, felt like the end of a glorious era. I never wanted this European adventure to end but we all knew it had to some time.
How do you feel about not having European football again next season? For a long time this campaign, it looked like we’d secure it again for a fourth year but our form lately has seen our challenge fade away.
DM: I think we need a season to rebuild under a new manager without the endless flow of games that Europe brings. We need a major squad rebuild as our full backs and Antonio are at the end of their brilliant journeys. That said, the home games under the lights are fantastic fun. Let’s hope it is only a single season out and that we bounce back into Europe the following year.
MW: I partially agree with Dave that we do need a rebuild. The problem with no European football is the extent that the rebuild could be. How many of our star performers will be happy with a season of no European football. Will we see the likes of Kudas and Paqueta leave because of it? It’s also a factor that other teams will strengthen and it’s going to get harder and harder to get into those elusive league positions.
CW: Ot will be nice not going to work on Friday shattered. There are families whose entire holiday budget has been spent on away games. We need some young blood to replace the 30-somethings.
DB: From where we were earlier on in the season, we really should have kicked on in 2024 and secured ourselves a place in the Europa League next season. It was in our hands. We’ve had enough decent games to pick up points from and we haven’t. Yes, we need to rebuild and like Meirion, I agree to an extent that no European football will help with the transition, but as Meirion says, no European football will not only impact the calibre of player we can bring in but we’re also going to have a job on our hands keeping some of our star players who have been shining in the Premier League and Europe.
Looking back on the season, which games should we have got more from? Any games that spring to mind where we were lucky?
DM: The Sheffield United farce really irked me. Two awful decisions in the final three minutes cost us two points. Losing to Newcastle having been two ahead with less than 10 minutes to go was a sickener and again began with a dodgy penalty decision. We lost 3-0 to Man United in a game that we could have won 3-0. Those eight points would have us in the thick of it for the run in.
MW: I agree with Dave, the Sheffield United really sticks in my mind. Also who can forget Fulham and the recent game against Palace. Those are teams we should have beat but instead rolled over and were hammered.
CW: Looking at our squad, we have achieved what we could and what you would expect. The question is why do we have this squad and why do we play the same 13 players? Our bench must feel like a naughty step.
DB: We definitely should have left St James’ Park with all three points and we should’ve beaten either Villa or Burnley at home recently. We definitely should’ve walked away from Sheffield United with all three points. Then again, we were probably lucky to win at Wolves and at Burnley earlier on this campaign, and rode our luck at times against Spurs and Liverpool.
Would you like to see Moyes continue as West Ham boss, and what do you think will actually happen come the end of the season?
DM: I have always been a supporter of Moyes as our manager but football has radically changed with passing out of defence and we still look clumsy, high pressing as the norm and we never have enough attacking options to maintain the energy levels required, and lower threshold for awarding free kicks/penalties to attacking teams because we defend too deep and concede possession in the hope of turnover ball such that patient opposition eventually catch us out. If we want to keep Bowen, Kudus and Paqueta then we need to change our tactics and hold onto the ball. We also need to recruit exciting full backs and at least two strikers – top players won’t want to play in the possession-starved Moyes system. It’s been a blast but I think it’s time to try a new manager.
MW: I’ve never been a fan but I have to accept what he has down for the club in Europe. This season I have missed more games than any other in my 20+ years of being a season ticket holder and that comes down to two things. Firstly my dislike of the London Stadium and secondly the style of football we regularly play. That style sits with the manager so it’s thanks but bye bye Moyes in my eyes.
CW: They should make a decision before the end of the season so people can show their thanks and appreciation for what he has achieved. He deserves to retire with dignity, though I’m sure Everton fans would have him back.
DB: Right now, I’d keep Moyes. I’ve gone back and forth on the Moyesiah but if he’s still got the passion to drive us on, we should back him to get us back into Europe. Where we are in the league right now is about right for us, I can’t see how anyone else is going to be able to take this group of players forward. It’s so hard to gauge what David Sullivan will do come the end of the season. Part of me thinks he’ll give Moyes an extension because whilst we haven’t secured European football for a fourth season, we’ve not been near relegation. That’s what I believe plays a big part in Sullivan’s thinking. So long as we’re a Premier League club, why rock the boat? But there’s another part of me that thinks Sullivan is frustrated by some of the results and performances this season and might feel this group of players could benefit from a new coach.
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