David Moyes bailed West Ham out when he came back to the club and doesn’t deserve the scrutiny he is currently under, Chris Sutton has claimed.
The Irons boss’ job is back in question after the Hammers were thrashed 6-0 at home by Arsenal, but speaking live on BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club on 12 February the pundit compared the Irons’ situation favourably to two regularly-praised clubs in Brighton and Newcastle.
The surprise contract extension that had materialised before Christmas is not now forthcoming [Daily Mail, 12 February] and Moyes is once more facing calls for the sack [talkSPORT, 12 February], but Sutton hit back at the idea and suggested it was premature.
He said (7.22pm): “Are we going to be fair? Well let’s look through the whole season. Everybody’s been saying what a great team Brighton are. Where are West Ham? Ahead of them in the table.
“Newcastle United have impressed a lot of people. West Ham are level on points. And then you have look at the whole picture.
“You’ve mentioned [Manuel] Pellegrini. He was an appointment about coming in at West Ham and then playing a different brand of football, fantasy football if you like, and who bailed you out then? David Moyes bailed you out.
Who got you a sixth and seventh placed finish? Who won you a European trophy? And off the back of one game now it’s, ‘Oh, it’s all [terrible]’?”
Sutton in forceful defence of Moyes job at West Ham
On paper it’s hard to argue with him but that is the conundrum that the Irons find themselves in with the manager, that it certainly looks as if things could be better but recent history proves it could also be a lot worse.
His successes, such as the European runs and the bursts of excellent form, such as the back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Arsenal to end 2023, are very strong.
But in between there are frequent periods where performances are anything but, and a lot of the time it is hard to argue that many are actually enjoying what West Ham are doing.
The board’s failure to actually make a clear decision surely increases the unrest, as they seem to be as unsure as anyone on keeping the Scot in place.
For Moyes to nearly be sacked last season only to be kept into this term but without an extension to his contract which is expiring in the summer, and with Tim Steidten arriving to form a relationship that is apparently less than perfect, it gives the impression of a confused plan.
Considering West Ham haven’t won a game in 2024 yet, having also gone out of the FA Cup in that time, it is somewhat surprising that they are only just outside the European places in the Premier League.
So there are arguments in support of the manager staying and going but if results don’t improve the case for him to leave will get stronger.
