David Moyes’ managerial appointment at West Ham was not greeted with grace when he replaced the outgoing Slaven Bilic, but he has turned things around at the club.
Having spoken to a few West Ham fans, the tide has changed and many supporters now warm to him. Taking over with the East Londoners in the relegation zone, the Scotsman now has the Hammers on the brink of a top half finish; and maybe even fighting for a place in Europe. But how has he done it?
Terminator
The first thing Moyes did was revitalise the career of record signing Marko Arnautovic, who had not scored a single goal under Bilic. Moyes called the 28-year-old into his office and warned him that he had to run more, or he would be dropped.
It’s almost as if West Ham have a different player on their books now. Seven league goals since December for him have helped the club climb to safety, including the winner against London rivals and champions Chelsea.
He has moved to a more central role, playing up front and creating a brilliant partnership with Manuel Lanzini. A real presence at the top end of the pitch, he has scored some crucial goals for the club.
Tactics
Secondly, West Ham have changed the system to the new and trendy three at the back. Using Cresswell as the left-sided centre-back, the defence has a lot more balance and with Cresswell there, the Hammers can now play out from the back. With Masuaku and Zabaleta playing as wing-backs, West Ham can tuck in and switch to a five at the back when needing to play on the back foot.
Moyes has also worked wonders with limited resources at the club. After having a large injury crisis, the manager has adapted to a difficult situation. Combined with the limited transfer funds provided by the board, as well as off the field issues between the fans and the chairmen, the team has continued to be competitive on a weekly basis.
Authority
Finally, Moyes has not been afraid to drop the big names in the big games. Joe Hart, who came to the club as England’s number one, has been dropped to the bench and only featured in Cup matches with Adrian performing impressively. Moyes is not bothered by the fact that he could be affecting the preparation of the England national team by benching the goalkeeper, to the benefit of West Ham United, which is very encouraging.
Although his contract only runs until the summer, many fans are starting to warm to Moyes and would relish seeing him in charge for the long term. Only time will tell if he extends his stay, but his audition has certainly been a huge success.