Manchester United visit West Ham this weekend in the second of two away trips this week.
Ahead of the game we spoke to Hammers News lead writer Damien Lucas about Declan Rice, David Moyes, his early impressions of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, and more.
What are West Ham’s top objectives at this late stage of the season?
Before the start of the season – and having spent £170m on some exciting players – it’s fair to say expectations were to maintain our challenge for a top six spot. But it has been an awful season in the league.
David Moyes has tried to turn us from a counter attacking and set piece side to a possession side and it has failed miserably. Hence the recent return to the tried and tested approach. From where we are now staying up and winning the Europa Conference League is the clear objective.
Who has been your best player this season?
This is a difficult one. On the face of it most would say Declan Rice. And in terms of consistent performance levels there probably isn’t anyone who comes close. But Jarrod Bowen very much makes West Ham tick. When he doesn’t play well neither does the team.
Bowen was poor for the first half of the season and has admitted he was trying to be too perfect and overthinking his game in a bid to make the World Cup squad. But he has been our best player since the turn of the year on a consistent basis.
He was poor at Palace last weekend and so were West Ham as a team which tells you everything. It will be between Rice and Bowen but the captain gets it for me, especially if he leads the side to some glory and we stay up.
What do you think happens with Declan Rice this summer?
West Ham fans have known for a long time now this is his last season. The club offered him the biggest contract in West Ham history – reportedly worth £85m over the terms of the deal – and he turned it down because it really isn’t about money for Dec, he wants to compete for the top trophies.
West Ham essentially privately agreed to sell him this summer because they simply couldn’t lose Mark Noble AND Rice in the same summer last year.
He won’t go for anything less than the £100m plus asking price, though. Make no mistake the club will make him see out his contract if they don’t get the right fee. It seems Arsenal are in the box seat but I have a funny feeling he’ll end up at Man City as Kalvin Phillips just doesn’t fit there.
Is this David Moyes last season at West Ham?
I think it has to be. At any other club Moyes would have gone midway through this season. But when it got to February time I believe it was the right decision to stick rather than twist. For the job he has done it would be fantastic and deserved if he could bow out having ended a 43-year major trophy drought. But there is no future in the Premier League for the approach Moyes prefers ie: giving up possession and being a counter attacking and set piece team. The league has evolved to the point that even Palace and Brighton are absolutely playing West Ham off the park.
Most games the opposition have nearly double the number of passes and almost always more possession. We don’t expect to play like Man City but we are a big enough club to expect a better, more exciting style of play.
Recent performances had divided fans again in the debate over Moyes’ future but the game at Palace was another wake up call. The key to everything is – can the West Ham board and David Sullivan make the right appointment if Moyes does go? If we’re not confident they can then perhaps staying with Moyes is the safest bet.
What West Ham need to ask themselves is why aren’t they finding managers like Roberto De Zerbi first. It’s a massive summer for the club.
From the outside, what have you made of Erik ten Hag’s first season?
He looked like he was going to be swallowed up during those early days and defeats to the likes of Brentford. But I’ve been really impressed by how quickly he has changed the style. As Chelsea – and West Ham on a smaller scale – have shown, it’s not that easy.
I was impressed by the way he dealt with the Cristiano Ronaldo situation. He seems very driven and focused. And if he gets money to spend under new owners it looks like he will get Man United challenging again for sure.
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