Sky Sports pundit baffled by David Moyes tactical decision in first of half of Fulham v West Ham
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Sky Sports pundit baffled by David Moyes tactical decision in first of half of Fulham v West Ham

Pete Hanson
Pete Hanson

Head of Editorial Standards & Recruitment AUTHORITY Former senior digital journalist at Stats Perform; network specialist in live data, editorial standards, and journalist recruitment. FOCUS Editorial standards, Statscore live data integration, newsroom operations, and recruitment. THE BRIEF Pete brings deep data expertise from his time at Stats Perform to oversee the network’s use of Statscore’s live data, setting the standard for how writers use it to produce original editorial content. He is also responsible for maintaining editorial standards and leading recruitment across the network.

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Sky Sports News pundit Kieron Dyer was baffled by David Moyes' decision to play direct in the first half of West Ham versus Fulham.

The Hammers were woeful in the first half at Craven Cottage and went into the break 3-0 adrift to their London rivals, who were in free flow.

But Dyer could not comprehend why the Hammers were going long so often when they switched between Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus up front.

west ham

Speaking live on Sky Sports News (10 December), Dyer said: "They've done a tactical change, they put Bowen out on the right wing and they've put Kudus up front.

"But it isn't going to plan, they had Bowen up front but they're going direct too long to someone up front who's probably smaller than me so I didn't quite under those tactics."

West Ham

A natural striker needed

It is difficult to be overly critical of Moyes because the Hammers have had some excellent results and some excellent performances this season, not least on Thursday when they came from behind to defeat to Tottenham 2-1.

But they also have this horrible habit of being able to just be completely outplayed in some games and even accounting for the fact that Fulham are in full flow it really was an unforgivable first-half performance.

What it does show is that the team is desperate for a more out-and-out striker. Bowen is a tremendous player, make absolutely no bones about it, and he will score plenty more goals in a Hammers shirt.

He is not really and out-and-out striker, though, and nor is Kudus, so you end up with a square peg in a round hole in probably the most important position on the pitch. The Hammers need to get the chequebook out in January and bring in a number nine that much is obvious.

In other West Ham news, an injury update on Edson Alvarez and Emerson Palmieri has been provided.

West Ham United
Jarrod Bowen
Kieron Dyer
Mohammed Kudus
www.westhamzone.com