West Ham United: Jason Cundy slams David Moyes after ‘terrible’ management v Bayer Leverkusen
Jason Cundy slammed West Ham boss David Moyes over his “terrible decision” to substitute off Mohammed Kudus in the 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
Moyes replaced Kudus with Johnson – as well as Konstantinos Mavropanos with Nayef Aguerd – shortly after Jonas Hofmann had put Leverkusen a goal ahead.
The plan was presumably to protect a one-goal loss, but the hosts scored a second through Victor Boniface and are now overwhelming favourites ahead of next week’s return leg.
Speaking on talkSPORT [11 April], Cundy said: “I understand his thinking – don’t concede a second goal – but when you do then it looks a terrible decision.”
West Ham have work cut out v Bayer Leverkusen
West Ham’s gameplan worked well for the best part of 80 minutes against the Bundesliga champions-elect. Indeed, for all the German side’s possession and shots, the Irons created the one big chance through Kudus.
Ultimately, though, Xabi Alonso’s substitutions worked as Hofmann scored and then assisted fellow sub Boniface to all but put Leverkusen into the semi-finals.
Moyes has made a habit of making bad substitutions this season, and that was again the case against Bayer. While that is being said with the benefit of hindsight, managers live and die by their in-game decisions.
Instead of continuing with the gameplan after falling behind, Moyes instead went too defensive and the change of shape clearly had a say in the build-up to Leverkusen’s second goal.
Moyes has worked wonders in Europe over the past couple of years, but this decision looks to have cost United a chance of reaching successive European finals.
In other West Ham news, Moyes’ future at London Stadium may be clearer after transfer news that emerged this week.
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