Dean Ashton questions David Moyes tactics after poor West Ham United run of form
Dean Ashton has questioned David Moyes’ tactical setup at West Ham after a poor run of results, claiming this team doesn’t feel like a Moyes side.
The former Hammers player stated that the Hammers simply cannot keep clean sheets at the moment, which is not something you’d associate with a typical Moyes-managed team.
Ashton also credited West Ham with becoming more exciting this season and said they will likely score plenty of goals, with the new signings forcing the team to open up and play in a more attacking style.
Commenting on talkSPORT’s PL All-Access Podcast, Ashton shared: “The only thing I would say is: West Ham cannot keep a clean sheet. And I don’t know whether it’s David Moyes feeling like he’s having to open up the play.
“The signings they’ve made have maybe opened up that, but they look like they’re going to score plenty of goals and they look more entertaining actually the games that they play in.
“That just doesn’t feel like a David Moyes team and they’re on a bad run at the moment in the Premier League.”
What has influenced the change?
Ashton suggested that the lack of defensive stability at West Ham could be down to the type of players that were brought in over the summer, and seemed reluctant to put the full blame on Moyes, but questions surely have to be asked about the tactical setup.
As other teams have proved both this season and in many past seasons, it’s entirely possible to play expressive football with attacking players while also maintaining a strong defensive unit and not shipping goals, it shouldn’t be a choice of one or the other.
In that case, the criticism would have to be applied to Moyes. Perhaps with the increase of attacking talent and quality in his team, he has sacrificed their defensive strength, rather than finding a balance between the two.
The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen will always be difference-makers going forward, but the defence which is the same back four as played most of last season suddenly becoming leaky should be a cause for concern.
In other West Ham news, a Hammers loanee has been quizzed on his permanent future.