Graeme Souness takes aim at West Ham United ahead of Premier League clash v Nottingham Forest
Graeme Souness has taken aim at West Ham for their lack of bravery this season ahead of their crucial clash with Nottingham Forest on Saturday 25 February.
The Hammers are on a torrid run of form of late, winning just once since the World Cup break leaving them sitting in the relegation places on just 20 points from 23 games.
Indeed, Moyes’ men have failed to live up to last season’s lofty standards especially on the goalscoring front, having only scored 19 goals – the joint-third worst in the division.
And Souness, writing in his column for the Daily Mail [25 February, pg. 109] claimed many of the Hammers’ failures this season have been down to their lack of bravery at set-pieces.
He said: “Last season, they were fourth in the Premier League rankings for goals from set-pieces, with 15. This season, they’re joint 16th, with four so far.
“There are two components to scoring those set-piece goals: delivery, which I would suggest has not changed and a willingness to take a blow for the cause – put your head where you might get an elbow across your chops – which I would suggest has.
“I know Craig Dawson’s gone to Wolves but this feels like a reluctance to take one for the cause. If the bravery is not there at set-pieces, that will also be missing from the rest of their game.”
A shadow
It’s safe to say the Hammers have been dreadful this season, a shadow of their impressive former selves over the last few campaigns under Moyes’ management.
Souness is undoubtedly correct, the club were set-piece specialists last season, but that has dropped remarkably this season, but that is a symptom of their failures at being brave and lacking the fight and aggression they once held.
It is pretty damning the position the club currently finds itself and it’s made all the more worse considering how much money they spent last summer, buying players that should have improved the squad considerably.
Moyes’ role is under threat, and rightly so. He’s failed to get the best out of a talented group, one which is underachieving massively this season, and if they fail to beat Nottingham Forest this weekend, the former Everton manager could well be out of a job.