Jamie Redknapp rages at ‘criminal’ West Ham United incident as David Moyes exit verdict shared after 5-1 defeat
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp blasted West Ham United for their “criminal” mistake for Newcastle’s third goal in their 5-1 defeat to at the London Stadium on Wednesday night [5 April].
In what was a pivotal game for the club in their quest to secure Premier League safety, the Hammers were completely outclassed by a rampant Newcastle United side with goals from Callum Wilson (2), Joelinton (2) and Alexander Isak kept the Hammers flirting with the drop zone.
After the Hammers got back to 2-1 at half-time after Kurt Zouma’s thumping header, a blunder from Nayef Aguerd in possession just after the interval took the game away from David Moyes’ men as Murphy took advantage and teed up Wilson to bag his second and Redknapp vented his frustration at what he saw.
Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event on Wednesday night (5 April, 10:12pm), Redknapp said after a replay of Zouma’s goal: “Now you’re thinking, ‘we’re in this game now, we’re 2-1 down, do I need to make any changes? Absolutely not. Just give me a really good start [to the second half], let’s not making any silly mistakes’.
“And what do West Ham do? Make a criminal mistake.”
Redknapp added: “The bubbles are still there on the pitch, they’re believing they’re right back in this game.
“And this is the hardest thing as a manager because David Moyes has got it all on him now. Make no mistake, this result has put a lot of pressure on him.
“There are certain times when I have so much sympathy for modern-day managers but what can you really do when a player does this? You told everyone and gave them the message to make sure… he’s probably not even there in his technical area yet.
“Aguerd actually does well. He heads it back to his keeper – he’s calm. Now you can see they’re trying to play it out from the back and maybe when you play that ball to him there, he could be slightly deeper. ‘Can I open up my body and as quickly as possible, play the ball to the left-back?’. That’s what you’re trying to do but he actually gets pressed really well by Murphy, who anticipates it and Aguerd gets himself in a muddle.
“His first touch is not so bad but then he plays a funny, unusual touch with the outside of his left foot. Then he tries to drag it back and by that time, whoops, you’re in big trouble.”
Dreadful errors
In a game where a win would have given West Ham United the advantage over their relegation rivals down at the bottom, Moyes’ men shot themselves in the foot with some really bad defending which will have certainly delighted the clubs near them in the table.
How could they be so bad on a crucial evening in their season? That was a relegation performance from the Hammers and they have got to pick themselves up quickly for Saturday’s crucial encounter against Fulham at Craven Cottage [8 April] or they could well be in for some deeper trouble.
What Aguerd was doing for that third Newcastle goal is beyond belief. When you know the Magpies will press hard and with intent, why hold on to the ball for so long?
It is the kind of mistakes that certainly leaves clubs dreading their Premier League future, and the Hammers losing their status come May is totally inconceivable.
Could Moyes lose his job before the end of the season? If Leicester City were brave enough to sack Brendan Rodgers last weekend, then West Ham United surely could be, but Sullivan may be forced to stick with him as he has done in recent weeks. However, he’s got to go come the end of the campaign.