West Ham United faced a setback with a 1-0 defeat against Freiburg in the Europa League, leaving manager David Moyes visibly displeased. Moyes expressed frustration, feeling that his team should have secured a win but delivered a lackluster performance against the Bundesliga side in Germany.
While several players, including Kurt Zouma, were below par, it was midfielder Edson Alvarez who drew Moyes’s ire after the match. Despite Alvarez’s excellent form throughout the season, Moyes specifically pointed out an action by the Mexican international that, in his view, contributed to the defeat.
In his post-match media address, Moyes highlighted a particular moment just before Freiburg scored, indicating his dissatisfaction with one player’s actions. Quoted by WHUFC.com, Moyes stated; “We were trying to make sure we gave ourselves a really good result here to go back to London Stadium, and I thought for long periods it was going to be that way. But we turned the ball over terribly for the goal when really we hadn’t given them too many opportunities in the second half.”
The culprit for Moyes’s criticism became evident as Alvarez was responsible for a sloppy pass in the build-up to Freiburg’s goal.
While Alvarez has been a standout performer for West Ham this season, making him a key figure in Moyes’s starting lineup, Moyes emphasized the need for him to eliminate such costly mistakes. The Mexican midfielder’s errant pass played a role in West Ham’s loss, and Moyes recognizes the impact such errors can have on the team’s performance.
Acknowledging Alvarez’s overall brilliance, Moyes underlined the importance of cutting out avoidable mistakes. Despite Alvarez’s elevated status in the team, Moyes emphasized the need for composure in possession. The manager believes that, had Alvarez been more composed during the game, West Ham could have secured at least a draw against Freiburg.
While expressing disappointment with the specific incident, Moyes’s comments reflect a broader sentiment that, to reach the elite level, players like Alvarez must minimize errors that can prove costly.
The defeat against Freiburg serves as a reminder that even standout performers need to maintain consistency and composure, especially in crucial moments of the game. Moyes’s expectations remain high for Alvarez, recognizing his potential to become a truly elite midfielder for West Ham.