The 1-0 defeat to Freiburg in the Europa League last 16 first leg has left West Ham with work to do, and pundits, including Michael Owen, believe the outcome was a result of David Moyes reverting to a cautious style of play. The disappointment stems from the belief that West Ham, with their attacking prowess, should have seized the opportunity against a relatively average German side.
‘Safe West Ham made to pay for reverting to type’:
“I thought they were just a bit safe,” Sidwell said on TNT Sports.
“I thought it was just an away performance where it was ‘well if we go home with a 0-0 it’s ok, if we create a few chances and nick a goal then great’
“Whereas now being on the front foot having to score I think that impetus… I fully expect them to create chances and score.”
Owen expressed his frustration with Moyes adopting a risk-averse approach, highlighting that West Ham had recently shown a more attacking style, creating chances and scoring goals. The pundit felt that the team possesses the tools to turn the situation around and emphasized the missed opportunity to capitalize on the game.
Steve Sidwell echoed the sentiment, suggesting that Moyes’ approach seemed geared towards securing a 0-0 draw away from home rather than taking a proactive stance to score. Both pundits agreed that West Ham, facing a team not of Real Madrid’s caliber, should have approached the game with a more attacking mindset.
While Owen expects West Ham to create chances and score in the second leg, the frustration lies in the belief that the Hammers, given their attacking strengths, should have done better in the first leg. The consensus is that Moyes needs to consistently play to West Ham’s attacking capabilities, as demonstrated in recent matches where the team had showcased a more liberated and goal-scoring style.
“It’s a little bit frustrating because they’ve been creating chances, scoring goals, (Lucas) Paqueta back in the team, recently they’ve actually let the shackles off a little bit.
Owen: ‘It was back to that frustrating Moyes style’
“When you look at their team, they look really good in attacking positions and you think to yourself ‘that’s your strength’ and tonight they’ve gone back to type in a way, back to that frustrating style that the fans accuse David Moyes of having.
“You get it, away in Europe, but it’s not like they’re away at Real Madrid. They could have gone and scored a goal or two tonight. That’s frustrating but there’s no doubt they’ve got the tools to turn it around.”
The disappointment among fans is palpable, waking up to the realization that an opportunity was missed, and the second leg now requires a turnaround. The consensus is that Moyes must leverage the attacking potential of his team to overcome the deficit and progress in the Europa League.