West Ham United manager David Moyes has been praised for one tweak he's made to the starting eleven, coming amid calls for the sack.
Moyes under pressure
In the past fortnight, there have been some calls for Moyes to call an end to his near four-year stay at West Ham. Their league form has left a lot to be desired since the beginning of 2022/2023, with the Irons finishing 14th last season and battling relegation for much of the Premier League campaign.
While Moyes did guide West Ham to an historic Europa Conference League title in May, and are continuing to impress in cup competitions, the coach's contract expires next summer and reports suggest he's "unlikely" to stay beyond then.
Journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GiveMeSport this week, suggested the east Londoners will have their eye on a young and upcoming manager if Moyes does depart.
"Before Moyes, they were big admirers of people like Marcelo Bielsa and Rafa Benitez, but I suspect that with Tim Steidten coming in, those kind of managers would not be high on his wish list if the club was to make a change. So you'd be more likely to see West Ham trying to go for more of a younger, up-and-coming manager I think if a change is coming."
West Ham's 1-0 win over Olympiacos somewhat eased the pressure on Moyes heading into Nottingham Forest. However, nothing but a victory over Steve Cooper's side is likely to satisfy critics or the fanbase.
Moyes praised for West Ham tweak
Amid these reports of Moyes potentially leaving next year, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has actually moved to praise the 60-year-old for one change he's made to his eleven.
Indeed, star winger Jarrod Bowen, who recently committed to his future to the club, is starting to be used in a more central role as an alternative to traditional striker Michail Antonio.
The Jamaica international started this season brightly but has since tailed off on the goalscoring front, and with Gianluca Scamacca's departure to Atalanta in the summer, Moyes has had to improvise in an attempt to hand West Ham more potency going forward.
Robinson, speaking to Football Insider, hailed Moyes for utilising Bowen and says summer signing Mohammed Kudus is another option to play with.
“I think Moyes has that cover with Mohammed Kudus, he’s been a great signing. He’s the option. He can play down the centre as well, but also in recent weeks, we’ve seen Jarrod Bowen fill in that role and he’s been excellent. I’ve seen him a few times this season.
“With Kudus and Bowen, maybe not direct competitors but David Moyes certainly has options and he is not afraid to use them.
“I really like what he’s done there. They’ve progressed again whether or not he looks for a direct competitor for Antonio to strengthen his squad. It’s a squad that’s used to the rigours of European football and they’re in a much better place. In regards to Antonio, if the manager can afford that luxury, maybe it’s something he looks at.”