David Moyes
David Moyes is determined for his West Ham team to kick off the new season where they left off as he aims to continue his progress with the Hammers. West Ham finished the 2020-21 campaign with ten points from their final five games to secure a top-six finish, a record Premier League points tally of 65, and a Europa League spot. Despite defying expectations of a relegation threatened season Moyes was still left disappointed with the way the campaign ended. The Scot had his sights set on a top four finish and Champions League football only to miss out by just two points, with the manager believing an injury to Declan Rice proved crucial in the run in.
David Moyes said: “We got an injury to Declan Rice after the last international week, which really was a problem for us in the last six or seven games of the season. We were two points outside Champions League football last season so we will look back and think maybe there was something we could have got in the run in.”
Having come so close last time out Moyes is aiming to take his team one step further this campaign
David Moyes said: “We have to try and compete with the top teams. I wouldn’t have said that this time last year and I know there will be very few pundits who agree with this but I’ve got to try and challenge and push our people on and I’ve got to go and try and make it happen again.”
The Hammers begin their campaign with a trip to Newcastle the venue where their Champions League hopes last season took a big hit following a 3-2 loss. The Magpies took six points off the Hammers last time out, something only Champions League qualifiers Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United also managed to do. Moyes is not taking Steve Bruce’s team lightly but is determined to get the new season off to a positive start
David Moyes said: “Newcastle has been a tough game for us, we did not beat them last season. I think they were about the only club in the bottom half of the league to beat us twice so we will go there with confidence, we played well last year but got a player sent off [Craig Dawson] which changed the game a little bit but overall we’ll go there and try and get off to a good start.”
West Ham’s Europa League campaign gets underway on September 16 putting added pressure on the first four games of the season before the fixture congestion really hots up. Following the visit to St James Park, West Ham host Leicester City and Crystal Palace before a trip to Southampton to round out their opening four fixtures. The Hammers took seven points from a possible 12 from the same set of fixtures last year, if Moyes can improve on that then the season will heading in exactly the direction the Scot wants.
