West Ham United are sitting in the Premier League’s relegation zone heading into their game against the champions-elect tonight.
Paul Merson has claimed that David Moyes is seemingly stuck with luxury players after Jeff Stelling questioned whether too many West Ham players ‘don’t have the heart for a battle’, whilst speaking to Soccer Saturday (22/02/20 at 13:30 pm).
Former Southampton forward, Matt Le Tissier, believes that is a ‘big accusation to make against professional footballers’ and the West Ham players, in particular, as he thinks sometimes it can ‘look that way’.
West Ham, who were beaten by the Premier League champions last Wednesday, will now travel to Anfield to take on the champions-elect, Liverpool.
The London club are one point from safety, and on a positive note, those teams around them were all beaten at the weekend – Norwich, Watford, Villa and Bournemouth.
Jeff Stelling asked Le Tissier: ‘Moving away from the way they were set up [against Manchester City] and fingers pointed at the manager, of course, they are by West Ham fans. Is the truth, as harsh as it may be, that there are too many West Ham players who don’t have the heart for a battle:
“That’s a big accusation to make against professional footballers,” Le Tissier told Sky Sports. “Sometimes it can look that way.”
Merson added: “Them players were bought in to entertain really. West Ham were going that way [upwards] ‘we are going to entertain, we are going to play this free attacking style, the West Ham way, whatever that is and we are going to have a go’.
“Now it’s back on the other thing. It’s roll your sleeves up. If I am being honest, I wasn’t one of them players, Tiss [Le Tissier] wasn’t. I would probably get back and do a thing. But I didn’t have that natural thing to dive in front of a ball. That’s what he [Moyes] is stuck with.”
Given how Liverpool are playing this season, it could be a simple case of ensuring West Ham don’t get thumped tonight because that would have a negative effect on their goal difference.
David Moyes’ side have a goal difference of -15, whilst Villa, who are one place above them, have a goal difference of -18, so a point would be enough to go above them.
But, the Hammers simply cannot think in that manner because it only puts extra pressure on the players and their manager, who wasn’t exactly welcomed back with open arms by some of the fans.
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