David Moyes has explained why he was initially hesitant to allow Said Benrahma to take a penalty in West Ham United’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester City, via football.london.
The Irons held the four-time defending champions to a goalless draw during regular time on Wednesday night. Mark Noble stepped up and converted the first kick of the shootout, before Jarrod Bowen, Craig Dawson and Aaron Cresswell followed for the Hammers.
Benrahma then had the honour of winning the tie for West Ham after Phil Foden missed the Citizens’ first. Firing the ball past Zack Steffen, just, after the United States goalie got a hand to the £23k-a-week playmaker’s strike.
Moyes had already decided West Ham’s first four takers before hosting Manchester City in case the tie went to penalties. But the Irons boss was unsure over the fifth after letting his squad try out earlier in the week. Giving players a chance to show their worth in training.
Moyes had Benrahma doubt before West Ham Carabao Cup win
Benrahma did not paint himself in an ideal light after missing as the West Ham prepared for their Carabao Cup tie. But his confidence to step up during the shootout convinced Moyes he could take the all-important fifth kick.
“The only reason I wasn’t sure is because Benrahma put two over the bar [in training],” Moyes explained. “So, when he said he wanted to take it I was a little bit taken aback by it. But I felt, ‘there you go. If you want it, take it’. I was a bit worried when it got to the fifth one, but I’ve got to say he took it very well.”
Moyes added: “The reason why I was happy for him to take it is because I believe he is a goalscorer. He has scored goals throughout his career, he scored them at Brentford. So I felt you need people who think they are used to hitting the back of the net and how to get past the goalkeeper.
“He was really confident. I was not quite so sure when he asked me but overall, it went fine and it can happen. I had other people I thought I could use, and I was close to using them, who had done quite well [in practice]. But it was just the fifth one, I was not quite sure.”
Benrahma has taken six penalties during regular time in his career and is so far yet to miss from 12-yards. His last spot-kick came in July 2020 for Brentford as they beat Charlton. His fourth for the Bees, after two for Chateauroux. And Benrahma surely earned himself some extra credit with Moyes after converting during West Ham’s Carabao Cup tie.
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