West Ham United’s Europa League hopes took a hit as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Freiburg, leaving manager David Moyes visibly frustrated with his team’s lackluster performance.
Despite a valiant effort from the Hammers, Moyes was left disappointed that his side failed to secure at least a draw in the first leg tie in Germany. The absence of a late penalty decision only added to Moyes’ dismay, highlighting missed opportunities for his team.
Reflecting on the match, Moyes lamented the overall lack of intensity and intent from his players, particularly singling out star midfielder Lucas Paqueta for criticism. In a candid post-match press conference, Moyes expressed his disappointment with the team’s poor ball retention, stressing the difficulty of reclaiming possession in European competition.
With Paqueta’s pass completion rate plummeting to just 69.4%, well below his season average, Moyes didn’t mince words in attributing the team’s struggles to the Brazilian’s subpar performance. While acknowledging the inherent risk in Paqueta’s style of play, Moyes made it clear that such lapses in ball retention were unacceptable at this level of competition.
As West Ham regroups for the second leg, Moyes will undoubtedly demand a marked improvement from his players, with Paqueta facing heightened scrutiny to deliver a performance worthy of redemption.
