Martin Keown has rebutted Jim White’s insinuations regarding the increasing difficulty of supporting David Moyes following West Ham’s 1-0 defeat to Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday (7 March).
The Hammers’ performance had seen a notable improvement with the return of Lucas Paqueta from injury, breaking a streak of eight games without a win across all competitions with a victory against Brentford on 26 February.
After triumphing 4-2 over Brentford, West Ham secured a 3-1 win against Everton. However, the loss to Freiburg in the round of 16’s first leg has rapidly escalated the scrutiny on Moyes.
During a live broadcast on talkSPORT on Friday (8 March, 10:28am), White pondered: “If the team doesn’t start securing wins soon, will it become more challenging to justify David Moyes’ management?”
Keown swiftly countered, stating: “That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? You have to acknowledge their achievements in Europe, including winning the Europa Conference League.
“His track record speaks for itself. I’m not fond of the negative discourse surrounding him – he has significantly contributed to West Ham and I believe he’ll continue to excel. Their loss was unfortunate.”
Is it time for David Moyes to depart West Ham United?
The scrutiny on Moyes has been intensifying, with a segment of fans expressing dissatisfaction with the team’s tactics and performance.
The discontent was less palpable when the team was faring well, especially when Moyes and Declan Rice were celebrating the Europa Conference League victory. Nonetheless, football being fundamentally results-oriented, fans’ frustrations are understandable.
It wasn’t until the end of February that West Ham managed to notch their first win of 2024, a 4-2 victory over Brentford at the London Stadium. Despite the brief resurgence, the defeat against Freiburg has reignited concerns.
West Ham squandered multiple chances to lead, with Jarrod Bowen’s efforts notably saved by Noah Atubolu, while Freiburg capitalized on a defensive lapse, drawing criticism towards Kurt Zouma once more.
Still, with the second leg ahead, West Ham aims to overturn the deficit, hoping for robust support from their fans at home.
