David Moyes deserves plaudits for a top-six finish

25/05/21 2499

For many, West Ham appointing David Moyes was a completely uninspired move by the club from east London.

The former Everton head coach had struggled to impress anywhere since his tenure on Merseyside, with his failure at Manchester United was his most high-profile flop.

However, since leaving the Red Devils, his best managerial spell was his first stint in charge of the Hammers. It was short and sweet, but his second spell with the capital club has been even sweeter.

On Sunday, the Hammers sealed their place in the Europa League, beating Southampton 3-0 at the London Stadium to finish sixth-place in the table. The Irons also finished just two points outside the Champions League spots.

While some may look back in regret at not quite making Europe’s elite competition, finishing in the top-six is a major achievement for the Hammers, as Moyes himself stated after Sunday’s game.

The veteran Scottish head coach is the man responsible for the team’s achievement this season. The sixth-place finish was achieved by playing some good football at times, something not always associated with Moyes teams.

During his time best seasons at Everton, they were considered hard to beat, but towards the end of his tenure, the team started to produce more expansive football.

His West Ham team is almost a hybrid of his most successful Everton team, which mixes solid organisation with a touch of flair in the likes of Pablo Fornals and Jesse Lingard. They are hard to beat but can turn on the style too. In short, Moyes has created a very good football team at West Ham.

While some fans decry the Europa League, there is a sense that Hammers fans will be happy to be playing in the competition next season.

This achievement is a big one for the Irons, who will face a battle to remain in the top-six next season.