West Ham has had trouble building off their thrilling victory against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final due to an uncertain summer. The awkward dynamic between David Moyes and Tim Steidten, who had been recruited as the technical director last month, has made it difficult to replace Declan Rice, who was transferred to Arsenal for £105 million.
Steidten, a former employee of Bayer Leverkusen, has been searching for players across Europe. However, Moyes is looking for players with experience in the Premier League and has had trouble persuading West Ham to pay Southampton the asking amount for England playmaker James Ward-Prowse. It is fortunate that West Ham completed their first summer acquisition this week, bolstering in defensive midfield with the arrival of Edson Alvarez from Ajax, given the mounting stress.
It was now or never. Despite West Ham’s success under Moyes in Europe, they were appalling in their 4-0 friendly loss to Leverkusen last weekend. This makes it impossible to ignore their dismal domestic record. They had 20 league losses last season, which contributed to their 14th-place finish, and it will be difficult for them to bounce back after losing Rice.
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There has been a subtle change in the number of shirt sales-
When Lucas Paquetá joined West Ham from Lyon in summer of 2022 for £51 million, he broke the club’s record signing. Despite a tough start to life in England, the Brazil midfielder refused to let his head sink. The 25-year-old buckled down, adapted to the Premier League’s tempo, and provided a tonne of inventiveness in the second half of the last campaign.
Paquetá, a fan favourite, assisted West Ham with its winning goal in the Conference League championship. West Ham will be hoping that Paquetá, who netted five goals in all tournaments last season, is prepared to take on greater responsibility in the wake of Rice’s departure since it was a pivotal moment of quality.
The Menace- Jarrod Bowen
Paquetá made the pass, and Jarrod Bowen completed the move. The winger has a keen sense of when to strike. Bowen’s poor play at the beginning of the previous campaign ended any chance of his being selected for the England World Cup team. However, after Christmas, he recovered and became much more productive.
Bowen, a superb acquisition from Hull City three years ago, was fearless when he broke through against Fiorentina and reverted to his driving best on the right wing. West Ham won the championship as the 26-year-old expertly slid the ball past Pietro Terracciano. Bowen has quickly established himself as a club legend.
Can David Moyes change the whole atmosphere revolving around the Hammers?
The future of David Moyes was in doubt going into the Conference League championship game versus Fiorentina. West Ham’s loss in Prague may have prompted them to start searching for a new manager, so if they have a sluggish start to the year, nothing should rule out a change. However, Moyes will be brimming with confidence after winning his first significant prize as a manager. He came very near to being fired multiple times last season, but nevertheless finished the year strong. However, criticism of his approach to the game has not subsided, and Moyes, who has already lost two members of his coaching staff this summer, might find himself in hot water if West Ham’s transfer policy fails once again.
However, Moyes is accustomed to being dismissed. He came very near to getting fired multiple times last season, but he finished the campaign with a trophy. Although there is unease about his playing style within the locker room, nobody will forget Moyes’s rush along the sideline in Prague following Jarrod Bowen’s dramatic victory over Fiorentina. There shouldn’t only be bad news. West Ham is back in the Europa League, and new additions will aid in their transition from a challenging preseason.
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