Considering the job that David Moyes has done at West Ham over the past 18 months, the Scot deserves respect.
The East Londoners are now genuine European contenders, and who would’ve said that a couple of seasons ago when they were spiralling towards the Championship.
Buying well in the transfer market has stood the club in good stead, and West Ham now resemble the Everton teams that Moyes used to oversee.
Where once going to the London Stadium was often a guarantee of three points, now even the biggest teams know they’ve been in a game.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been beaten in the capital this season, whilst Manchester United have been beaten at Old Trafford.
A couple of injuries have seen West Ham drop off the pace slightly at the top of the Premier League table, and now Michail Antonio’s words on Moyes’ inability to sign another striker might not necessarily go down well.
“I’m a person where I want a challenge, I want someone to be there pushing me and make sure I am doing the right things,” he said to Standard Sport, quoted by Hammers News and cited by Claret and Hugh.
“The time I went nine games without scoring a goal, maybe someone could have stepped in and given me that little push so that I could hit the back of the net.
“I am not a person that would shy away from a challenge. I would definitely embrace someone coming in, I’d embrace the competition.”
However, perhaps the manager is already ahead of that particular curve.
According to Sky Sports, the Hammers have already been in talks with Flamengo hitman, Gabriel ‘Gabigol’ Barbosa.
What is likely to excite fans of the Premier League club is that, apparently, Barbosa watches all of West Ham’s matches and is a fan of the way in which Moyes is working.
Although it’s believed that there are other interested parties, getting a deal over the line will boost West Ham’s attacking options and give Antonio the competition he craves in the process.