David Moyes' Claret and Blue Army!

[sendô]

Praise where it's due, you'll always get hard work and determination from Moyes and that transposes onto the players. We'll all enjoy it for a while, but next season when we're grinding out 1-0 wins and sitting mid table we'll all get bored and start yearning for a flair manager again.

We don't seem to be able to find a happy medium as a club.

[Puff Daddy]

Betcha he'll be at Anfield tonight making notes about the blunts, unlike his predecessor

[claret parrot]

When Moyes was released last time I wasn't unhappy although I did feel he'd done a fine job with a club who were in freefall and it was a little harsh not allowing him to build on his achievement.

I wasn't convinced by Pellegrini but more knowledgeable people than me seemed really keen so I was readily persuaded. It was playing Zaba in a high line against St. Maximim convinced me he was clueless and had to go.

People suggested Howe but Bournemouth have outspent us and are not noticeably better than our basket-case of a club. People suggested Kovac but a relegation dogfight is no place for a manager making his managerial debut in the Premier League.

Rightly or wrongly I couldn't forget my envy of Everton having Moyes who made them a consistent force to be reckoned with despite strict budget limitations. I was never struck by their football being boring either it didn't occur to me, it just seemed efficient and effective. I thought he was a logical choice to follow Ferguson although it was always going to be a tough act to follow especially with a team who were past their best and punching above their weight.

The Spanish debacle and the failure at Sunderland were not enough to shift my belief that DM is a fundamentally good manager. Let's hope I have no reason to have changed my views in the next eighteen months.

[BondsoBob]

I didn't want Moyes and am still unhappy about the situation.
And, as others have said, one swallow does not make a summer. But it would be churlish, and childish not to acknowledge that it was a great win and he has to take credit for it.
But, let's see how he approaches the cup game and where we are in a few weeks before we go overboard with the praise.

[Clacton-ammer]

I have no problem with Moyes the man or manager, it's just our club & the colossal big pile of poo **** that runs it.

Appointing Moyes is just another step in the shambles of WHU. Next step bollax etc.

Moyes has my full backing as any of our managers, great start for him & us. If Moyes brings out the best of Haller as he did Arnie and gets them all fighting for the shirt then it can only be a good thing. Be an interesting January for him as some of the players appeared to be wanting out, will see how that pans out.

Moyes MUST now take the FA cup seriously, make a few changes for Sunday, but not loads and get us into the next round to keep the good feeling going & build momentum.

[keithwright1977]

I think we needed the change and that was apparent yesterday. Now we need to stabilise our position in the league and deal with the real issues facing our club, THE OWNERS AND THE STADIUM

[Hamburger]

When Moyes was released last time I wasn't unhappy although I did feel he'd done a fine job with a club who were in freefall and it was a little harsh not allowing him to build on his achievement.

The Spanish debacle and the failure at Sunderland were not enough to shift my belief that DM is a fundamentally good manager. Let's hope I have no reason to have changed my views in the next eighteen months.

Good summary CP, I just don’t get what sort of manager people think we can get for a mediocre club with crap owners and no money. I wonder how Moyes would have fared with Pellegrini’s £100m to spend when he’d been strapped for cash and produced a mid table finish with an appalling team. Hugill was a turkey but what can you buy with only £10m and what decent striker would want to join us back then?

He can’t take all the plaudits for organising the 4 - 0 win having only 1 full training session but he deserves credit for his motivational drive, some players put in their best performances for ages.

If he gets some financial support, he’s good enough to get us to where we deserve to be with our money & board - 7th or 8th at best. ‘Next level’ is just bull from the razzle dazzlers and a dream until we get proper, minted owners.
.

[miketheloop]

I loved the fact the first thing he said to them when they were back in the training room was “that is the minimum amount of effort I expect from you”.

He’s got the right ideas, let’s just hope they all buy into it.

[the pink palermo]

Would be a foolish move, I think. He is one of the best talent spotters out there. He will need a robust scouting network in place though.

I disagree.

Most of his successful signings - Fellani excepted - were established players.

Kevin Kilbane had already played over 100 PL matches before joining Everton, Tim Cahill had played 249 matches for Millwall including an FA cup final and two play off finals, Marcus Bent had played for 7 previous clubs, 4 of them in the Premier League, James Beattie had played over 200 times for Southampton, Simon Davies 121 times for Spurs, Phil Neville 386 times for Manchester United, Andrew Johnson had enjoyed a season in the Premier League with Palace netting 21 goals in 37 games for them, Joeleon Lescott had played 212 games for Wolves in the 2nd tier, Yakubu had already played for 2 PL clubs, Stephen Pienaar for both Dortmund and Ajax , so hardly a talent being spotted.

Even we had tried to sign Phil Jagielka 2 years before Moyes got him by which time he had played over 250 times for Sheffield United, Leighton Baines had top flight experience of nearly 80 matches before joining Everton. Louis Saha ? Two PL clubs before Everton.Distin ? Pompey and Man City in the PL before Everton ....

So, no, I don't think he is a talent spotter. Yes, he along with every other experienced Manager can see players who could do a job - a decent job - but I've seen nothing on his recruitment CV to match your description of him being "one of the best out there" in terms of talent spotting.

He's more of a Harry Redknapp, with less flair kinda talent spotter.He will sign established players, and there's nothing wrong in that, but I think in his time at Everton only 2 went for big money - Rooney, who I'm not sure you could credit Moyes with, and Lescott, who was sold to City when they first got rich.

[ereford ammer]

I have no problem with Moyes the man or manager, it's just our club & the colossal big pile of poo **** that runs it.

Appointing Moyes is just another step in the shambles of WHU. Next step bollax etc.

Moyes has my full backing as any of our managers, great start for him & us. If Moyes brings out the best of Haller as he did Arnie and gets them all fighting for the shirt then it can only be a good thing. Be an interesting January for him as some of the players appeared to be wanting out, will see how that pans out.

Moyes MUST now take the FA cup seriously, make a few changes for Sunday, but not loads and get us into the next round to keep the good feeling going & build momentum.

I am in full agreement.

[kayahammer]

I was underwhelmed by the appointment, but Moyes seems well up for it, and hasn't brought the negative vibe he had while at sunderland.

The only thing is it seems like a stop gap appointment. Let's hope he succeeds, because he seems t really like our club

[ironilunga]

Good summary CP, I just don’t get what sort of manager people think we can get for a mediocre club

A bloody good one if you are prepared to pay top dollar. However, as in Pellegrini's case it does not guarantee you success.

I firmly believe that when it comes to bringing in players or managers their ambition has to match that of the club. As has been said many times - What was Pellegrini's motivation in coming WHU? This also applies to players who have played at a much higher level - Why come to WHU?

Successful managers or coaches are often those with something to prove: Di Canio, Payet, Redknapp, Pardew, This versus journeymen or people that have had success at a higher level; Avram Grant, Manuel Pellegrini, Benni Mccarthy,

Moyes and WHU are about right. Both need each other in equal measure.

[Bavarian_Hammer]

Would have kept him after his last tenure and thought he was a rather better option to replace Pelle. He seems like a manager who's deeply involved in training sessions and not just strolls around the pitch observing practice and then decides his match day squad because of that. Our squad didn't seem to be on the same page for a while and mismanagement in training could be one reason. Also have to say I really appreciated him introducing Masuaku as a midfielder again. He's good with his feet and can deliver quality crosses into the box but is a liability as a fullback. He started playing as a winger under Moyes and deservedly got his song after several decent performances.

Let's hope we play with a strong squad against Gillingham and can build some momentum

[WestHamIFC]

I
How can you say that? He identified Hugil didn't he?

I'd love to know who you would have bought after being given a cheapskate budget of £8 ****ing million with only 1 day left of the transfer window?

[Coops]

Seeing him standing at the edge of his area, shouting instructions, when we were 3-0 up, made my heart soar. What a difference from Pellegrini's vacant stare. Moyes comes across really well, he seems like a genuine bloke and he is obviously a very good motivator.
It's early days, we have far more difficult games coming up and a lot of it wont be pretty. But I think he is just what we need at the moment. He wasn't my first choice, but I want him to succeed and I think he deserves our full support.

[claret parrot]

Good summary CP, I just don’t get what sort of manager people think we can get for a mediocre club with crap owners and no money. I wonder how Moyes would have fared with Pellegrini’s £100m to spend when he’d been strapped for cash and produced a mid table finish with an appalling team. Hugill was a turkey but what can you buy with only £10m and what decent striker would want to join us back then?

He can’t take all the plaudits for organising the 4 - 0 win having only 1 full training session but he deserves credit for his motivational drive, some players put in their best performances for ages.

If he gets some financial support, he’s good enough to get us to where we deserve to be with our money & board - 7th or 8th at best. ‘Next level’ is just bull from the razzle dazzlers and a dream until we get proper, minted owners.
.

With the money we paid to Pellegrini I imagine there might be a respectable queue, but whether those in line would be motivated by what we would like them to motivated by, is quite a different matter, so I agree with your conclusion but took another route to get there.

I'd love to know who you would have bought after being given a cheapskate budget of £8 ****ing million with only 1 day left of the transfer window?

Lighten up I made it clear that was tongue-in-cheek, although I did have serious misgivings about that signing once we got to know a few details ( price paid, family involvement, mediocre record) and recruitment remains my biggest concern about Moyes.

Thankfully it's not up to me to identify targets but there are always a list of strikers tearing it up in the primary or secondary divisions in the better European leagues as well as the UK. Of course it's always a gamble but if you choose someone who's been banging them in for Mainz or Lorient or Cagliari you probably shorten the odds over someone who hasn't pulled up more than the occasional shrub for PNE, no?

Of course you could get Albian Ajeti 2.0

[Mikloskosglovebag]

I would love for Hugill to get a couple of full games in the prem. I am sure he’s better than the joke he’s made out to be.

[Vic_Watson]

I voted "no", but you can't fault what we saw yesterday .

It'd have been 6-0 under Rafa/Kovac/Hughton!

[denzel]

I would love for Hugill to get a couple of full games in the prem. I am sure he’s better than the joke he’s made out to be.

[HammerMan2004]

Hugill must be the first player in history to miss a penalty. Let’s never let him wear our shirt again.