David Moyes's West Ham in-tray: Four major issues for the new Hammers manager

Giuseppe Muro31 December 2019

David Moyes took his first training session at West Ham on Monday before meeting co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold for lunch to discuss how the club move forward.

Moyes is back at the London Stadium with West Ham facing a relegation battle in 2020 unless their form improves.

The Hammers are just one point above the relegation zone and the return of Moyes was not popular among a large section of supporters.

Moyes is confident he can prove people wrong, but the job he is facing wil not be an easy one.

Here, Standard Sport looks at the major issues he has to address...

In Pictures | David Moyes' First Training Session as West Ham manager

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Win over the supporters

A number of fans feel the decision to replace Manuel Pellegrini with Moyes is a step backwards given West Ham deemed him not good enough 18 months ago.

West Ham United FC via Getty Ima

The Scot defended his managerial record during his unveiling on Monday and is confident he can bring some stability to a club that has endured some turbulent years.

But uniting the fanbase behind him will not be easy. Ill-feeling is growing towards a board who promised supporters the move to the London Stadium would get the club to the “next level”. The next level, though, remains as distant as ever.

Tighten up the defence

REUTERS

West Ham are a team crying out for more energy, pace and desire - but one of the first things Moyes must do is sort out a defence that has leaked 32 goals already this season.

Speaking in his Standard Sport column before Christmas, captain Mark Noble said: “We have to defend better as a team, but that side of the game does seem to have become 'uncool.' The teams who defend best normally do well.”

West Ham were far to open under Pellegrini, who refused to adapt from his style of expansive football.

If West Ham are going to climb the table, Moyes must sure things up at the back.

Getty Images

Get big-money signings firing

Moyes needs to rebuild the confidence of a team on a dismal run of nine defeats in 12 matches. Big-money buys like £36million Felipe Anderson and £45m Sebastien Haller have struggled badly this season.

There is no doubting the quality in the West Ham squad but Pellegrini was unable to get the best out of them.

Manuel Lanzini in recent months has looked a shadow of the player he was and if Moyes can get Anderson, Haller and Lanzini back to their best then the Hammers will surely get away from the precarious position they are in at the bottom of the table.

Action Images via Reuters

Sort out the home form

West Ham have won just twice in east London all season. They have not tasted victory at home since beating Manchester United 2-0 back in September, and that needs to change quickly.

The Hammers have struggled at home since leaving Upton Park and Moyes knows he needs to start turning the London Stadium into a fortress.

A home game against struggling Bournemouth on New Year’s Day presents an opportunity for Moyes to get off to a good start. Defeat would increase the bad feeling among supporters.

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