‘I want to be ambitious’ – Moyes turns the screw on his West Ham players as he aims for the top

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For far too long West Ham United have been the nearly men of London football, the proverbial sleeping giant.

With as decent a backing supporter wise as any of their London rivals when playing well, the Hammers haven’t lived up to expectations in general terms.

Save for the odd European campaign here and there, most seasons are spent in either mid-table mediocrity or fighting relegation.

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David Moyes wants to change all that, and he’s sparked something of a revolution at the London Stadium.

After the Irons’ victory over West Bromwich Albion (thanks to Michail Antonio’s winner) took them to the lofty heights of seventh in the table, just three points behind Manchester City, Moyes threw down the gauntlet to his players.

“Long may it continue, we’re halfway through the season and we want to look up, not down,” he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

“I want to be ambitious and try to get us as far up as the league as we can. I want my players to not see that this is where we should be, but to compete at the top.

“We’re happy at the moment but I want this to be regular. Not halfway through the season but right until the end.

“I’m disappointed with how we played but not with the result and the players have been terrific since lockdown.

“The players are doing a great job, I’m thrilled to work with them. I want to keep driving them on and not just be a flash in the pan.”

The Scot has been much maligned himself after recent managerial failures, but he’s certainly gone some way to repairing his own reputation with some studious transfer purchases and a dogged and pragmatic style of football.

Now it’s down to the players and how badly they want it.

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