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West Ham analysis: Everton win highlights mentality shift after a year under David Moyes
Long-term plan: David Moyes’ vision is coming to fruition in his second spell at West Ham
(PA)West Ham began the New Year exactly as they did the last with a win on January 1, but the two sides that claimed those victories could not look more different.
Tomas Soucek’s late winner at Everton marked a year since David Moyes took charge of his first game back at the club - a 4-0 win over Bournemouth - and while five of the starting XI from that game (it would have been six but for Lukasz Fabianski’s late withdrawal with a thigh problem) were named at Goodison Park, West Ham are a completely different prospect 12 months down the line.
Moyes promised to build something if given the time he was not afforded during his first spell, and the 57-year-old is doing just that.
The former Everton manager has not just implemented the basics well in east London, but the mentality has been changed and Moyes has the majority of his squad buying in.
A point apiece away at Southampton and Everton would have been more than welcome this time a year ago, but Moyes is more confident in his squad now and that is reflected in his decisions on the touchline.
Moyes was widely criticised for a conservative team selection for the draw against Brighton on December 27 and admitted afterwards that it was a mistake.
He has more than learnt his lesson in the two games since. At Southampton and Everton the Hammers boss went for it with three attacking changes with both games goalless. It didn’t pay off on the south coast but brought three points at his old stomping ground on Merseyside.
Those coming on are looking ever sharper, too. Manuel Lanzini looks more like the old magical player he was before injury hit on the eve of the 2018 World Cup, while Andriy Yarmolenko is proving useful once more.
Their buy in to the manager’s plans is helping everyone. West Ham’s recent success means that those who do not toe the line can afford to be pushed aside for someone who will.
"The players have been fantastic,” said Moyes. “But we have added to it and I think all those players are contributing.
“The thing about it is, if they don't come on board, then they'll get left aside. You can even see the boys coming off the bench is a big part of it as well and helped us win games.”
In truth it was not an attractive performance at Everton, but eye-catching football cannot be pursued without results and the club have had that the wrong way around on too many occasions in recent years.
The days of overhyped and perhaps overpaid players failing to deliver in east London are fading, Sebastien Haller maybe aside, and Moyes has the club moving in the right direction once more.
Rest will do West Ham good
Moyes has confirmed he will give his West Ham players a few days rest after their efforts over a taxing festive run.
The Hammers have come through three games in six days with two draws before the win at Everton, having played just once in east London across the Christmas period.
Moyes hailed the “amazing” efforts of his squad in coming through the run largely unscathed and, without another game until their FA Cup tie at Stockport on January 11, has rewarded them with a few days of respite.
His Hammers squad have run themselves ragged in recent weeks and it is credit to them that despite looking tired on occasions they have come through three games unbeaten.
Moyes’s system relies on energetic performances across the pitch, from the full-backs charging up and down to Declan Rice and Soucek covering every blade of grass from the middle. If the energy is not there, they’re simply not the same side and can come unstuck.
Having navigated the run without any serious injuries and even welcoming back Michail Antonio, some much needed R&R should have them firing on all cylinders for their next Premier League encounter, against Burnley, on January 16.
Haller wastes final chance
With a comfortable break until that next game against Burnley, if everything goes to plan Antonio will be back starting once more.
Everton, then, was Haller’s final chance to make a case in the Premier League, and the club-record signing failed miserably.
So many have wanted the Ivory Coast international to do well in Antonio’s place, but it has not gone to plan and - while the Hammers have sometimes not played to his strengths - Haller must shoulder a lot of the blame.
The 26-year-old’s showing at Everton was one of his poorest in a West Ham shirt, offering no trouble to the hosts up top and doing little to bring others into play around him, before bemoaning the service on offer.
While Antonio bullies defenders, brings energy and opens up space with selfless runs, Haller did little but sulk at Goodison Park.
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