Report: West Ham board delay decision to offer David Moyes new deal 

West Ham are yet to offer a new contract to their manager, David Moyes, who is under intense pressure after a poor run of form.

Moyes has a contract at the London Stadium until the end of the season. After West Ham’s 2-0 win over Arsenal in December, the club were ready to hand him a new deal.

Only two weeks ago, the former Manchester United boss confirmed that an extension until June 2026 was on its way to be finalized.

However, Moyes has come under pressure to save his job. According to a report from the Daily Mail (printed edition, page 70), West Ham’s worrying dip in form is delaying the decision to offer Moyes a new deal. The club want to see a response following their 6-0 defeat against Arsenal before making the final call.

It is a difficult choice. During the game against the Gunners, many fans left the stadium at halftime.

Make no mistake, Moyes has done a brilliant job at West Ham. On two occasions, the club came close to securing a top-four place and they’ve consistently punched above their weight.

Last season, they struggled badly in the Premier League and at one point came perilously close to relegation. His job was under threat but the board kept faith in him. Eventually, they not only secured their Premier League status comfortably but also managed to win a European trophy, something his predecessors have failed to do.

The 2023-24 campaign has been decent so far. The loss of Declan Rice is massive for the club, and Moyes probably will require one or two more transfer windows to get the balance of the squad right.

They are eighth in the league and are expected to stay in the top half of the table. The Hammers have been superb in the Europa League and could win the competition as well. 

However, this is only one half of the story. The fans are left frustrated with the style of football being played and Moyes’ overall approach to the game.

Clubs like Brighton and Tottenham are playing an attractive brand of football, irrespective of results, whereas the mindset of the Hammers’ boss has come under scrutiny time and again. The football is lifeless. West Ham fans can accept losing a game, but what’s the point of losing a game without a fight?

Against the Gunners, he has deployed Ben Johnson on the left wing. He failed to remove unwanted players like Danny Ings and Maxwel Cornet. It looks like he has a workable playing XI, but it is a dysfunctional squad. Moyes has done a brilliant job but the atmosphere has become toxic in recent months.

Jacob Steinberg rightly says – “nobody will gain anything from David Moyes getting a new deal.”