In the space of three weeks, David Moyes has gone from being on the brink of extending his contract at West Ham United to facing the sack. But the gaffer is no stranger to staring into the abyss.
Last season, we found ourselves at a similar crossroads several times before he turned things around and ended our 43-year wait for a major trophy by winning the UEFA Europa Conference League title.
It’s easy to dismiss the achievement given we were always favourites to land the title, but Moyes has proven himself time and again, evident in our early season form that had us riding with the top six.
However, the wheels have begun to come off for the 60-year-old and not for the first time. So we find ourselves back where we started – do we sack Moyes, or does he deserve a chance to save his skin?
After eight games without a win, we’ve not only plummeted on the Premier League table, but we’ve also been eliminated from the FA Cup by Championship strugglers Bristol City.
We’ve lost our previous three Premier League games without scoring, and while the 6-0 London derby mauling against Arsenal will sting, the defeat to Nottingham Forest was more disappointing as it was a chance to get our season back on track.
Moyes’ negative football also doesn’t help. It got us the Conference League title, but it’s not as much fun when we’re losing, and the manager refuses to tweak the system.
Some Hammers supporters would insist the boss deserves more time to turn things around and he may have backed up those sentiments by thrashing Brentford 4-2, thanks to a spectacular hat-trick from Jarrod Bowen.
However, one win changes nothing if we don’t build on it when we travel to Merseyside to face Everton, who left East London with maximum points in the reverse fixture.
Despite the win against Brentford, you get the feeling Moyes is not out of the woods yet. We’re already at a critical juncture where we have to prioritise saving what remains of our season.
While it would make no sense to sack him after a big win, the club still has a decision to make regarding his contract situation, and in our view, it’s time for a new beginning.
It’s time for a new era at West Ham
There’s still a chance we could tear a page from Crystal Palace’s books and show Moyes the door sooner rather than later but the win against Brentford complicates things. However, the result in Merseyside on Saturday will be absolutely crucial in deciding his future.
It may be viewed as a harsh opinion, considering his status as a club legend, but there can be no room for sentiment if we want to compete with the best in the top flight and Europe.
Julen Lopetegui is still a free agent. Rumour has it the Spanish tactician is eager to return to the Premier League, and we must pounce on the opportunity to lure him to the London Stadium.
Moyes is aware his job is hanging by a thread, which explains why he spends more time talking about his past achievements during press conferences, but he can no longer draw sympathy from the supporters.
It would be in our best interest to replace him with Lopetegui, who has the credentials of managing at the highest level. The Spaniard could also make the team worth watching again, which is an added incentive.