DEADLY STRIKERS GIVING MOYES FOOD FOR THOUGHT
DAVID MOYES faces arguably the toughest test in the top flight this weekend when his West Ham side try to keep at bay a Tottenham team ready to unleash a superstar strikeforce.
The combined firepower of Harry Kane, Heung-min Son and Gareth Bale, who is expected to make his second debut for Spurs this afternoon, would have any defence quaking.
But while boss Jose Mourinho and Tottenham’s fans are licking their lips at the prospect of seeing that front three, Moyes points out that Spurs are not alone in boasting devastating goalpower.
Mourinho’s men thrashed Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford a fortnight ago and on the same day Aston Villa smashed seven past Liverpool, while West Ham went to Leicester and won 3-0 against Brendan Rodgers’ side, who had put five past Manchester City at The Etihad Stadium a week earlier.
Moyes puts a lot of this down to some “really poor defending” but also says the league is awash with quality forward lines, including his own strikeforce of Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals. He said: “It’s a strange period we’re in, where we are seeing so many goals being scored.
“I have said it is down to not having the best defenders but I can just as easily say it is down to the quality of forwards. “The quality of attacking play from the top sides is really, really good.
“It’s tough when the players are so good.”
Moyes, who has signed centre-back Craig Dawson from Watford, says a strong defence is the key to a title challenge, which is why Liverpool went from contenders to champions after landing Virgil van Dijk in 2018.
He added: “The game is much quicker now and faster in transition higher up the pitch, which is why you see Manchester City, Manchester United and us at West Ham looking for top-quality central defenders.”
Moyes insists he’s building something big at West Ham without the spending power of the Big Six.
“I think the potential here is huge,” he added.
“We’ve only just started here but I am seeing good signs and the nucleus we’ve brought in have certainly made a big difference.”