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Opinion: Ambition met with arrogance at West Ham as Moyes eyes mammoth accomplishment

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David Moyes’ ambition has more than subtle tones of arrogance, having expressed a desire to see West Ham United challenge the top seven Premier League places next season.

Moyes returned to the London Stadium for a second spell at the helm to replace Manuel Pellegrini part-way through the recently concluded campaign, and managed to replicate his initial success by once again keeping the Hammers in the Premier League.

But the Irons only held a five-point advantage over the bottom three when the final ball was kicked, and yet Moyes believes his side should be eying Europe next term even though the top seven were 20 points better off in 2019/20.

Only Brighton (9), Aston Villa (9) and the bottom three of Bournemouth (9), Watford (8) and Norwich (5) won fewer games than West Ham (10) this season, too, while the Irons allowed the top-flight’s fifth-most goals (62) to be scored against them.

It is quite the claim, then, to be eying a challenge to Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Leicester, Tottenham and Wolves next season, while Arsenal would also be expected to improve on their eighth-place finish and it remains to be seen what more can come from Sheffield United.

Moyes can at least take promise from his side’s form post the restart, having been the tenth-best Premier League side with three wins, three draws and three defeats, while Leicester only managed the two wins and Sheffield United lost five matches.

Qualifying for the Europa League at the end of the 2020/21 season would certainly be a mammoth accomplishment, but Moyes cannot let ambition become arrogance by going from fighting for survival to qualifying for Europe in a year.

“I want to challenge for the Europa League,” Moyes said, via quotes by football.london.

“I can’t promise that though, and I don’t want to promise West Ham supporters something that I can’t deliver. But I want to give them hope that that’s where I’m trying to get to. I’ve been there before, and it can’t happen overnight.”

Is Moyes being ambitious or arrogant?

Ambitious

Arrogant

A lot will ride on West Ham’s business this summer if Moyes is to achieve what he hopes, with the Irons only expected to have a small budget to work with before sales and most of the players linked are currently at lower-half Premier League sides or in the Championship.

The Hammers also appear to be slow in the race for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Shane Duffy after he held initial talks with West Bromwich Albion and in the hunt for Wigan Athletic’s Antonee Robinson after Sheffield United had a bid accepted.

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