When West Ham fans saw David Moyes was covering their game against Chelsea on beIN Sports they knew what was coming.
West Ham parted company with David Moyes amid much media criticism in the summer.
His successor Julen Lopetegui has struggled to get the juices flowing among Hammers fans thus far.
Results, performances and his decision to drip-feed many exciting summer signings has left West Ham’s fans and owners unimpressed.
West Ham were well beaten 3-0 by Chelsea at the London Stadium on Saturday.
It means the Irons have now lost their first three league games of a campaign in their entire 129-year history.
Keys had catch-up with old pal Moyes during West Ham defeat
In mitigation those games have been against Champions League Villa, champions Man City and top four challengers Chelsea.
But West Ham have looked extremely vulnerable in every game they’ve played.
That’s highlighted by the fact no other team in the top flight has given up as many shots as West Ham – 83. That’s some 20 more than the next worst side.
West Ham also have the second fewest big chances created in the division under Lopetegui.
For most West Ham fans hearing the words ‘careful what you wish for’ has been like nails on a chalkboard.
It became the stock phrase lazily trotted out by journalists, pundits and some fans – inside and outside the club – as Moyes’ time drew to a close.
You won’t believe what Keys has said about West Ham
In fact it is probably easier to make a list of those who haven’t use the tired, reductive line against West Ham in recent months.
From Alan Shearer and Richard Keys to former Hammers coaches Stuart Pearce, Harry Redknapp and Sam Allardyce – membership of the ‘be careful what you wish for’ brigade grew at an alarming rate.
Most West Ham fans love Moyes and fully appreciate everything he did for their club.
But supporters grew fed up with the low-block, low possession style of play from a manager who was very much old school in a world full of Pep Guardiola disciples.
In many ways the early pressure on Lopetegui is somewhat ridiculous given the league season is just five games old.
The media, among whom Moyes has many friends, have had their knives sharpened for Lopetegui from the get go.
The Spaniard is not helping himself of course.
But he and technical director Tim Steidten have been forced to completely overhaul the West Ham squad left behind by Moyes with a turnover of 21 players.
So getting them to gel and play a new style was never going to be easy.
So you won’t believe what Keys has said about West Ham after his Moyes chinwag.
‘Be careful what you wish for’
Moyes was alongside Keys in the beIN Sports studio to cover West Ham’s defeat to Chelsea.
And Keys has already pulled out the ‘careful what you wish for’ line just five games into the new Premier League season.
The ex Sky Sports man has savaged West Ham over Moyes on his own website.
“Interesting times at West Ham eh?” Keys said.
“For the first time in their history they’ve lost their first three homes games. They were poor – very poor – against Chelsea and fans were leaving the Taxpayers Stadium long before the end.
“I read Jacob Steinberg in The Guardian Saturday morning referencing the ‘style revolution’ that’s supposed to be happening at West Ham. ‘It’s moving slowly’, he wrote. Adding ‘West Ham look no less dowdy after swapping David Moyes for Julen Lopetegui’.
“Is that the David Moyes who picked the Hammers up when they were in the drop zone – took them to a sixth-place and seventh-place finish and delivered a European trophy? How many times have we said ‘be careful what you wish for’?”
Here we are again, West Ham fans being chastised for daring to want a more attacking and adventurous approach.
But when fans of teams like Spurs, Villa, Brighton, Bournemouth and even Palace call for a more exciting brand of football, and get it, nothing is said.
The fact is West Ham supporters were perfectly entitled to expect better and more.
By the end of his tenure, Moyes even defended Hammers fans in the face of criticism regarding their expectations.
The fact Keys is already saying I told you so just over a month into the new season is nothing short of laughable.
Although it was entirely predictable, as was Jim White running a phone-in on talkSPORT asking ‘Do West Ham fans want Moyes back’.
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