May 5th 2024.
West Ham suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday, with Emerson Palmieri having a particularly difficult game. The former Chelsea player was heavily criticized by Glenn Hoddle for his performance, as the Hammers were beaten 5-0 at Stamford Bridge. It was a tough pill to swallow for manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had been hoping to secure back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since December.
The game got off to a rough start for West Ham, with Chelsea scoring three goals in the first half thanks to Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher, and Noni Madueke. And things didn't get any better after the break, as Nicolas Jackson netted a double to seal the win for Chelsea. Hoddle was furious with the lack of effort shown by David Moyes' players, stating that they only seemed to care about possessing the ball and not putting in the hard work required to win a game.
"They don't look as if they're bothered," Hoddle said of West Ham during an interview with Premier League Productions. "They look like a team who only want to play when they've got possession. Oh, we want the ball. See, that's the easy part of the game. As soon as Chelsea get possession, there's no closing, no one screaming to pick up on the penalty spot, those vital positions. There's no continuity about their game."
Hoddle took the time to analyze Jackson's first goal, which made it 4-0 to Chelsea, and pointed out that Emerson was still in the dressing room when the second half started. "Three minutes into the second half, he's not switched on," Hoddle remarked. "He's come out of that tunnel from the dressing room and his position is just awful. At the end of the day, you've got to show a bit more than that, especially when you're conceding all the goals you've done in the first half."
Meanwhile, former West Ham striker Jermain Defoe also had some harsh words for the team's defensive display under Moyes. "I think that performance doesn't represent West Ham as a football club," Defoe said. "When you play for West Ham and you can't really go toe to toe with the other clubs in terms of how you play, that performance doesn't represent West Ham. You've got to work hard first and foremost."
Defoe also commented on Moyes' defensive-minded coaching style, questioning why the team would concede so many goals if their manager prioritizes defense. "Against a Chelsea team, a good Chelsea team, but if you look at Chelsea over the last 10 years, you wouldn't say it's a Chelsea team where you can go there and concede five goals," Defoe added.
It was a tough loss for West Ham, and it seems like the team may be looking to make some changes in the near future. There have been rumors that they may be considering parting ways with Moyes this summer, and only time will tell what the future holds for the Hammers. As for now, they will have to regroup and work on improving their game in order to avoid similar defeats in the future.
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