STAR MOYES SOLD INSPIRES 3-0 WIN OVER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS AS WEST HAM COLLAPSE
It was Good Friday followed by Setback Saturday for West Ham United, as David Moyes’ side somehow managed to throw away a 3-1 lead and lose at Newcastle.
To make matters worse, a fine display by a player the Premier League outfit sold just last summer served only to apply a heart-attack inducing amount of salt to those gaping wounds.
It was the sort of finish West Ham simply didn’t see enough of during his one-year stay in the English capital. But after Moyes dispelled with Sebastien Haller – so prolific at Ajax following a difficult spell in claret-and-blue – it appears that the under-fire boss might not have learned his lesson.
Gianluca Scamacca has not rattled in quite so many goals at Atalanta as Haller managed in Amsterdam. But as he took his tally to the season to 10 on Saturday – locating the bottom corner with an accurate, outside-of-the-box effort with his weaker right boot – Scamacca displayed the centre-forward instincts West Ham have been missing throughout much of the campaign, and were so sorely lacking as they found themselves pinned in without an outlet at St James’ Park.
West Ham stunned by Newcastle United
“It was a good goal,” Scamacca told DAZN, Atalanta boosting their pursuit of a top-four finish with a 3-0 thrashing of reigning (and soon to be former) Serie A champions Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
“The victory is very important, (against) direct competition for the Champions League. We have placed a small brick to build our house.
“I’m very satisfied, I work precisely to play these types of matches. Today was a direct clash and we are very satisfied with the result.”
West Ham posted a £14 million loss when Scamacca joined Atalanta as a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund last August. Exactly how much the Italy international can be blamed for that disappointing spell in England is up for debate. The former Sassuolo ace struggled with injuries and managed only three league goals.
But, like with Haller, there remains a nagging feeling that Moyes could have done more to help Scamacca settle, giving up very quickly on a more talented footballer in favour of ol’ reliable Michai Antonio.
Did David Moyes make another striker blunder?
“For Atalanta, I see Scamacca growing,” smiles La Dea boss Gian Piero Gasperini, showing a confidence in the striker that was often missing at the London Stadium.
“He had some downturns and some injuries, but he is in double figures. If the expectation is that he scores 30 goals, perhaps it is excessive. He has already done a lot and I hope he goes to the national team.
“But we are satisfied (with him).”
Michail Antonio led the line impressively at times against Newcastle. But at the age of 34, Moyes surely must be pursuing a long-term solution that does not simply involve sticking Jarrod Bowen through the muddle.
Any striker potentially on his way to West Ham, however, must look at the issues facing Haller and Scamacca and wonder if the transfer is worth the risk.
