PL hits and misses: David Moyes under pressure at West Ham; did World Cup take its toll on Leicester’s Wout Faes? | Football News

Faes feeling the effects of the World Cup?

Wout Faes has been central to Leicester’s transformation since the September international break. The Belgian has brought real quality, leadership and stability to the Foxes’ back line and he has conceded just three times in eight Premier League games in October and November as he enters the side’s summer spell. It was this form that earned him a call-up to Belgium’s World Cup squad.

However, Faes did not get any game time during his country’s struggles in Qatar and on his return, which saw Leicester concede three goals to Newcastle and then lose at Liverpool through two own goals, boss Brendan Rodgers praised the experience. in the Middle East may have an impact.

There is a lot of focus on tired players that will build when playing in the World Cup, but the disruption of the players’ rhythm and focus cannot be dismissed either. Rodgers is confident that Faes will rediscover his form from the start of this campaign, but a devastating night at Anfield will live on in the memory.

The New Year offers an opportunity to complete a troublesome 2022. After Friday, they’ll want to wipe the slate clean.
Peter Smith

Liverpool enter with a win – and optimism for 2023

Liverpool ended 2021 with a 1-0 defeat to Leicester. Twelve months ago, Jurgen Klopp was willing to ignore the disappointing performance and focus on taking three points from the same opponents to finish 2022.

There’s no denying it, this is a Liverpool team that moves from one phase to the next and the first part of this campaign has that hallmark – big wins but also painful defeats; flashes of quality that saw Liverpool challenge in the front four at the end of last season, but also the vulnerability stemming from the midfield in transition behind the developing attack.

But there is much to be encouraged about entering the New Year. New signing Cody Gakpo watched from the stands on Friday and looked to be an excellent addition to the attack. It will be interesting to see how he slots in alongside Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez – or “Captain Chaos” as Jamie Carragher calls him. This is an exciting front three.

Then there’s the array of young talent coming through the ranks, including Stefan Bajcetic, who scored on Boxing Day, to Harvey Elliott who showed his quality in the middle of the park against Leicester.

It may take a while for everything to click, but if Liverpool can keep picking up points like they did against Leicester here, they could be in the New Year for another successful season.
Peter Smith

Brentford end 2022 profit on a high

There’s only one place to start with Thomas Frank’s post-match press conference. Ivan Toney looks like he can’t be moved after starring in Brentford’s third straight win against West Ham. But seeing him on a stretcher in second-half stoppage time with a knee injury brought a sour note.

“I hope it’s good,” Frank said. “I don’t know exactly how he will play in the Liverpool game in three days. It is unlikely that he will stop unless something happens. It could be worse. We don’t know enough yet.”

Possible disciplinary action for alleged breach of betting rules depends on the club’s talisman, but Toney looked unfazed as he scored his 13th goal of the campaign and assisted another in the away win. Brentford will probably learn how to cope without him sooner than anticipated.

The 26-year-old has until January 4 to respond to Football Association charges relating to 262 alleged offences, but at the London Stadium he showed no signs of succumbing to the pressure after scoring his 20th Premier League goal in 2022.

Brentford are ninth in the table, and while the New Year may have given Frank an early conundrum, you wouldn’t back him to finish in style.

The Bees are unbeaten in five league games, their longest unbeaten run in the top flight since March 1939.

“In terms of my position at the table, I try not to focus on that,” Frank said. “We have to be laser-focused on trying to beat Liverpool. I’ll have a glass of wine tonight and look back and think, ‘not bad’, but we can’t celebrate for more than 24 hours and we can’t be complacent.

“For everyone involved at the club, it’s been a great 2022. We started by beating Aston Villa and ended by beating West Ham. Two big clubs who are currently at the top of the table. It’s time and try to fly against Liverpool again.”

David Moyes may have to accept his side are in a relegation battle, but there is no concern for Brentford. Substitute Michail Antonio took a shot in the air and fell, which concluded a bad night for West Ham, but Brentford have hit all the high notes in an unforgettable 2022.
Ben Grounds

Moyes’ Defiance can’t cover West Ham’s shortcomings

David Moyes insisted West Ham played well against Brentford despite losing their fifth straight and third at home.

They are not.

The Hammers started well, Declan Rice striking early and Craig Dawson nodding away a good chance from a corner.

But Toney’s opener from the throw-in defended the balloon burst with more than an hour to play and from there, they ran out of ideas.

Moyes said: “We played well with the ball last night, but we could not make a good enough cross, finished – we asked for a penalty which was a few inches outside the box, Dec hit the post, Daws missed.”

West Ham dominated possession, seeing more than 60 percent of the ball at both ends, but after early chances created very little.

Brentford came with a game plan to sit and give the Hammers the ball, knowing there was a good chance they didn’t know what to do with it.

The most disappointing aspect of West Ham’s attack is the players involved – Lucas Paqueta, Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen, Gianluca Scamacca.

The quartet cost the club a combined total of more than £110m, comfortably more than Brentford’s entire starting line-up.

Why he can’t generate creativity between more than a few possibilities is a question Moyes will have to answer to David Sullivan and David Gold in the future.

Scoring goals has been a problem for West Ham all season, and this was as toothless as any performance. And if the performances don’t change soon, the manager might.
Ron Walker