“Confusing, Taking off your frontman when you need a goal”- West Ham Legend Ian Bishop blasts David Moyes over rubbish tactics as he blames Hammers coach for Palace defeat

Hammers legend Ian Bishop has blamed David Moyes for the club’s 4-3 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.

If West Ham were lulled into a false sense of security about their Premier League survival after a recent revival, they got a rude awakening at Crystal Palace.

But a return to the negative, risk averse approach that has become a theme of David Moyes’ tenure over the last year saw West Ham have zero control against a side who have won just once at home in nine games.

It has become a theme under Moyes for West Ham to have significantly less possession than the opposition. And usually around half the passes too.

That was the case once again at Palace with the Hammers playing nearly 200 less passes.

Glenn Hoddle got it spot on in commentary when he said West Ham simply don’t have enough possession to be a threat in open play.

The 4-3 scoreline and pathetic penalty award for Palace paints the picture of a close match. But make no mistake West Ham were comfortably second best as the Eagles played them off the park for most of the game.

At least two of four of the teams below and around West Ham will gain points on the Hammers this weekend with Leicester playing Everton and Bournemouth taking on Leeds.

With so much at stake one particular former West Ham player could not believe what he was watching from the Hammers boss at Palace.

West Ham legend Ian Bishop absolutely tears into Moyes over his tactics in the damaging defeat to Crystal Palace. Bishop was baffled when Moyes took Michail Antonio off rather than sacrificing a more defensive player and going all out in the closing stages.

“Confusing taking off your frontman when you need a goal,” Bishop said on Moyes subbing off Antonio.

“(A) 4-3 or 5-3 loss makes no difference.

“Take off a defender and lump it in for the last five minutes. The Hammers haven’t played any football anyway. What’s the difference.”

Bishop is certainly someone who knows how to play the West Ham way. And he makes some very salient points.

Now West Ham face another of his former clubs, Man City, hoping for a miracle to come away with anything other than a hiding.

With Man United after that there is the very real prospect West Ham could be back in the bottom three going into the last three weeks of the season.