It was a performance to be proud of and showed why West Ham United have been perennial contenders in the latter stages of European competitions in recent years. The problem is that the damage has already been done.
Disappointment will linger over the prospect of what they could have achieved had they not rolled out the red carpet for Bayer Leverkusen, who were crowned champions of the Bundesliga last weekend, in the first leg.
Michail Antonio and James Ward-Prowse believe they showed Leverkusen too much respect in their 2-0 loss last Thursday. However, a 1-1 draw in the second leg was quite the opposite, and Xabi Alonso’s side really needed the break after Antonio’s goal pulled West Ham back level.
West Ham showed they had no intention of relinquishing their grip on European football, but their chances of qualifying for the Europa League semi-finals diminished once the first half was over. Jeremy Frimpong’s deflected shot in the 89th minute settled the tie and preserved Leverkusen’s unbeaten record this season. That left Alonso contemplating the upcoming challenge against Roma in the semi-final, while Moyes was forced, much to his dislike, about his future.
In February, Moyes, who turns 61 next week, revealed a contract offer was on the table to extend his second spell as coach of the club, but he would wait until the end of the season before making a decision. Before the match, Moyes said that the result against Leverkusen would not have any impact on what would happen next. But the lack of clarity about its future will increase the credibility that its supporters believe it is time for change. His in-game management, use of substitutes and style of play were the main concerns.
The lack of squad depth following the January departures of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Thilo Kehrer has come back to haunt them. In the first leg against Leverkusen, Moyes was not as confident as Alonso in his attacking options from the bench. As it turned out, substitutes Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface made the difference in scoring.
Speculation about Moyes’ future will dominate the agenda in the coming weeks. Moyes may take into account Jurgen Klopp’s announcement last January that he would step down as Liverpool manager as reasons to maintain silence. Since then, Liverpool have been eliminated from the FA Cup and Europa League, and are now two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.
If Moyes wants to prolong the arguments in favor of his stay, he faces a decisive end to the season. West Ham ranks eighth with matches remaining against Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Chelsea, Luton Town and Manchester City. But with Newcastle and Manchester United competing for sixth place, it will take a near-perfect end to the season to secure European football for a fourth successive season.
Antonio brought West Ham back to a draw and was fired up throughout (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
If the uncertainty persists, it could hurt next season as well, with the board and technical director Tim Steden looking forward to a busy summer.
The club is in danger of losing Lucas Paqueta this summer as his £85 million ($106.8 million) release clause becomes effective in June. City have been following Paqueta since his days at Lyon and have maintained contact with his camp in recent months. Personal terms are not expected to be an issue as City are Paqueta’s first choice. West Ham were reluctant to sell last summer after rejecting an opening bid of €70m (£59.8m, $75.1m). A move will only take place if the 26-year-old playmaker is cleared by the FA over alleged betting violations.
Mohamed Quddus was the first West Ham player to head into the tunnel after the result against Bayer Leverkusen. His performance highlighted why he is a sought-after talent this summer as well. In his debut season, the Ghana international scored 13 goals in 40 matches. Liverpool and Arsenal remain fans of the 23-year-old, although West Ham’s position is that he is not for sale and the £38m they paid for him would certainly need to double.
Naif Aghrd, who suffered an ankle injury against Bayer Leverkusen, has become the subject of interest from Saudi Professional League clubs. The Moroccan centre-back also changed his representative.
West Ham has not yet resumed talks with Ben Johnson regarding a contract extension. The versatile defender’s deal expires at the end of the season after he rejected two contract offers. West Ham’s latest contract offer was a four-year package, but the two parties failed to reach an agreement. Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna and Devin Mbama are set to leave when their contracts expire in June.
The search for a centre-forward remains a priority despite the performances of Bowen, the winger, and Antonio. Last summer, West Ham received a £40m bid to sign Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke. The 26-year-old, who has scored 17 league goals this season, is still on the shortlist but would cost significantly more now.
It looks like it will be a major rebuilding operation for West Ham this summer – and they can’t afford to make mistakes. Decisions must be made sooner rather than later.
(Top image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
