David Moyes

Moyes: Chelsea, Premier League's evolution and turning the tide

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David Moyes has been speaking to the media ahead of our Premier League fixture with Chelsea at London Stadium on Saturday. 

The Hammers have fallen to just one defeat since the turn of the New Year and will seek to continue the upturn in form against the Blues. 

Moyes spoke about building on momentum following a draw over Newcastle United last time out, and also explained how he has been impressed by recent showings from summer signings Nayef Aguerd, Emerson and Lucas Paquetá.

The boss also added his thoughts on the Premier League's evolution and his hopes against Chelsea this weekend.

We can have a good season; we've still got a lot to play for. We’re showing better signs in areas but we're going to be challenged by good teams.
David Moyes

It can take time for players [to adapt to the Premier League].
I can tell you that with us bringing in new players last summer. But I think when Chelsea spends £600 million, it should give them half a chance really.

 

But money isn't the only thing with football, you've got to get the team right.
You've got to get all the other parts of it going well. So, hopefully, we can give Chelsea a good game. Obviously, they're a really good team. They've got some really talented players they have brought in, but they will need time to gel just like the ones we brought in last summer.

 

No, we have not forgotten [about the last meeting against Chelsea].
It was a right rotten decision by the officials on the day. And they've admitted to that. But it does have an effect on you, it was a really important time in the season for us. The difference between picking up a point, and what that would have done for us in terms of confidence and morale at that time. It was a huge mistake.

 

We can have a good season; we've still got a lot to play for.
We’re showing better signs in areas but we're going to be challenged by good teams like Chelsea, we're going to be challenged in the European competition, which we're going to do again in March.

We’re also in the next round of the FA Cup, so we want to try and keep ourselves involved in as many tournaments as we can. But our focus is solely on the Chelsea game and trying to do the best we can against Chelsea.

David Moyes

We think Dec’s a top player.
We're really pleased to have him; he's playing outstandingly well, and he has done for several seasons for us now.

 

The Club does a brilliant job in the east end of London.
We see everybody the same, we treat everybody the same. And that's the way it should be. I couldn't believe that there was any other human being who wouldn't treat another human being exactly the same. So that's, that's it for us. The Club are working really hard to make sure that there's diversity in the club.

 

I am pleased to reach the landmark of 643 games in Premier League management.
I think it shows dedication, and a bit of resilience as well, to do that in the Premier League, and to do that, when we've seen so many good managers come and go in the Premier League over decades. I'm pleased to have done it.

But it wasn't something that was in my head where I thought: ‘Oh, this is coming up’. It wasn't that. But certainly, the two people you mentioned in front of me [Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson] have got incredible CVS, and I'm pleased to be on the list just behind them.

 

Newcastle was a good point; it was a big point.
I hope we could have taken three. But I think that the way they had played if you've watched them in their League Cup game in the midweek, they played incredibly well. And the atmosphere, and the way the ground was behind them, is given them an extra five per cent and because of that, it did become a good point.

Paquetá scores at Newcastle

It’s not an easier job [being the Chelsea boss at the moment].
The hardest part for a manager is leaving players out and picking the eleven because you want to involve them all. It's never an easy task when you've got an awful lot of players to choose from and obviously a lot of very good ones as well, which are probably used to playing most weeks.

 

I'm not sure I would want as much money to spend as Chelsea have.
I think sometimes you want to build a team and take it forward. But Chelsea is building a team, and it's not for me to comment on how Chelsea do their business. They know how to do it. They've been very successful over many years. So, it's their choice.

 

Graham Potter is an exceptional manager.
It wouldn't matter if he's been given 17 new players or whether he's got 17, who have been there for a long time. He’s an exceptional coach, it wouldn't change his abilities. It's great news that a British manager has got a chance to manage one of the top clubs in the country. I think he’s going to do a great job.

 

I think it's incredible to see how the Premier League has changed.
I think that we're probably seen we're beginning just to see the emergence of Arsenal, and Manchester United just beginning to find their feet and get back to it.

I think the Premier League is evolving at different times, with different clubs coming into it. It wasn’t that long ago that Leicester City won the Premier League. We've seen really good form from Brighton, Brentford and Fulham, who have shown exceptional form this season.

We have got a very good Premier League and some weeks you can’t control how the results are going to go.

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