West Ham: Moyes must unleash Johnson

West Ham United head into Thursday night’s Europa Convention League assembly with RSC Anderlecht on the again of a powerful 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers final Sunday, with David Moyes undoubtedly hoping that his facet can proceed this superb kind in Belgium – with a win placing the Hammers in pole place to qualify for the knockout phases.

Certainly, after securing a 3-1 win over FCSB and a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Silkeborg IF of their opening two Convention League fixtures this season, the Irons at present sit top of Group D on six factors – two forward of tonight’s hosts – that means a triumph in Belgium would all however safe the membership’s passage to the latter phases of the competitors.

Nonetheless, regardless of the significance of the conflict, the Evening Standard lately reported that Moyes might be set to shuffle the pack considerably concerning his beginning XI, with the 59-year-old wanting more likely to hand quite a few his lesser-seen squad members a chance to impress, in addition to probably easing quite a few his lately injured first-teamers again into first-team soccer.

As such, there would seem one participant – who might arguably match into both of the aforementioned classes – who the Scot merely should afford some much-needed minutes at Lotto Park on Thursday night, the back-in-contention Ben Johnson.

Having final featured for West Ham again in August resulting from an ongoing thigh issue, the 22-year-old right-back returned to first-team coaching earlier this week, with it showing important that Moyes will get the participant who ExWHUemployee dubbed “sensational” again up to the mark as shortly as potential.

Certainly, not solely is the £19k-per-week Johnson one of many Hammers’ most enjoyable up-and-coming youth prospects however the performances of the membership’s present first-choice right-back, Vladimir Coufal, have left an amazing deal to be desired up to now this season.

Over the 30-year-old’s seven Premier League appearances in 2022/23, the £8.7m-rated full-back has largely didn’t impress, failing to assist his facet preserve a single clear sheet, being but to straight contribute in direction of a purpose and never making a single massive likelihood for his teammates.

These returns have seen the £35k-per-week Czech worldwide common a particularly underwhelming SofaScore match score of simply 6.67, at present rating him as Moyes’ seventh-worst performer within the prime flight of English soccer.

As such, contemplating Coufal’s poor shows, coupled with the truth that the £13m-rated Johnson is a home-grown England U21 worldwide, it could seem to very a lot be in Moyes’ greatest pursuits to lastly make the 22-year-old his first alternative on the proper of his backline – because the academy graduate is undoubtedly a large improve on the 30-year-old.