Home / Royal Mail / West Ham boss Moyes praises Benrahma before Brentford trip

West Ham boss Moyes praises Benrahma before Brentford trip

West Ham boss Moyes has never been entirely convinced by Benrahma since signing the Algerian winger for £20million from the Bees two years ago.

The Scot regularly downplays Benrahma’s displays, insisting he needs to improve on his decision-making in the final third and track back more defensively.

But Benrahma took his goal tally for the season to 11 with a penalty against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, while he has also contributed five assists.

And tellingly, he was also joint top in the rankings for making interceptions against the Dutch side in a performance which suggested the penny may have finally dropped.

“He played really well on Thursday night. He missed a big chance for us, but he played really well,” said Moyes, again being careful to keep the 27-year-old’s feet on the ground.

“What he is doing is good. He has had periods of ups and downs, but in the main he has started to show a bit more consistency.

“He is more conscientious about his job and how he has to do the job for the team.

“There are a lot of things he has done really well, but we want him to add more goals and assists to his game more than anything.”

Benrahma is likely to start against his old club at the Gtech Community Stadium, but Moyes will make changes with West Ham virtually safe from relegation and facing a semi-final second leg with AZ in the Netherlands on Thursday.

Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio are set to have an afternoon off with Flynn Downes, Maxwel Cornet and Danny Ings coming in.

Meanwhile, Brentford manager Thomas Frank has praised the “fantastic” job Moyes has done at West Ham as the two teams prepare to meet.

The 15th-placed Hammers have endured a season of struggle domestically but are one game away from a European final.

Moyes’ men lead AZ Alkmaar 2-1 after the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final, 12 months after reaching the last four of the Europa League.

“I think it is fantastic what David Moyes and his staff have done in the last year at West Ham,” Frank said.

“They came in, turned things around and they were sixth or seventh and last year (reached the) semi-final in the Europa League and now they’re (in the) semi-final in the Conference League and hopefully going to the final.

“I know they have struggled a little bit, but they are in the semi-final of the Conference League and maybe they are going to lift their first trophy in many years, which will be a fantastic achievement.”

The pressure on Moyes increased in the wake of last month’s 5-1 home defeat to Newcastle as calls from supporters for him to go grew, but West Ham have since moved clear of the relegation fight, helped by last weekend’s 1-0 win over Manchester United.

“I think they (fans who want Moyes sacked) are wrong,” added Frank.

“It’s incredibly difficult to be consistent in the Premier League and then you finish top 10, top six and then you want more, but I think it is about having consistency and adding layers every single season.

“What they have built is a strong squad that can compete in the Premier League and in Europe and that is fantastic.

“A European semi-final two years in a row is an unbelievable achievement no matter what, and maybe they don’t finish in the top 10 this season, but that can happen.”

Brentford are on course for a top-half finish and Frank wants his side to end the season strongly.

“I’m a big believer that if we continue momentum into the end of the season then you can carry it into next season,” he said.

“I think for us, every point is very important that we just try to carry on and develop the team by doing different tweaks, but the main focus is to win the next game

“I think this group of players are remarkable in terms of their effort and focus.”




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