David Moyes said his West Ham United team ‘hung in, stuck at it and got the point’ at Chelsea on Sunday.
The Hammers fell behind to Cesar Azpilicueta’s first-half opener and were indebted to a series of superb Joe Hart saves before substitute Chicharito grabbed a deserved 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge with a typically accurate first-time finish 17 minutes from time.
Manager Moyes was rightly proud if his team’s resilience. Having seen them concede eleven in their previous three away matches, the Scot could have been forgiven for being concerned about how his team would react after falling behind, but in the end he need not have worried.
Look at Chicharito over the years – he always gets goals and he’s a great penalty box striker
David Moyes
“We were playing against a really good team,” he observed. “They are quick, they have some terrific attacking players and we had to deal with them well. We didn’t always deal with the well, but I think we did a really good job today.
“Just stay in the game, that was the key. The first goal was diabolical for us. Chelsea can score goals in other ways, but to do it like that was really bad from us. Then there was a five or ten-minute period before half time and we couldn’t afford to lose another goal then. They were very good at times, but we hung in, stuck at it and got the point.”
While Hart and his defenders stood firm at one end, Chicharito added noticeable energy at the other as soon as he entered the fray with 20 minutes to go. After holding up play superbly, he made his way into the penalty area and converted when Marko Arnautovic pulled the ball back into his path.
“Chicharito won’t thank me for bringing him on as a sub, but look at him over the years – he always gets goals and he’s a great penalty box striker,” Moyes purred, before adding that West Ham could even have had a late penalty when N’Golo Kante challenged him late on.
“He finds space to get goals and chances and he did it today. He gave us something else up front but any time you open up against Chelsea, you’re always liable and we had to make sure we were concentrating too.
“Marko had a great chance, and we seem to think it was a penalty for us. It could have been better but I’m delighted to get a point.”
That is four points from six since West Ham had an enforced three-week break from Premier League action in March, and with 34 now on the board, two more wins from the final six matches should see the east Londoners safe.
“We’ve tried to pick things up in the last few weeks to get us ready [for the run-in], but look, in the Premier League, you never know and you have to be on it every game.
“Small things; it could have gone away from us today but Joe Hart made a couple of outstanding saves in the second half when we needed it, and they’re the small bits you need to make sure you pick up the points.”