David Moyes suggested West Ham were fortunate to escape with a draw from Thursday’s Europa Conference League meeting with KAA Gent, admitting the result was better than his side’s performance.
The Belgian outfit managed 20 shots to the Hammers’ four during the first-leg of their quarter-final tie, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw as Hugo Cuypers’ strike cancelled out Danny Ings’ opener.
It leaves the tie perfectly poised heading into next week’s return leg at the London Stadium, with Moyes fully aware that his team must produce an improved display if they are to reach a second successive European semi-final.
“There were so many different aspects we could be better at,” Moyes said. “We didn’t build well and then a lot of the basics come into it like picking up first and second balls. We didn’t put them under pressure. We had opportunities to pass it better.
“I didn’t think the performance was good, but the result was not a bad result, and when you play in cup competitions we are all aware of what can happen.
“Tonight was a cup competition, two teams in a quarter final and us away from home, with a strong crowd and Gent played very well. Hopefully, we can show them a bit more about how we play when we see them next Thursday.”
West Ham have made light work of their European campaign so far this term, winning ten matches out of ten ahead of the trip to Gent, but Moyes denied his team were guilty of underestimating a side ranked only fourth in the Belgian top-tier.
“I think when you get to any sort of stage of the competition, into the final eight, there are not many bad teams wherever you go,” he added.
