West Ham United manager David Moyes has spoken to the media at length ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Chelsea.
The Hammers go into the game in improved form in 2023, winning three and drawing two of their six matches in all competitions this calendar year.
Ahead of the game, here is every word Moyes said on the game, Declan Rice, Graham Potter, financial charges against Manchester City and more.
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What is the latest team news?
"Probably much the way we were at the weekend. Thilo’s a problem, Thilo came off with an injury, so that’s the main one. After that, I don’t think we’ve got any more boys back from what we had last week."
Have you been unfortunate with injuries this season?
"We’ve [been] a bit unfortunate with injuries this year, the last couple of years, we’ve had a brilliant record. The medical team have done a great job, very few injuries over the last couple of years but maybe just because of playing 60 games in the last two seasons might have just taken a wee bit of a toll in some places. Mostly, I think it’s probably the new boys who have had injuries. Hopefully they are on the way back, all of them, and we will get them back for the second half of the season."
How long do you think it will take Graham Potter to get settled with all of Chelsea’s new signings?
"It can take time, I can tell you that with us bringing new players in. I think when you spend £600million, it should give you half a chance. But money isn’t the only thing to do with football, you’ve got to get the team right, you’ve got to get other parts of it going well. Hopefully, we can give Chelsea a good game, obviously they are a really good team, they’ve got some really talented players they’ve bought in, but they will need time to gel just like the ones we bought in in the summer have taken a bit of time to gel as well."
Do you think if you were not harshly denied a draw at Stamford Bridge in September, your season could have been much more different.
"We’ve not forgotten about it, it was just a rank, rotten decision by the officials on the day. 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 of picking up a point. We picked up a really good point against Newcastle, a hard fought point. If we had taken that point at Chelsea, what it would have done for us [and our] confidence and morale at the time could go a long way. It was a huge mistake."
Do you think this can still be a really good season, especially given your recently improved form?
"I believe we can have a good season. We have still got a lot to play for. I think we’re showing a little bit better signs in some 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 into again in March, and we’re in the next round of the FA Cup. 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."
You recently said Declan Rice would break the transfer record if he left West Ham. Would it be similar to Mark Noble in losing the club captain and his value to the squad?
"I don’t think we need to talk about it because we’re not even in the transfer window, at the moment, we’ve just come out of that. We think he is a top player and we’re really pleased to have him. He’s playing outstandingly well and he has done for several seasons now."
Do you have any thoughts on all of the charges at Manchester City?
"No, I wouldn’t get involved in it. I probably wouldn’t have enough intellect to understand them all. No, it’s not for me to talk about it."
Do you agree with Gary Neville that FFP is designed to help the ‘big six’?
"Obviously, it’s part of the rules and I think we all have to abide by what’s going on. But again, it’s not for me to talk about it, it’s for other people who know more about it than me."
This match is dedicated for ‘no room for racism.’ How proud are you of the diversity of the club and what the club does?
"I think the club does a brilliant job in the east end of London, we see everybody the same, we treat everybody the same. That’s the way it should be. I couldn’t believe that there’s any other human being who wouldn’t treat another human being exactly the same. That’s it for us. The club are working really hard to make sure that there is diversity at the club and we have a very diverse area here in the east end of London."
How proud are you to have managed 643 Premier League games, going third on the all-time list behind Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger?
"Proud, I don’t know if that is the word I would have used but I think it shows dedication, a bit of resilience as well to do that, especially in the Premier League. I don’t know how many years it works out as if you have roughly 40 or 50 games a season, it’s quite a few. To do that, when we’ve seen so many good managers come and go in the Premier League over decades as we have all been watching it. I'm pleased to have done it but it wasn't something in my head as coming up, it wasn’t like that. Certainly the two people that you mention in front of me on the list have got incredible CVs, I’m pleased to be on a list just behind them."
How big was getting a point away at Newcastle United, considering their form this season?
"It was a good point, it was a big point, I hope we could’ve taken three. I think the way they had played, if you watched how they played in the cup game in the midweek, they played incredibly well and the atmosphere there and the crowd behind them has given the players an extra five per cent, no doubt about that. Because of that, it did become a good point. We played well and I think we warranted a point, we played well off the ball, we had some good moments on the ball and maybe missed chances in the first half to get something slightly better."
How encouraging have the new signings been off the back of their performance at Newcastle?
"I am beginning to see the likes of Nayef Aguerd, Paqueta beginning to show their value and what they are worth and what their abilities [are]. We’ve not got Gianluca Scamacca at the moment. We’re looking forward to getting Danny Ings back into it as well, we’re seeing a little bit more consistency from Emerson now, who is just beginning to get used to us as well.
"We are just beginning to get used to some of the players who we bought in are beginning to find a little bit of form and get used to us as well, which we always thought would be the case. I think new players coming to clubs in the Premier League now is really difficult, for them all to hit the ground running. This season, we’ve taken a little bit longer than we would have liked."
How hard will it be for Graham Potter to find the right the balance given all of the signings Chelsea have made?
"It's not easy, it’s not an easy job. I said last week, the hardest part as a manager is leaving players out and picking the 11 and what ones you can’t 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."
Would you like that dilemma? Signing 17 new players and spending £600million?
"I'm not sure I would, no, not sure. I think sometimes you want to build a team and take it forward. Chelsea are building a team, it's not for me to comment on how Chelsea do their business, they know how to do it. They have been very successful over many years, so it’s their choice how they do it."
You have previously said a good manager is needed, not just money?
"Graham Potter is an exceptional manager. It wouldn’t matter whether he's been given 17 new players or whether he’s had 17 who have been there for a long time. He’s still an exceptional coach, it won’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 and from that point of view, I think he will go on to do a really good job."
How difficult is it to prepare to face them considering their squad size?
"Not easy, I’ve got to say, not easy. We’ve got to wait and see. We’ve got no idea what team Chelsea will play, they’ve got the ability to chop and change. Probably for you people in the media, you’ve got no idea about their line-up or what they’re going to play either because they’ve got so many options."
Considering you have tried to get into the Champions League spots in recent seasons, do you see that gap now widening?
"I think it's incredible how it's changed. I think we’re certainly seeing an emergence of Arsenal, who used to be [up there] maybe a decade or so ago, or longer. We’re seeing maybe Manchester United are starting to find feet and get back onto their stuff. There’s things going on at other clubs at the moment, so from that point of view, I think the Premier League is evolving at different times. Different clubs are coming into it.
"It wasn't long ago Leicester City won the Premier League, suddenly we’re seeing really good form from Brighton, Brentford, Fulham, who have all shown exceptional form this season. I think we’ve got a very good Premiership in that some weeks, you can’t tell how the results are going to go."
Do you have fond memories of Chelsea’s last visit to the London Stadium?
"I think we won, it was a great result wasn’t it?"
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