David Moyes’ low-risk formula points to a summer change for West Ham

Was it ingratitude? Or were the complaints reasonable? Whatever your take, it was intriguing to witness the splits in the West Ham family grow wider at Craven Cottage last Saturday – to see David Moyes reach deep into his well of managerial experience after a 5-1 defeat at home to Newcastle and find yet another way to survive by picking a team capable of securing an ugly win over Fulham, only to hear his own supporters respond by booing his substitutions and doubling down on their demands for the Scot to go.

It was one of those moments that summed up how much expectations between professionals and punters vary. For Moyes, who probably would have been sacked if he had lost, a low-risk formula was imperative. He made five changes, brought in players he could trust and made West Ham hard to beat. Pretty? No. Effective? Well, check the result: a clean sheet, a win secured by an early own goal from Harrison Reed and another step towards ensuring that West Ham will indeed prove too solid to go down.

Yet while Moyes chose to dwell on West Ham’s grit another narrative was playing out in the away end. Mutiny diluted the celebrations when someone unveiled a “Moyes Out” banner after the final whistle.

Here was a reminder that a change is necessary. Summer feels like the right time for an amicable split. Moyes has done an excellent job at West Ham, but supporters want entertainment. They can respect his team’s organisation and honesty, but they can also ask for more boldness. It is their biggest gripe with Moyes: that he errs on the side of caution too readily – a view that has been aired in the dressing room – and does not know how to make West Ham play a more expansive, unpredictable style.

There was further evidence when West Ham