West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui was thrilled with his team’s performance in the Hammers’ deserved 2-0 victory against Newcastle United.
The Irons’ gaffer had the dishevelled look of a man who had faced a firing squad and survived, but he could not be happier with his team. Lopetegui, speaking after the Premier League win at St James’ Park, delivered his usual riddles and platitudes. However, he was absolutely spot-on in his comments about his team defending well from the front.
Certainly, it was the most energetic and committed I’ve seen West Ham play under the Spaniard. There was clearly more energy and endeavour to win the ball back from the Magpies, as evidenced by the Hammers’ second goal.
“We had one identity today, and I think we did well with and without the ball,” said Lopetegui. “Above all, we were a team, and we fought for each other, and that is what you need to compete on an occasion like today. I think we showed lots of personality, and we did really well to overcome what is a tough occasion to come and play Newcastle at their own ground like this.”
He was completely right. Although getting his selection and balance right was also a significant factor, on such a crucial victory for himself and the club, Lopetegui can’t be faulted.
i don’t find it hard to understand what he is saying at all. it’s just that what he does say in English is all he’s got in English. clichés and run-of-the-mill football jargon. he doesn’t have the vocab to go into an analytical discussion. if you’re not getting what he’s saying, don’t fret too much…it’s boring as batsh!t
Jlow is very hard to understand in his interviews, so it must be so hard to get the players to what you want if they can’t him.
Gooners (bloody text correction)
Sadly didn’t see the game last night as I couldn’t see the point in wasting my money to watch what i, and probably everyone else could only see being a humiliation. But sounds like it was really good. If they can get something out of Saturdays game or at the very least another good coherent performance things MIGHT start looking up, as we have a decent run of games after the goodness…….
It could have not been easy the past fortnight for Lopetegui and I think we were all shocked at his appearance, a broken man under extreme pressure. Congratulations to everyone involved last night for once it was a pleasure to watch a proper West Ham team performance. When I saw the midfield I feared we would be outfought with player’s going missing but they were all superb. After such a hard fought victory it will be even harder to repeat it on Saturday and fresh leg’s will be needed. Hopefully we will continue to be resilient and work just as hard in future matches and give a few more team’s a bloody nose!
That was the coherent performance that I’ve been looking for but had seen anything but before yesterday. It gives a sense that things will come right rather than they wont. It needs to be more than a one off though.
The win against Man U was anything but convincing but that one was. It was a deserved win that was more likely to be 3-0 than 2-1 that had nothing alarming about it.
I did not see that coming, there was no sign of it at all and bizarrely it followed Everton which was beyond awful, it was a change out of any recognition that I really did not think was coming.
I have not minced my words and have wanted Lopetegui gone as I saw nothing hopeful. That was hopeful though and provided that reasonably entertaining performances in which we’re likely to gain points continue that’s all I ask for.
Lets see it continue is the provision.
To paraphrase an old quotation “he speaks fluent Catalan with a smattering of English”.
Whether it was the pressure of the situation or the culmination of having witnessed a dozen of his team’s previous performances, he certainly didn’t look a well man last night.
One swallow doesn’t make a Summer however I thought we were a joy to watch last night. The commitment from every player was superb and I pray we can take more of the same into Saturdays match against the Gooners. Just one question, how do you interpret what Lopetugi says, I can’t understand a word?
To paraphrase an old quotation “he speaks fluent Catalan with a smattering of English”.
Whether it was the pressure of the situation or the culmination of having witnessed a dozen of his team’s previous performances, he certainly didn’t look a well man last night.
He speaks Basque, it’s a different region!