Calm, it would appear, has descended again on London Stadium and at the training ground. The weekend’s flashpoints in the dressing room were apparently ‘over emphasised’ and everyone is working together again for the game against Ipswich Town. West Ham are United again if we believe the responses being sent today after last night’s news of a dressing room spat.
Certainly it seems that the nonsense of last week’s ‘shortlisting’ of three to replace Lopetegui has vanished. Partly, thanks to the draw and the point at Brentford. Partly thanks to the media spotlight falling on the unfortunate Eric Ten Hag. And in part, thanks to reports coming from ‘exclusive’ media sources confirming, most definitely that: ‘David Sullivan Keen to avoid a Knee Jerk Reaction over Lopetegui’s Future‘ (givemesport.com). Good, every Hammers’ player and fan should be happy to see a clear pattern of support ‘from the top’ for the head coach.
Late changes, last minute tactics- Hopefully Lopetegui has learned the hard way!
The same report does, however, confirm something I laughably claimed were ‘tactics thought up on the bus on the way to the ground‘ for the Chelsea game, such was their chaotic effect on the team who obviously had zero grasp of last-minute changes to the strategy in the 0-3 loss:
“Sources have indicated that the recent decision to line-up with a back three, with Edson Alvarez at the heart of it, also came as a surprise to the players late in the build-up towards the Chelsea clash last month, which they lost 3-0.”
“Lopetegui Shocked Squad with Late Decisions . Eleventh-hour changes have been made to starting line-up”.
Not Good.
We could all see it. I suspect Lopetegui, jumping around the touchline yelling at everyone, knew himself that he’d made an error after 30 minutes when West Ham were three-nil down. At home. Now this report confirms it.
So, whilst it is good, sensible management to come out and support the Hammers head coach, the fact emerging that Lopetegui made these disastrous last-minute changes to team, players and systems should, hopefully, consign any future last-minute changes to the bin!
I wanted Lopetegui to join us as much as I wanted Moyes to stay. i.e. not at all.
Another failure we grabbed on the cheap. We’re going nowhere as long as Sullivan & Brady are there.
And don’t even get me started on the “first major trophy in over 40 years” crap. 3rd-tier Europe. Remember when we won the Intertoto when it was 3rd-tier Europe? Didn’t think so.
I find it hard to believe that the team had been training all week in a certain way just for the manager to change it at the eleventh hour without practicing it on the field.
Ignore all of the individual opinions and focus on the facts (such as they are). All of the bizarre stuff and concerning decisions are coming from the same person.
Let go by Spain in under 2 years , sacked by Real Madrid after just 14 league games and a mess at Wolves , Lopetegui’s coaching/tactical abilities have been proven rubbish . This is a coach making it up as he goes , then blaming the players when they have no chance of success with Lopetegui ‘s tactics . The obvious tactical mistake is deliberate slow transition to offense in order to retain the ball . This allows the other team to organize and the opportunity is gone . GOpetegui , Sullivan must sack this loser now or else Westham are going to lose all their best players for nothing and be relegated . Westham are currently playing the worst football in the league .
No chance whatsoever of relegation . Yes I know we went
down in 03 with half the England squad . But lopetegui is obviously a vastly superior manager to roeder and unlike then we have good defenders . some fans are so pro David Moyes . That no matter who we bring in to replace JL they will be gunning for him straight away as well . All lopetegui has to do is play kudus centrally and this team will click .
On paper Loopy might be a more experience manager Roeder, but I think i can asure you that there are 100s of thousands of supporters around the world that don’t have any confidence in Loopy at this time, a nd do we want wait until it’s to late before we find out?
I’m still of the opinion that this guy is barely an upgrade on Moyes and was only hired because he didn’t cost any compensation. A small minded penny pinching mentality that defies logic when compared to the money spent (or wasted) on player transfer fees.
As long as Sullivan is calling the shorts , the club will not consistently progess.
Because he cost Sullivan nothing is the only reason Loopy is at the, especially when there were far better experienced younger managers available. On top of that please tell me the logic of paying 27 mllion for an inexperienced PL, injury prone player with no resale value? When for another 10million plus 20 year old who can’t stop goals doesn’t get a look in. Typical Sullivan. The fortunes at West Ham will never change until Sullivan and Brady are gone. One last comment . We keep being told we had to be careful what we wish for. Well we haven’t got what we wished. True Moyes is gone, but what about his younger exciting replacement?
Really just shows he has no idea what he’s doing. Top coaches plan meticulously. They do not make last minute random changes.
100% agree.