Julen Lopetegui

Lopetetgui Must Harness His Inner Mike Bassett ahead of Everton Clash

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West Ham vs Everton Preview


As West Ham fans, it’s easy to feel like we’re the only club struggling with underwhelming football results and off-field turmoil.

However, in Saturday’s Premier League opponents Everton, the Hammers may have met their match. In many respects, West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui couldn’t wish for a more wounded team to face in a game that could decide whether he keeps his job or heads for the dole queue.

Everton fans are enduring yet another season of struggle as their team flirts with relegation while their best player is linked with a move away. Manager Sean Dyche faces pressure, accused of poor tactics and even worse selection choices. Sound familiar?

At right-back, Everton’s options include elder statesman Seamus Coleman or 39-year-old Ashley “Jurassic” Young. But whether West Ham boss Lopetegui will sensibly play Crysencio Summerville up against them—or come up with one of his usual hodgepodge line-ups—is anyone’s guess.

All this and more is discussed in our video preview as I sit down with my Hammers Chat pal Geo to debate what could unfold in the 3 p.m. Premier League clash. West Ham vs. Everton might not be a classic, and it’s likely to feature last on ‘Match of the Day.’

But West Ham have better players, and if Lopetegui can rein in his tendency to deploy players out of position in a straightforward formation, he might just save his own bacon.

It’s time for J-Lo to channel his inner Mike Bassett: “Enough of all the fancy stuff, we’re playing four, four effin’ two!”

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Hammers Chat video blogger @Gonzobignose

1 comment

  • John Ayris says:

    Must be a good chance that one manager will be sacked and a fair chance of both. I cannot see any better than Lopetegui limping from match to match so in my assessment it’s better that he goes now.

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