It’s all getting a bit ‘previous’ in media – land. West Ham United have landed in a bad run of form against top-six opponents after back – to – back defeats against Chelsea and Liverpool. Julen Lopetegui is under pressure, any manager who cares about his job and his reputation wants to steady the ship and start getting points on the board, just five games into a Premier League competition.
But ‘crisis? and talk of a ‘shortlist of three’ ready to replace Lopetegui? Surely that’s all gossip? Our previous manager had about six separate spells of ‘three games to save his job’ so surely talk of replacing the Catalonian is wildly exaggerated.
It would seem not. TheHardTackle.com even goes so far, after claiming a couple of days ago that Lopetegui had three games to save his job (see what I mean?) – that – and I quote here:
“West Ham United have reportedly compiled a three-manager shortlist featuring three former Chelsea tacticians to identify a replacement for Julen Lopetegui.”
I’m always in two minds about whether to give these ‘reports’ the oxygen of publicity but when I see some of them ‘trending’ I feel a strange responsibility to respond in the sake of balance, lest Hammers fans feel everything in the media is a ‘shock horror sack-him-now’ – type witch hunt.
It isn’t.
Out of curiosity I’m sure you will be interested to know which three ex-Chelsea supremos are supposedly on the ‘shortlist’. Ok, I’ll oblige. And don’t shoot the messenger! The names are- Thomas Tuchel. OK, Don’t agree, but can understand. Available. Decent. Good track record. Two – Graham Potter. Safe pair of hands. Not exciting. Should do Ok. And the third – wait for it – Frank Lampard. BFF at London Stadium? OMDB.*
And you thought we had a divided fan base over concessions? Frank back at West Ham is as conciliatory to some of the fan-base as moving to Milton Keynes and playing in pink green and white. And hopefully, just about as likely.
S0 – satisfactorily dissolving the credibility of their own report by adding the – erm- ‘controversial’ name of Lampard onto this mythical shortlist as a replacement. Indeed.
In any case, I hope Julen Lopetegui gets some serious motivation now from wherever: – Please Jules, get on and start winning, save us from a controversy that would really get the fur flying.
And on a serious note, in the meantime can we calm down and support our team? And our head coach? By all means, criticise, highlight, opine, discuss, but five games in? Replace him? Just. No.
‘United” – Its not just the third word on our badge, it means something.
Being at a certain age I had to Google OMDB. That did make me laugh, out loud too😂
Lopetegui has already attempted a bunch of nonsensical tactics that most Westham fans knew would never work . He certainly didn’t watch Westham last season so as to understand the current problems . He’s coaching Westham like someones dad coaching an under 10’s girls team for the first time . The man is clueless and this will not end well for Westham . Worse than Moyes …..WOW .
Complete drivel
Frank lampard has a poor track record the other 2 coaches mentioned I have no problem but If I was to chose Graham Potter would be my preferred choice
The manager is Basque not Catalonian
When we lost at home against Chelsea it was the third home loss to a top four team. Liverpool rotated but so did we, they’re second so another top four team.
You could hardly choose harder games to start the season with at a time when we’re rebuilding and settling players in some of who are new to premier league football.
When we’ve played not top four teams we beat Palace and Bournemouth and drew with Fulham. It’s insane to be talking about new managers when those are the facts.
FGS give Lopetegui a chance.
I said, if Moyes’ contract was renewed, I’d cancel my two season tickets after 25 years.
If he’s sacked and any of these come in, I’ll be watching from home.
Spot on Ian Salisbury..👍🏼
A pile of :poop:
It is never just one thing that causes unrest among the fans.. Looking purely at results, the team has not matched either the hype or expectations and that is just phase 1 of the discontent. Phase 2 is the manner of the defeats and the argument that just as it might be a bit early for fans to talk about sacking, it is also a bit early for players to resort to total capitulation. Phase 3 is the bizarre team selections, substitution strategy, panic and poor application. Finally, all of the above has thrown light on the actual success of the transfer window. It sounds like most people are simply saying “this is not looking good and IF it continues, something else will need to change”. Too many excuses given for coach and players, time to deliver results
Too true Martin, let’s not get caught up in the hyperbole.
This week, West Ham reserves lost to Liverpool reserves at Anfield, in a Cup game, when some shocking officiating, a ridiculous tackle and sending off, created a scoreline that pundits described as flattering…. not sure that constitutes ‘crisis?
Getting a point away at Brentford today would be a good result, let’s not get ahead of ouselves.