Rinus Michels was the Dutch national team coach in the 1970s, credited with inventing “Total Football,” a concept where all players could switch positions during the game.
Although I was too young to remember the team of Neeskens and Cruyff, their legacy lived on through later Dutch teams, enough for me to grasp the concept of Total Football.
Ruud Gullit was one of the finest players I’ve ever seen. To this day, I’m still unsure whether he was a better defender or midfielder, but he could also play right wing, and I even remember him playing as Marco Van Basten’s strike partner and scoring goals.
West Ham, of course, have had a few versatile players over the years, with Billy Bonds able to switch between midfield and defence.
This brings me to the modern-day version of the Hammers and head coach Julen Lopetegui, who seems to believe he has John Charles, Steven Gerrard, Bonds, and Gullit among his squad of multi-faceted, Total Football players.
Gullit could play everywhere
Total football reality check
The version of Lopetegui who has arrived in East London has me at a bit of a loss. I was led to believe West Ham hired a pragmatic, structured manager. Nobody warned me that the Spaniard would expect his midfielders to be strikers, his fullbacks to be wingers who can play on both sides, and his central defenders to be playmakers trying to chip and dribble their way through games.
Lopetegui himself seems surprised too. The 58-year-old appears to be in a constant state of bewilderment that the players can’t execute the complex patterns of interchangeable play he clearly envisions.
If the former Real Madrid manager is to survive at the London Stadium, he needs to rekindle that pragmatic style and put some square pegs in square holes as part of a reality check. J-Lo must understand that while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is one of the league’s best one-on-one defenders, he can’t suddenly transform into Vinícius Júnior.
He must realise that Edson Álvarez can’t serve as the last defender against fast players. Call me old-fashioned, but it might also be worth playing that tricky left winger Summerville on the left wing too.
I could go on, but you get the point. Lopetegui is managing West Ham United in 2024, not the Dutch team of 1974. He has a squad of very good players, some of whom excel in specific roles, but they can’t do everything in every position. The sooner he sees the difference between a West Ham player and a Swiss Army Knife, the better.
I believe Martin peters is famous for playing in every position for west ham including goalie.i rate him as probably the most gifted player we ever had, and I was old enough to have seen him play., so gifted players who are versatile is not a modern thing , it’s a state of mind with passion ,determination , and the ability to read the game as probably the underlying factor,I have read the quote about west ham being a Ferrari driven by a granny , more like a three wheeler driven by a disqualified driver,.
“west ham being a Ferrari driven by a granny , more like a three wheeler driven by a disqualified driver,.” 😂
Is that a ‘cut and shut’ 3-wheeler?
Yes with flat tyres?
Any truth that we’re going to swap Paquetá for a striker named Igor Jesus who plays for Botofogor in Brazil?
About as much truth as in the rumour that we’re going to sell Kudus to Arsenal for 90 million probably.
I was gutted and angry after the Forest game but then I stepped back and looked at it. Things can only get better surely. A reality check might be in order. Yes, we’ve faced defeats against Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Aston Villa, and now Nottingham Forest. But let’s put this in perspective. Forest sitting in 3rd place isn’t a fluke – they’ve been impressive this season. Chris Wood has been in remarkable form, finding the net consistently. And look at the other teams we’ve lost to – they’re all established contenders for European spots. These are clubs that, historically, would be expected to have the upper hand against us.
Perhaps our recent three-year run in Europe has skewed our perspective. Have we forgotten what life was like before? Our expectations have naturally risen after tasting European competition, but maybe we need to recalibrate them. I think we’re going to do just fine from here on in.
Sometimes I think a step back helps us see the bigger picture.
And the bigger picture is what?
Look at where we are with this squad — Keepers – who are worse than our first choice 3 = other than Kepa at Bournmouth. Emerson – pants this season as is Mavrapanos, Soucek ,Rodregez, Alvarez, Soler – just walking footballers, strikers Fullfrump, Antonio & Ings – maybe there is worse at Ipswich or Soton?? – that’s 12 players I think are all below Premier League standard and one in Paqeta who is paying like a bloke on death row –
This my last season after being a regular since 1968 – well done Sullivan, Brady and Gold relative – “world class Team in a World Class stadium” – you and the Tourists are welcome to it
Let’s make that picture even bigger. Forest have only played one top 5 team but 5 of the bottom 7. Let’s see where they sit after the next 8 games. Recalibrating our expectations would indeed be a master stroke, as would a reality check. If you want life as it was before, may I suggest Millwall or QPR. If you are just making a pitch for the moral high ground, trust me, you have some serious competition below.
I did research JOKEpetegui before Westham hired him and saw why AC Milan fans threatened a boycott if he were hired . SACKED by Real Madrid after 14 league games and let go by Spain prematurely because he’s a clueless former goal keeper devoid of creativity probably as a result of countless kicks in the head . I watch every Premier League team play every match and Westham are currently the worst and will remain so while JOKEpetegui is coach . 100 percent Westham will be relegated if they continue with JOKEpetegui , Southampton and Ipswich will be relegated and so who’s the third team ? Not Wolves or Palace and everyone else is much better and so that leaves Westham . Is Sullivan brave enough to sack Lopetegui now and give an interim manager enough time to turn things away from relegation .
Spot on
Under Moyes, especially last season, there were dissenting voices, but the comments on here today are more than dissent, they’re desperation. We have been shambolic this season, and our fans want this horrible experience over, now. Our fan base is more or less unified that we want Lopetegui gone, and if we aren’t going to pay compensation for a new manager we need to act quickly while there are a couple of options are available that do seem somewhat desirable, otherwise we’ll end up Benitez or worse.
Yep 100% ..shame others can’t see this …no names mentioned…its all lurve here 🤣
Seriously?…this is your idea…..if you can’t ask the right question to your connections to the club
.wich is ..HOW LONG DO WE LET THIS GO ON …..yes it’s only the start of the season..But its absolutely 100% plain to see that this bloke is not the awnser….stop with all these story…me and plenty of others have never been more convinced that’s this bloke hasn’t a clue what he is doing…surely you don’t need another 5 games to see this …everything about him Is wrong …and his man management is non existence……CAN YOU PLSE ASK THE THE QUESTIONS ON MOST FANS LIPS
..DO THEY SEE THAT THEY HAVE MADE A HUGE mistake appointing him.and when will.they sack him ….we won last week on pure luck ..should of been 4 _ 0 down half time .then that joke of a penalty…look at the stats from. The first half today ….I knew nothing about.this bloke..but he’s one of the worst I’ve seen …we have gone backwards massively…….DO NOT LET THIS DRAG ON OR RELAGATION IS A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY…
If he can’t ask the question then ‘what’?
We’re all frustrated, but try and keep your powder under control, old bean. Rants don’t help anyone.
And it’s certainly not the fault of anyone here so back off. If you don’t like what’s written, go take your anger out on another website. And contacts aren’t going to say what you want them to say, are they?
Fk of bud everything I write you have a dig .I say fk.all about your posts even though I don’t agree with them..I’m not talking to you..I’m talking to the site ! …if you don’t like it tough..so you wind your neck in and keep to your stuff and I’ll keep to mine and keep ,, not commenting on your drivel I don’t agree with ..SIMPLE…..END OFF..Enjoy your Sunday
Spot on.
I bet, if everyone reading this post put their idea of our best 11 and formation, the average of that would be very close to every submission.
But you know, we’re all clueless idiots, and there’s a reason we coach U15’s football and not a Premier League club…
It would be fascinating to know if any ego-laden manager in the history of professional football has actually asked to know what the fans think…
Doubt it. Like I say, what would we know?
This is heresy I tell you, the concept of playing players in their best position is beyond me gonzo! Get areola and foderingham in the midfield I say
One of our biggest areas of concern from last season was the number of goals we shipped.
I’d have thought that the guy who “studied” the team vigorously prior to being offered the job, could understand that the team needed solid, basic structure.
Get the basics right before tinkering at the edges.
It’s like he’s a tailor, adding the frills, the shiny bits and tassels to a suit that’s unravelling fast behind him.
Please don’t cast any aspersions on Australian fashion from my above example. We are, after all, the home of the mullet.
Stay jealous POMs, stay jealous. 😉⚒️⚒️⚒️
Exactly mate 100% ..
Na you you would be fine in a skirt 🤣 but your right hev s just guessing and hasn’t a clue ..its so obvious