Geoff Hopkins

“I Know Nothing”: Faulty Hammers Must Bite The Bullet and Replace Lopetegui Before More Damage Can Be Done

Can there have ever been a poorer excuse for an elite level football match than the turgid stodge served up by West Ham and Everton on Saturday afternoon?

If you booked a table at a supposed elite level restaurant and the fare served up was anywhere near as poor as that at the London Stadium on Saturday, you would most likely never return unless it re-opened under new management. West Ham and Everton, probably the two dreariest teams in the Premier League last season, offering no suggestion that anything was about to change this time around.

Football clubs are extremely fortunate in being able to rely on and take advantage of the blind loyalty of their fan base. But perhaps they are mistaken in believing their complacency can go on unchecked forever. With each passing season the needle has gradually shifted from matches as sporting, cultural and community matchday events towards games that serve as content and talking points for media outlets to pick over, speculate upon, and analyse with increasingly spurious statistics on a daily basis.

I have long thought of West Ham and Everton as two teams from the same pod when it comes to the modern game. Both struggle to find their niche in the shadow of more illustrious city neighbours, but both with delusions that they are a rung above those smaller clubs – Brighton, Brentford, Bournemouth – who follow sound organisational and recruitment strategies in order to survive. I can recall a conversation with a Birmingham City supporter around the time Gold & Sullivan took over at West Ham. He told me that rather than taking sound football decisions, they were regularly in thrall of shiny, glamourous appointments or signings who they believed (usually mistakenly) would reflect well on them. Nothing much appears to have changed over the years. It is the reason why we have endured a string of continental big name flops and been saddled with a manager appointed on the strength of having once been manager of Real Madrid – no matter how badly that turned out.

What can be said about the Everton game itself? The first half was virtually devoid of anything noteworthy. An excellent saving tackle in his own box by Crysencio Summerville to deny an Everton breakaway, and a first West Ham attempt on goal by Jarrod Bown in the 44th minute. The second half was marginally more memorable. A headed chance for Everton, Summerville hitting the post after a fine pass from Lucas Paqueta, and two goal bound shots from Danny Ings that Pickford did well to keep out. A dull draw reflected the balance of play between two poor teams, even if the Hammers had more of the ‘big’ chances. I suppose one might celebrate a rare clean sheet although the visitors had few meaningful attacking aspirations.

On paper, Julen Lopetegui had not selected anyone to play out of position this week and had reverted to a back four after the previous week’s failed experiment. In practice, he used Guido Rodriguez (and later Tomas Soucek) as auxiliary centre backs and allowed his full backs licence to wander forward at the expense of defensive of duties. Other than that, it was a repeat of the slow, pedestrian fare that has become a feature of the manager’s game plan. There was still no sign of an intended identity, style of play or sense of urgency. Whatever the direction of travel, it is either a mystery to the players or they are ill-equipped to deliver it. The possession stats might look better than last season, but it is possession for the sake of it. Build ups are too slow and lacking penetration to worry opposition defences.

Summerville was by far the standout and liveliest player for West Ham, raising the question why had it taken so long for him to be given a chance? One might also question why Danny Ings has been given so few minutes (75 across 5 games) when he is the only fit player in the squad to possess a striker’s instinct. His West Ham career may be a huge disappointment overall, but he has looked much sharper than the alternatives during those limited minutes. Bowen came to life in the second half but is wearing the captain’s armband like an anchor around his neck. Indeed, leadership is currently impossible to spot both on and off the pitch.

Unlike some observers, I thought Paqueta had one of his more enterprising games this season – although admittedly this is a low bar – no matter what the statistics might say. If your play maker’s passing stats are in the high 90% then he is not being adventurous enough. I also think Carlos Soler deserves more than his single start to show what he can do. He may have the look of someone attending a fancy-dress party as a caricature Spaniard but I’m sure there’s a talented player in there somewhere, if only it is given the opportunity to flourish.

Vladimir Coufal was a surprise 67^th minute replacement for Aaron Wan-Bissaka allowing the Czechkle Brothers to reprise their famous to me, to you routine close to the right touchline – until Soucek puts the ball into touch. Some players are just not cut out for possession football and big Tom is one of them. If he is not scoring goals, he is a passenger who simply gets in the way and slows everything down. Michail Antonio is another unsuited to a game that is built upon passing and movement.

Lopetegui has now managed 13 West Ham league and cup games with 4 wins and 6 defeats. It currently stands at one less game than he lasted in his spell at the Bernabeu. There is plenty of speculation as to whether he will survive to surpass that total or whether he will be released during the international break. With games against Newcastle and Arsenal on the horizon, the Hammers could well be flirting with the relegation zone going into December.

There is little doubt on the evdience to date that the appointment has been a huge and expensive mistake. If there were signs of progress, then there could be justification to allow more time to “turn things around”. But that rarely happens and all we can see is a muddle with a confused and unhappy squad. The only rationale for hanging on would be to avoid the financial penalty of paying up Lopetegui’s contract – but at what long term cost?

Plenty of names for potential replacements have already been thrown about in the media. We have no way of knowing how reliable any of those reports are. Many supporters – and I am one – will be doubtful that the Board are capable of making a sensible decision based on footballing criteria alone. Much of the anger is directed at David Sullivan but he no longer is a majority owner and surely the other shareholders will want their say. The niggling suspicion, though, is that ambitions do not extend far beyond the maintenance of Premier League status necessary to preserve the asset value of the club.

Managing a Premier League club in London makes the West Ham job an attractive proposition for any ambitious manager keen to prove his worth. Hopefully, any search can go beyond the unemployed although the financial aspects of changing manager cannot be ignored. As far as I know, money spent on compensation would not only burn a hole in the Board’s pockets but also have an adverse impact on spend in future transfer windows. But it is time to take a long-term view on the future of the club. One based on sound principles and the type of succession planning that has been succesful at Brighton. A younger rising star manager, who I may well have never heard of, with fresh progressive ideas, and a focus on youth would be just the job. COYI!

Lopetegui’s Road to Nowhere and an Out of Capital Punishment Beating

The promised Lopetegui revolution continues to shuffle aimlessly from week to week. Time to pull the plug or sit and hope that a well concealed plan will eventually emerge?

As in all long running soap operas, each game in West Ham’s season ends with a cliffhanger to keep us talking until the next unstalment. Has the corner been turned? Will the manager be sacked? Is there an oubreak of turmoil and unrest in the Hammer’s camp?

Two weekends ago, a welcome win and an encouraging second-half performance of up-tempo football against Manchester United left us wondering whether this was finally the point where Lopetegui-ball shook off its slumber and gained momentum. On Saturday’s evidence it was no ore than a lucky break?

It had been a very different story for the Red Devils who shaken by the ignominy of defeat by West Ham ended their patient support of Erik ten Hag. The twist being that the next Old Trafford boss will be the same Ruben Amorim, who had been interviewed in the summer from the London Stadium job but – according to reports – was considered too risky an appointment at this stage of his career. The board opting to go for a safe pair of hands in the guise of former goalkeeper and compensation-free, Julen Lopetegui.

It was the battle of the goalkeeping managers when the Hammers headed to Nottingham for their first Premier League fixture of the season outside of the M25. The high-flying hosts now coached by another former Wolves manager, Nuno Espirito Santo.

People say that Lopetegui is a steady rather than innovative manager and yet his ability to find new and ingenious ways of deploying players out of position really takes some beating. His response to the Manchester United success was not to build on the success but to introduce a surprise overhaul of formation whereby Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Dinos Mavropanos formed a three-man central defence. The full backs would become wing backs for the day, there would be a double pivot of Edson Alvarez and Guido Rodriguez and Jarod Bowen would operate as the central striker, in preference to either Michail Antonio or Danny Ings.

While the coach had bowed to calls for Crysencio Summerville to be given a start following his game changing exploits a week earlier, he was conspicuously consigned to an inside-left berth where he could do less damage. For balance, Lucas Paqueta was also given the opportunity to demonstrate he could be equally s ineffective at inside-right as anywhere else on the pitch. The Brazilian is clearly not in the right frame of mind for football.

West Ham saw a lot of the ball in the opening period, but it was possession for the sake of it, without any hint of penetration inside the box. Forest were the more incisive side by some distance. Nuno’s style is not far removed from that of the old Scottish manager, favouring the low block and quick transition. But with pace to spare in both midfield and attack, it was too hot for the Hammers to handle – even while the game remained 11 a-side.

The opening goal came as Forest again exploited the acres of space that West Ham were gifting along the flanks. Not for the first time, Mavropanos was more concerned with adopting the hands-behind-the-back Riverdance pose than closing the space between him and his opponent. Moreno allowed all the time in the world to calmly pick out Wood’s head as several Hammer’s defenders looked on.

Despite fashioning a first meaningful shot at goal just before the break, the game was effectively done and dusted when Alvarez picked up two yellow cards in the space of eight minutes. Taking one for the team has become an acepted part and parcel of the modern game but the more astute sides know how to spread the load and are careful not to use up lives when it isn’t absolutely necessary. Both of Alvarez’s card were avoidable as the threat wasn’t immediate at either time. In defence of the Mexican, he often looks to be the only player interested in hunting down the ball in midfield or chasing lost causes in defence. He has always liked a card though, and it is difficult to lump this behaviour with any wider lack of discipline that may be creeping into the club.

In the second half it was simply a matter of time before the hosts scored again, and a lottery as to how many goals they would rack up before the final whistle. There was little sign that the visitors had any hunger or passion to make a fight out of adversity. Ultimately, Forest contented themselves with extending a three-year home sequence that has seen them score 1, 2 and then 3 goals against West Ham without reply. It was a win that saw them climb into third spot in the table as the season passed its quarter way point.

A common reason put forward for Lopetegui’s poor start to his West Ham career is that “he doesn’t know his best team yet.” That has always felt a lame argument to me as lineups are never static. Players lose and find form, injuries and suspensions must be managed, and approaches to games are adjusted according to opposition. What is a concern though is that after 12 league and cup games we are no nearer understanding what the coach is trying to achieve. What evidence exists of progress towards a style, formation and tactics that can be effective in the Premier League, while suiting the players available to him? Lopetegui has been stumbling from match to match apparently learning little and reacting to events with apparent random acts of management.

Everyone knew that the Hammers faced a major squad rebuilding in the summer. Looking at the individuals recruited in isolation, a case can be made for the sense of each signing. But as an overall strategy, the conclusion has to be that the club got the priorities very wrong – both from a positional sense and the age profile of the squad.

This is perfectly illustrated with a midfield that can neither cover the ground defensively nor support rapid transition in possession. No matter who is selected out of Alvarez, Rodriguez, Paqueta, and Tomas Soucek the midfield is short of legs without anyone capable of breaking forward with the ball at speed. A data driven analysis isn’t required to tell us this. We can all see it with our own eyes. Games are often won and lost through control of the midfield and our solution is akin to entering a Morris Traveler in a Formula 1 race.

The question now is how much time Lopetegui will be allowed to demonstrate he has a plan, and knows what he is attempting to do. I doubt even the extravagantly patient board members will be convinced by what they have seen to date. Or impressed by the stories of unease that arisen within the squad. If a slow and gradual improvement could be detected, we might be inclined to grin and bear it in the near term. But that has not been happening. It would be out of character but does it make cutting the losses – even at this early stage – a sensible course of action.

The dilemma, of course, is that if Lopetegui was sacked who would replace him. Assuming David Sullivan would again be the primary decision maker we know how predictable and unimaginative he will be. Dazzled by coaches who have managed at big clubs, regardless of how successful that ha turned out. And narrowing the field to those currently unemployed where no compensation would be required. Any chance of boardroom coup? COYI!

Don’t Tease Me This Way: Summerville’s Spark Propels West Ham To Unlikely Victory

The classic game of two halves as West Ham survive a first half bombardment to claim victory with a spirited response in the second. Relief also for Julen Lopetegui who managed to fix his own mistakes at half time to earn a welcome three points.

Sometimes you have to wonder what is going on inside a coach or manager’s head when they make their team selections. With Mohammed Kudus starting his red card suspension, the world and his wife were confident that Crysencio Summerville was the obvious natural replacement to fill his boots. But Julen Lopetegui had other ideas and decided that playing Carlos Soler out of position on the left hand side was a far more sensible and insightful solution. Does he consider Summerville too direct for his particular brand of slow build-up football? And doesn’t Soler deserve an opportunity in the Lucas Paqueta position to do himself justice? After all, the Brasilian is rarely at the races these days.

The other changes from the drubbing at Tottenham saw a recall for Lukasz Fabianski in goal, Dinos Mavropanos replacing Jean-Clair Todibo at centre back and Edson Alvarez ousting Tomas Soucek in midfield. The unbalanced nature of the starting lineup instinctively looked liked poor judgement. But it did allow the coach to take the plaudits when he fixed his own mistake with three substitutions at half-time. Perhaps it was the plan all along to start with a duff formation in order to demonstrate the genius of his tactical use of substitutes later.

The first half ably demonstrated the folly of both selections and tactics. The team lacked any sense og cohesion, control or goal threat. What’s more, the persistence with the use of inverted full backs, the high defensive line and the uncertainty of how the defensive midfielders should fill the resulting gaps allowed Manchester United to pick off the Hammers at will through simple balls over the top. Time and again the Hammer’s defence found itself exposed by the simplest of all plays. A deficiency of organisation and tactics rather than personnel.

It is always easy to speculate on should-haves and could-haves in football games depending on what story you are wanting to tell. Not all the chances that the visitors created were gilt-edged, but a couple were more than presentable – especially the comical Dallo miss and the Fernandez header. Had West Ham found themselves two or three goals down at the break, there could be no complaints that it didn’t reflect the balance of play.

It was a different story after the break. The introduction of Summerville was the catalyst for change. His energy and single-mindedness at driving at the Red Devils defence inspired his team-mates and the crowd. All of a sudden, the Hammers looked like a team with purpose, One that was prepared to ask questions of its opponent. Todibo speed, awareness and positioning also gave the defence a more solid feel. He looks to be a very good signing – whoever would like to claim the credit for that one! Tomas Soucek did OK without being influential. I would like to have seen Soler moved centrally for a while although he doesn’t have the same aerial abilities as the Czech.

As the second period progressed, it was West Ham who looked the more threatening even if it was manifested in enterprising approach play rather than the creation of scoring opportunities. When the opening goal came there was a touch of good fortune as Danny Ings scuffed shot became a perfect set up for Summerville to slot home. His joy at scoring was obvious despite the yellow card shown for removing his shirt. It is good to see that the officials have a handle on the most serious issues apparent in the game – such as this and delaying the restart for a nano-second. While blatant diving, cheating, time wasting and other dark arts go unpunished.

Another piece of officiating that provides a solution to the wrong problem is forcing a player who has had treatment to leave the field until the referee sees fit. Of course, it is meant to discourage fake time-wasting injuries by Arsenal, but was there really any suspicion that Alvarez had faked a ball crashing into his face? I believe he was still off the pitch when Manchester United equalised – an equivalent situation that Ten Hag had complained about the previous week. We should, however, acknowledge the achievement of Alvarez in lasting the full 108 minutes without incurring a single yellow card

The circumstances surrounding the West Ham winner have overshadowed much of the reporting on the game. I doubt that many watching the game in real-time had seen anything untoward in the brief goalmouth skirmish and it came as quite a surprise when the game was stopped, and the referee directed to view the pitch-side monitor. In the days of VAR, we have become well aware how subjective these penalty calls are, allowing pundits and commentators alike to waffle on incessantly about whether there was contact and whether it was ‘enough’ – presumably measured in Newtons per square metre. How much is enough is never fully explained and we must await development of the AI powered degree of contact test before it can be resolved. It is rare for a referee to go to the monitor only to disagree VAR. I’ve a sneaking feeling by the time taken by David Coote to review the five seconds of footage that he was not convinced with. But he knew better than to incur the wrath of Michael Oliver. It is said these things even themselves out over time – so, just another dozen or so dodgy decisions in our favour and our account will be back in balance.

Jarrod Bowen dispatched the spot kick with aplomb and after that there was just 15 minutes of added time to cope with. Bowen was another who came to life in the second half and his run was instrumental in the opening goal. His corner kicking is terrible though and generally results in a gentle chip into the keeper’s arms.

Summerville was the obvious choice for man of the match (or man of half a match) but I thought Aaron Wan-Bissaka was outstanding throughout. A good shift also from Michail Antonio who can still unsettle defences with his physical presence under the right circumstances, as long as you don’t try to involve him in any quick, intricate passing movements. Well done also to Fab for a sound display of goalkeeping – and not forgetting Mr Oliver. COYI!

The Reign From Spain Fails Tamely At The Lane: West Ham Are Humbled By Tottenham

Another shameful surrender and defeat by close London rivals leaves the Hammers tottering in the bottom six and the future of coach Julen Lopetegui looking increasingly shaky.

Following a convincing victory just prior to the international break, the question was raised as to whether West Ham had finally turned a corner or had that been a very poor Ipswich performance. I think we now know the answer to that one.

I felt little optimism going in the run up to Saturday’s game at Tottenham. The Hammers have been notoriously slow starters after international breaks and I fully expected to be a couple of goals down in the opening quarter of an hour. Events didn’t turn out like that, though. In fact, the first half was reasonably competitive, even if the defensive approach owed more to an old-school low block rather than high lines and defending by maintaining possession. Dropping deep and deploying Guido Rodriguez as an auxiliary centre back, meant the home side struggled to fashion any real threats on the visitor’s goal during the initial exchanges. West Ham even looked dangerous on the break and prior to scoring the opener from Jarrod Bowen’s pull-back, Mohammed Kudus was thwarted in an equally presentable early chance from the same source.

Everything changed, however, after the Tottenham equaliser. Lucas Paqueta lost possession, Tomas Soucek missed his tackle, the gap between midfield and defence was huge and Tottenham were up and running. If that wasn’t bad enough, the opening 15 minutes of the second half were nothing short of shambolic. With no obvious sign of leadership on or off the pitch, heads dropped, and all sense of discipline or organisation was lost.

Typical of the disarray was that while the decision was made to make three substitutions at 2-1 down, the players did not enter the pitch until it was 4-1. Were Julen Lopetegui’s instructions ‘lost in translation’ and where was Kevin Nolan’s old iPad when you need it?

Seeing the coach standing on the touchline, his face twitching as the game plan crumbled in front of his eyes, brought to mind Chief Inspector Dreyfus from the Pink Panther movies. Difficult to believe a seasoned manager with over 400 games under his belt would look this startled.

The performances so far this season have not had sufficient consistency to identify what the style or pattern of play is meant to be with any confidence. Assuming it revolves around enjoying a greater share of possession, the evidence suggests there are serious questions as to whether the squad has the right calibre of players to carry that off – including those who have been newly recruited. The gap is particularly noticeable in the midfield three which lacks serious pace or anyone capable of storming forward with the ball under control. While Lucas Paqueta is able to pick out the occasional sublime pass, these have been few and far between since his mind has been distracted elsewhere. But even he is not the quickest or adept at running with the ball

The shortcomings in midfield lead to transitions being far too slow and relaint on long diagonals. And with no obvious ‘out-ball’ option the opportunity to break the press is almost non-existent. I have sympathy with Alphonse Areola in this respect as attempts to play out from the back routinely end up with the ball played back to him under pressure. He is then caught between an instinct to clear his lines and the instruction to play the ball short.

How to fix this in the short term should be the coach’s top priority if the team are to improve. I don’t see how more than one of Rodriguez, Soucek and Edson Alvarez can be in the team at any one time. It needs Carlos Soler, Andy Irving – or perhaps Lewis Orford – to be given the opportunity to show if they can offer anything different.

Julen Lopetegui was not what most supporters wished for when the club took the correct decision not to renew the Scottish manager’s contract. Unfortunately, when imagination and foresight were needed from the Board, we got predictability with the apparently ‘safe’ option. Someone who had managed at big clubs (regardless of how successful that had turned out) and, perhaps most importantly, was out-of-work and available without compensation. It never felt like an ideal fit for a club that is second tier in terms of finances which wanted to punch above its weight through a programme of smart recruitment.

Despite this, most supporters understood the degree of change required and were prepared to see how the appointment went. That patience is wearing perilously thin. As the 2024/25 campaign moves towards the quarter mark it looks set to be playing out as a lost season with lower mid-table the most probable outcome.

The Rear-View Transfer Window Mirror

In the summer, there were excited claims that West Ham had won the transfer window. From what we have seen so far though, it is just as well the club held off on the open top bus parade to celebrate that particular victory.

As supporters, we don’t have the inside track on who does what with recruitment. The impression in some quarters is that Tim Steidten arrives back at the London Stadium with a shopping cart of new players to show the coach what he has bought him. It is highly unlikely it works like that and there is sure to be input from the coach on the type of players he requires, and from the Board on what deals can be completed from a financial perspective. Steidten’s reputation is for unearthing little-known gems and only Lusi Guileherme and Mohamadou Kanté from the summer intake truly fits that bill. Only time will tell whether they turn out to be gems.

The greatest failure of the transfer window was in not resolving the long-running striker problem. The injury to Niclas Fullkrug is obviously unfortunate but a 31-year-old journeyman was never more than a temporary fix. Second to that, recruitment of a midfield general (do they still exist?) with pace and energy was sadly overlooked.

No Club For Young Men

Despite splashing a significant quantity of cash during the summer, the club have not addressed their ageing squad problem. West Ham were the oldest squad in the Premier League (weighted by minutes played) until knocked off the bottom spot by Everton a week or two ago.

Similarly, West Ham are ranked 19^th out of 20 for matches played by former academy players in their current squad – only Brentford have a worse record. The only Hammer’s entry is the one minute played by Kaelan Casey against Luton last May. We would have been able to add another 32 minutes for George Earthy had he not been out on loan, but it would not have affected the overall rankings. Not an impressive statistic for the self-styled ‘Academy of Football’.

Premier League appearance this season for players under the age of 23 have been limited to Crysencio Summerville (174 minutes) and Guileherme (5 minutes).

Who Referees the Referees?

Nothing in the performance of the referee, Andy Madley, impacted the final outcome of Saturday’s game. The match was not close enough for that to happen. Under the current interpretation of the rules, it was no surprise when Kudus received a red card in the aftermath of his tussle with van de Ven. Such scuffles were not uncommon when I first started watching football and a stiff talking to was the usual outcome. But now, when there are more bookings in a single match than you would previously see in a whole season, it was obvious that action was going to be taken.

But what seemingly continues to go unpunished is the acting and simulation that have become a feature of the modern game. Kudus would have had to walk anyway given the number of players he had altercations with, but the reaction of both van de Ven and Richarlison – who both went down as if there was a sniper in the stadium – was pure cheating. The sole objective of getting an opponent into trouble. Crackdowns are regularly threatened but short of being pulled up for imaginary card waving, players have little to fear from their antics in diving and rolling around on the floor.

The situation where referees both establish interpretations of the laws and then enforce them doesn’t seem right to me. It lacks accountability. And trying to replace common sense judgements with hard and fast codified rules has resulted in ridiculous situations that clearly hadn’t faced a sniff test by people with experience of playing the game. The handball rule is a perfect example of this as demonstrated in the incident when the ball struck Udogie’s arm on the goal-line and a penalty was (correctly) not awarded. For the past few seasons, the ball hitting anyone’s hand in the penalty area was seen as an unquestioned offence but now it isn’t. How does that happen? Did no-one ever consider the implications of how fast the ball can move or how players use arms for balance? It is difficult to have any faith in the wisdom of the PGMOL.

“Went Better Than Expected.” From unconvincing team selection to runaway victors as West Ham thump Ipswich

Fearing the worst when the teams were announced, the Hammers surprised us all with an enterprising and spirited performance to overcome the Tractor Boys and record a first London Stadium league win of the season

One of the great innovations of the 2024/25 Premier League season is the unveiling of team sheets 75 minutes before scheduled kick-off time. It provides an additional 15 minutes in which to fume over the idiocy of the coach’s latest selection brain fog and to share those frustrations to all and sundry on social media.

And so it was that a collective “what is he thinking?” reverberated around the London Stadium when confirmation was received that Julen Lopetegui would keep faith with the same eleven who performed so inadequately in the first half at Brentford the week before. Edson Alvarez returned from suspension but only to a seat on the bench, while Andy Irvine could celebrate his call-up by Scotland by being omitted completely from the matchday squad.

Already, I was planning the article headline that would follow a fourth consecutive home defeat by the visitors from Suffolk. “Tractor (rather than Taxi) for Mr Lopetegui” might be appropriate given the identity of the opposition. The extra 15 minutes even allowed time to invent an imaginary agricultural vehicle ride hailing app know as TUber!

The pre-match gloom, however, was quickly shattered when the Hammers joined the growing trend for scoring first minute goals. It was a move initiated by one pantomime villain – Tomas Soucek – and finished by another, as Michail Antonio anticipated Jarrod Bowen’s cross to stroke the ball into the net. The goal even featured a contribution from the hapless Kalvin Phillips who meekly conceded possession and belatedly made a positive impact to the West Ham cause.

Despite the visitor’s early equaliser – a shocking example of token defending by Lucas Paqueta – West Ham were the more dangerous side throughout. Even if the intensity ebbed and flowed during different phases of the match, the Hammers were largely in control. Other than set pieces and crosses, Ipswich posed few problems for the home defence where the axis of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo has the hallmarks of a promising partnership.

I sensed two significant tactical adjustments introduced by Lopetegui for the game. The first was a more obvious and balanced representation of the 4-1-4-1 formation which better suited the cast on the pitch. Guido Rodriguez played the anchor role effectively (albeit without spectacle), dropping into a back three as required and giving the full backs greater licence to roam. The second was an intent to move the ball forward quickly wherever possible. This was the tactic mistakenly branded as long ball by the Ipswich manager in his post-match gripe. It was a perfect example of West Ham playing on their toes (at last). It particularly plays to the strengths of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus who arre at their most dangerous when attacking the space in front of them. It was also reassuring to see them more active inside the opposition box when the full backs provided width.

We should also mention a further deciding factor which was that McKenna clearly thought his side could win the game and heap further pressure on the struggling hosts. Gone was the caution that had underpinned their performances against Brighton and Villa to be replaced by an adventurous high-line that on the day played directly into the West Ham hands.

Despite a creditable all-round team performance by West Ham, it was amusing to read some of the ratings on the clickbait websites who appear contractually obliged to have a scapegoat highlighted in their misleading headline. This week, Aaron Wan-Bissaka – who put in a very decent performance in my eyes – was singled out for a 3/10 rating and summed up as ‘Useless’. At least they didn’t say ‘he stunk the place out’.

Surprise package of the afternoon was probably Antonio who rolled back the years in causing grief to the Ipswich defenders – at least until he tired just after the hour mark. It was good to see but does excuse the fact that the club has so few options in this critical position.

The greatest concern is the indifferent form of Paqueta who continues to play without the creative spark that we know he can offer . No doubt the ongoing betting scandal – and the prospect of a lifetime ban – will be playing on his mind but he needs to sort out his antics and attitude. There is a point in every game where he loses possession to a fair challenge but goes down as if struck by a thunderbolt as the game continues around him. Is he now only being picked because there is no viable alternative. Although Carlos Soler might have been signed as a positional alternative, all we have seen so far is a player content to make short 5-yard passes.

Goalkeepers have been increasingly in the news recently, not because of their shot stopping antics but due to calamatous bloopers when attempting to play out from the back. It has been puzzling listening to pundits crticising keepers for having an inflated sense of their ball-playing abilities when in fact all the short passing around the box is done under instruction, rather than by choice. It is abundantly clear how uncomfortable our own keeper, Alphonse Areola, is with the concept. But he will know that it will incur the wrath of the data guy and his iPad if he doesn’t go along with the craziness.

One interesting aspect of West Ham’s four goals is that only one – the first – is credited with an assist. I’ve never been a fan of the assist concept in that it is no more than identifying the previous teammate to touch the ball before a goal is scored, regardless of theusefulness of their input. So, there can no assist for Emerson’s fine run and cross or Antonio’s powerful header before the Kudus goal because the ball had hit the bar. And no assist for Bowen on the Paqueta goal, presumably because the ball brushed an Ipswich sock on its path across goal.

It was a welcome first home win for Lopetegui and three points which give the table a more respectable look going into the international break. The question is whether the team can build on it when the games resume. Was it a West Ham performance that demonstrated clear signs of improvement under a new regime or merely a victory against a naïve opponent who got their tactics wrong on the day? We often read or hear in the media about corners being turned in football – usually about Manchester United who turn so many corners in a season that they end up back where they started – but we must wait for two weeks and a trip to the Spursy Stadium for the next instalment. Although I’ve not checked the results, my instinct is that West Ham retrun from these breaks with a below par performance.

At least we have a feel-good factor to carry us through the next empty weekend. COYI!

Unpicking West Ham’s Tactical Knot: Is It The Players Or The Plan?

As the stuttering disjointed start to West Ham’s Julen Lopetegui enters its third month we still awaiting signs that the tactical plan and player capabilities are converging.

It is always tempting at the end of a disappointing game of football to channel one’s dissatisfaction towards the performances of individual players. It fuels the fascination for player ratings and the juvenile clickbait reports as to which of this week’s starting eleven had ‘stunk the place out!’

Of course, there are games where individual performances have stood above the rest as match winning or where individuals have let the side down through ill-discipline or poor execution. But generally, the success or otherwise of a team relies on the collective efforts. And at the elite level – especially with the modern trend of obsessive micro coaching – that depends on everyone being aware of their roles and responsibilities and capable of carrying them out within a team dynamic.

The job of the coach is to know the strengths and weaknesses of each of his players – accepting they haven’t all necessarily been hand-picked to meet his specific needs – and deploy them in a manner that maximises their effectiveness as a group. The sum must become greater than the value of the parts if success is to be forthcoming. It can be no use having a theoretical style of play if the players do not collectively understand it or do not have the individual attributes to pull it off.

As things stand, it is apparent that Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham team are a long way short of team comfortable with the style of football they are meant to be serving up. It remains a group of individuals rather than a team. If we are to believe it is a ‘work I progress’, then shouldn’t we be seeing an obvious shape starting to emerge by now? On the evidence so far tactics and formations look all over the place.

It is a possibly unfair comparison, but it brought to mind the star studied squad which managed to get relegated under Glenn Roeder in 2002/3. If you can remember that far back, this was a side that featured the talents of Di Canio, Sinclair, Kanoute, Cole, Carrick and Defoe but which misfired chaotically for most of the season until Sir Trevor instilled a degree of organisation in the final knockings.

It is far too early to speculate that an equivalent outcome might arise, but it does highlight the importance of structure and organisation in making the most of individual excellence.

At the weekend, several pundits had suggested that Lopetegui didn’t yet know his best eleven. That may be true, but the bigger issue is the failure to create an identity and style of play that can be executed on the pitch by the resources available. Can we know the who before we know the what and the how? This was the part of the tactical transition where many understood the need for time and adjustment where a balance was struck between the coach’s dream and the player’s capabilities. Compromises were always going to be needed – but right now progress is looking slow and painful.

Let’s take the tactic of playing out from the back as an example. We have a goalkeeper who was never recruited for his ability with the ball at his feet. The centre back pairing has yet to be settled, the full backs have very different attributes, and the defensive midfield options are lacking in pace, and touch. The upshot is that collectively they find it difficult to break the press resulting in one of two things happening. Either they ultimately play it back to the keeper under pressure who resorts to the time-honoured punt up field, or the ball is switched repeatedly from side to side, losing momentum and the opportunity for rapid counter attacks.

While better movement and positioning can perhaps improve with practice, no amount of coaching can instil pace where it does not already exist. If the plan and the people don’t coincide then one or other must change. Unless a solution is found for moving the ball forward quickly and accurately then creating quality chances in the final third will remain challenging.

The implications of the ponderous build-up are obvious further forward. Creative midfielders get dragged deep into their own half where they can cause no damage, and attacking players, whose strength is running into space, are faced with one or more opponents in their path. Frustration takes hold and they end up down blind alleys or taking hopeful pot shots from distance. That West Ham are top seven for number of shots but bottom six for Expected Goals illustrates the quality of the chances being created.

To conclude that, say, Mohammed Kudus is sulking, or Lucas Paqueta is disinterested in this context is based on flimsy evidence – although it makes for a good headline. It is staggering how many pundits and commentators speak fluent body language these days. The player’s role in most teams is tightly defined with little independent scope to try something different when they are having little success carrying out the coach’s instructions. It must surely lead to tensions and my immediate reaction to Kudus being replaced at half-time was that there had been a dressing room bust up Later reports have supported this version of events although we cannot know if they are true. Are there any supporters who believe that Kudus is being played in the position where we will see the best from him? The interesting thing was that he was replaced by Carlos Soler rather than ‘Jimmy’ Summerville who would have been the natural replacement – and who had been very unfortunate to have been benched in the first place.

Whether it was because of or in spite of the substitutions, the Hammer’s second half showing against Brentford was much improved. Having scored their customary first minute goal – at least we held out longer than Manchester City and Tottenham thanks to the advantage of taking the kick-off – the home side appeared reluctant to press home their early advantage. They would not pick up the pace again until after the West Ham equaliser. In all it was a scrappy, low-quality affair in which the Bees might point to a lengthy injury list in mitigation.

The West Ham highlight of the afternoon was the performance of Aaron Wan-Bissaka who excelled back in a conventional full back role. And proved he is both our best right and left back. Can he be cloned? It was another unexpected choice to introduced Dinos Mavropanos instead of Vladimir Coufal but it was a move that gave the defence a more solid feel.

It was another enigmatic showing from Tomas Soucek. No-one can dislike the big Czech for his attitude and commitment, but he is as much a part of the defensive midfield problem as he is of its solution. However, he has managed to pick up a re-brand during the early season struggles as the old dependable – and while he is popping up with a share of the goals, who can argue with that?

The final game before the international break will see the Hammers hoping to break their London Stadium wipe out against new promoted Ipswich Town. The spirit and determination of the visitors cannot be underestimated and will need to be matched if the first home points are to be put on the board. COYI!

Lopetegui’s Baptism Of Dire. Time For The New West Ham Coach To Demonstrate His Tactical Pedigree

Nobody said it would be easy but there have been few encouraging signs of progress from new look West Ham style and squad. The run of three games before the next international break may take on more significance than expected.

It is fair to say that the record breaking start to Julen Lopetegui’s rein as coach of West Ham United wasn’t quite what he was hoping for. A third consecutive London Stadium defeat – this time at the hands of Chelsea – making it the first time in a chaotic history that the Hammers have ever lost their opening three home league fixtures.

In the summer I had speculated how the extent of the changes in personnel and style – plus the slow pace of recruitment – made a stuttering start to the season almost inevitable. Patience would be required. But with the appointment of Lopetegui not being the most popular of choices outside of the board room, the honeymoon period could well be short-lived.

Indeed, the first rumblings of discontent have already been heard through the dreaded ‘careful watch you wish for’ raising its ugly head on Saturday’s TV commentary. Of course, it is a cliché predicated on the false dilemma that there was only a binary choice between keeping the Scottish manager and bring in Lopetegui – which was simply not the case.

For now, Lopetegui must continue to get the benefit of the doubt. Not every manager is able to make an immediate impact, but it is difficult not to pick up on worrying signs from the haphazard nature of performances to date. And especially having recently watched the abysmal showing against Chelsea in what should be one of the Hammer’s premier London derbies of the season.

Had we witnessed encouraging performances that were blighted only by individual slips as players acclimatised to the new style it would be easy to explain away. However, the apparent absence of intensity, passion, organisation, and cohesion is a whole lot more difficult to overlook.

Failure to put in decent showings against Liverpool in Thursday’s EFL cup-tie and the two remaining league fixtures – Brentford away and Ipswich at home – before the next international break will surely increase the pressure. How long before we see the first sighting of a headline on Hammers Zone News websites proclaiming ‘Lopetegui has just four games to save his job’?

Precisely how the coach plans for his team to approach games has not yet become apparent. From what we have seen and what we were told to expect it may or may not involve some of the following: an emphasis of possession; playing out from the back; a high defensive line; full backs providing attacking width; central midfielders supporting the centre backs in defending and beating the press; wide attackers playing narrower as inside forwards; and a striker providing link up play as well as being the arrowhead for attacks.

In an ideal world, the coach has his philosophy, and the recruitment guy finds the individuals capable of slotting into it. The scale of the personnel changes required has clearly led to compromises and the jury is out as to which players in the squad have the attributes to embrace the new philosophy quickly. Current evidence is of a huge gap between the sum and the parts.

The biggest question marks for me are the absence of pace and athleticism in midfield and the confusing role of the full backs. We might also add in the ongoing striker debacle once we have had the chance for a proper look at Niclas Fullkrug. The instinct is that a quicker, more mobile alternative would have been a more productive addition but perhaps Fullkrug can become the perfect foil for the talents of Bowen and Kudus.

Of the defensive midfield options, none of Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez or Tomas Soucek is blessed with the pace or mobility required to provide rotational defensive cover or to shift the ball quickly once in possession. In theory, using two defensive midfielders two centre backs in a box formation prevents opponents attacking through the middle, but West Ham have been ruthlessly exposed in this area during each of the early games this season. Without the use of conventional full backs, the backline becomes strung out rather than compact.

It is the role of the full backs which raises the most eyebrows. It doesn’t help that the first-choice pair are completely different in style to start with. Emerson happier in the attacking wing back role, capable of cutting inside but weaker in defending. Aaron Wan-Bissaka regularly touted as the best one-on-one defender in the league but looking lost and confused as a tucked-in wing back that has left him jogging back as opponents exploit the oceans of room vacated.

Wan-Bissaka was one of those implicated in the opening goal last Saturday. It was schoolboy defending (possibly unfair to PE teachers across the country) to turn backs or look away as their opponents prepared to take a quick free kick. It set the tone for much of the match. Alvarez was criticised for not being able to run faster than he can in tracking Jackson’s run, but at least he gave it a go. He might have been better advised to stand and watch like his colleagues. Too often West Ham players are static, standing on their heels rather than playing on their toes – one of the hallmarks of the entertaining Greenwood and Lyall teams of old.

Despite Chelsea’s dominance, the Hammers might have been handed a unlikely lifeline had the referee correctly awarded a penalty when Fofana held back the run of ‘Jimmy’ Summerville. It appears this kind of foul has a length of hold time limit – like the three second rule when you drop a piece of food on the floor – during which it is acceptable to carry on as normal. But only if it happens inside the area. Fofana was booked for a similar offence on Summerville in safer territory some moments later. Every year PGMOL come up with new and imaginative ways to spoil the game. This year’s special is the blitz on delaying the re-start which will be quietly forgotten before the clocks change.

A ray of light from the early Lopetegui era is a willingness to make substitutions earlier in the game. Once he learns to make wise ones it will be an added bonus. No-one could argue against the withdrawal of Guido Rodriguez but replacing him with Tomas Soucek was akin to switching one dud battery for another in a Duracel bunny and wondering why it still doesn’t work. While making first half changes might be applauded it could also suggest poor team selection or tactics in the first place. Replacing Summerville with Michail Antonio was particularly perplexing as it removed one of our most dangerous players and forced another (Mohammed Kudus) to switch to a less favoured position. Declining to bring on the rarely seen Jean-Clair Todibo and previous week’s saviour, Danny Ings, were equally questionable.

The next three games may go a long way to defining the direction of travel. They will either deepen the gloom or hint at a light at the end of the tunnel. Starting with an away visit to Anfield in the compromised draw of the EFL Cup is not where you would want to start but there needs to be encouraging signs even in anticipated defeat. Surely a chance for Todibo as well as for Carlos Soler and Andy Irvine who both looked as if they were familiar with a football during their late introductions against Chelsea. They could do no worse than Lucas Paqueta who continues to offer only intermittent inspiration rather than the sustained playmaking influence required.

West Ham expects. COYI!

Lop-sided West Ham Contrive To Pilfer Undeserved Point From Craven Cottage

A strange team selection was a case of inexplicable self-harm for West Ham’s ambitions as they struggle to build momentum or impose themselves against Fulham. Here are the takeaways.

Meet The New Boss, Same As The Old Boss?

With three Premier League games and an international break under the belt the short trip across town to Craven Cottage should have been the perfect opportunity to get a better understanding of what can be expected from Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham.

Most supporters will have appreciated the need for patience during the transition from the cautious approach of the previous manager and the bedding in of a host of new signings. But many will be left scratching their heads at how little has changed so far – or at least the pace at which change is taking place.

Lopetegui is not known as a leading-edge progressive coach. But the expectation was that he would prepare a team capable of imposing themselves in games such as this by jealously guarding possession of the ball. There are few signs yet that this is anywhere close to happening and it was Fulham – no more than a decent mid-table team – who by some distance looked the better coached of the two teams.

Claims that the performance was little different to what was seen last season are wide of the mark with obvious differences in a higher defensive line and desire to play out from the back. However, it was thanks to the Scottish manager’s old chestnut of resilience that eventually allowed the Hammers to scrape out an undeserved draw in the game’s dying minutes. Critics might also point to the fact that West Ham continue to be at the lower end of Premier League teams for possession (43% compared to 41% last season) and (in terms of minutes played) they are now the oldest side in the league.

Growing Pains or Bad Judgement?

There must have been a collective groan across the West Ham supporting world when the team sheets again revealed starting positions for both Michail Antonio and Tomas Soucek – and the absence of any semblance of creativity in midfield. It is ironic that while every supporter in the land is aware of the deficiencies these two have with ball control, it is lost on a highly experienced coaching team who work with them every day. Are we to believe they are the masters of one-touch and instant control in training all week, and only revert to clown shoe wearing incompetents once the referee’s whistle blows?

An argument might be made for the coach showing loyalty to members of the squad that he inherited but they have had their chance, and their time has now passed. Everything else that went wrong in the performance stemmed from that initial inexplicable team selection decision. Playing a high defensive line while being incapable of keeping the ball through the middle was never going to work out well.

Formations and Substitutions

It would have been a major surprise if Antonio and Soucek had not been hooked off at half-time. It was such an obvious change that no credit can go to the coaching staff for spotting it. It was a better West Ham performance in the second period but, in truth, it would have been impossible to be any worse. Despite that, it was never a convincing turn around and after an initial flurry, the hosts largely remained in control.

Formations can be very fluid in modern football and vary depending on whether you are in or out of possession. It was not apparent after the break that everyone fully understood their role. The full backs rarely got far enough forward to provide the width that we are told Lopetegui expects, but neither did they resembled a traditional back four – largely occupying a no-mans-land between the two. And the front three – Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, and ‘Jimmy’ Summerville – who should be a handful for anyone failed to operate as unit to put the Fulham defence under pressure. It is as if there is still a fixation with ‘one’ up front rather than ‘three.’ Failing to address this structural issue will not resolve the isolated striker problem that had haunted the Hammer’s attacking play for many a season – whether it is Bowen, Danny Ings or Nicklas Fullkrug playing as the arrow head.

We should perhaps give credit to the coach for flooding the field with attack minded players in the closing stages although positioning was somewhat anarchic as Kudus switched from left to right to left again and Summerville popped up on the right in the build up to the equaliser. The Ings goal was well taken and suggest that he can maybe do a job for now if given the right level of support.

The Strange Case of the Missing New Signings

I am not as negative on Dinos Mavropanos as other West Ham supporters appear to be. Goals conceded are more often a case of joint enterprise where it is defensive shape and cumulative failings that lead to a defence being breached rather than individual error. Mavropanos was certainly excruciatingly slow in closing down Smith-Rowe but how was the latter given so much space in the first place? And where was Aaron Wan-Bissaka who after previous encouraging performances was given the run around for most of the afternoon by Iwobi and Smith-Rowe?

Having said that, Mavropanos has not been so outstanding as to deny giving Jean-Clair Todibo the opportunity to show what he can do. Todibo comes highly rated, so his lack of game time (8 minutes in total) is a mystery. There is no chance of adapting to life in English football from sitting on the bench.

And what has become of Luis Guilherme who neither gets a place in the matchday squad or seemingly the opportunity to play for the U21s. It’s an unusual way to develop a player even if he is regarded as one for the future.

Must Do Better

Four points from four games is not a great start to a season where the ambition has to be competing for one of the available European places. It’s early days but the hopeful shoots of improvement have yet to emerge.

The current trajectory of one point per game would have us on the fringes of relegation battle, although that will surely improve as the season progresses. The coach has another four of five games to demonstrate the club is on the right path before the pressure mounts. On a more positive note, West Ham earned just one from the equivalent four fixtures last season, so arguably we are already ahead of the curve. COYI!

Windows, Breaks, Free Agents, Formations and Squad Lists As West Ham Return To Premier League Action

With the Premier League squad list deadline looming this weekend will there be even more new arrivals at the London Stadium and where are they all going to play?

I have always loved those American blues songs where the singer wakes up one morning to discover his wife has done left him, the dog has died, his truck won’t start, and the house has been repossessed. It is exactly the same sort od sentiments I get whenever we have to put up with yet another international break. It’s now one down and three more to go for the remainder of the season. The next popping up to spoil our enjoyment in just four weeks’ time.

Putting the new season on hold with only three games played is particularly frustrating. Especially in Europe where I have yet to be convinced about the wisdom of creating the Nations League – the Europa Conference League of international competition. But I suppose the authorities needed to find something marketable to promote while the South Americans commence their World Cup qualification campaign, and the Cup of Nations qualifiers proceed in Africa. Sometimes you can’t help feeling there is too much football being played for players and supporters alike.

West Ham went into the first break with 100% records both home and away. Unfortunately, at home that had meant consecutive defeats as Manchester City extended their dominant streak against the Hammers to 16 wins in the last 19 league encounters. Erling Haaland has now scored seven times in five appearances against West Ham. His latest hattrick even lacking the customary penalty.

While City looked in control for most part of the London Stadium contest it was a spirited performance from the home side. A West Ham team intent on making a game of it rather than sitting back and spending 90 minutes without the ball was a palpable relief after the experoences of recent years. There were certainly positive signs that a more entertaining and enterprising brand of football is in the works, even if it is one that is developing at an evolutionary rather than revolutionary pace. If there is one team who are guaranteed to seize on and punish the merest of wayward passes, then it is Pep Guardiola’s side. Although the Hammers came close to drawing level at 2-2 the suspicion was always there that the visitors could up a gear whenever they chose to. Only severe FA sanctions are likely to prevent a fifth straight Premier League title for the Sky Blues.

Although the main transfer window ‘slammed shut’ several weeks ago it is still possible to squeeze a free agent or two through the sky light in advance of the League’s squad list deadline on Friday. If the rumours are true, this loophole may see further arrivals turning up at the London Stadium to prop up the positions remaining short of cover despite the summer spending spree.

A recent trend with transfer windows has been either to rate them out of ten or to put forward an opinion as to whatever club ‘won’ it. There are, of course, no prizes for winning the window and its success or otherwise will only become clear over time. On paper the summer business at West Ham looks decent as Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui set about reshaping and revamping the small and unbalanced squad left behind by the previous manager. I am in danger of repeating myself, but it still baffles me that pundits and commentators – who are presumably paid handsomely for their laughably superficial opinions – believed that the Scottish manager had left the club in good shape. If it had been in good shape, it wouldn’t have needed the transfer kitty to be spread across ten or more new signings.

The biggest disappointment of the window was the failure to command much in the way of fees for the players seen as surplus to requirements. While the loan departures of Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, James Ward-Prowse and Maxwell Cornet may have helped trim the weekly wage bill, little residual value will remain once a further year has passed on their contracts. Trading players is now a significant factor in determining the revenues on which future recruitment must be based.

Once the dust has fully settled, the greatest concern with the squad is with strikers. Lopetegui’s perseverance so far with Michail Antonio has been a huge surprise. Even at his peak of pace and power, Antonio would never have been first choice for a team following a possession-based philosophy. The alternatives of Niclas Fullkrug (allegedly now out injured) and Danny Ings require a very different level of service from the supporting players. If either is to make a noticeable contribution, they need the wider players (whether it is Jarrod Bown, Mohammed Kudus, or ‘Jimmy’ Summerville) to be deployed narrower rather than stranded out wide. This, in turn, requires the full backs (Aaron Wan-Bissake and Emerson) to offer the width in the attacking half.

An alternate plan would be to replace the idea of an outright striker with a flexible front three of Summerville, Bowen, and Kudus. The advantage would be better use of resouces, rescuing Kudus from a position marooned wide on the left but may result in a loss of focus for attacks. Done well it could be difficult to defend against but would be another transitional challenge for the coaching staff.

The midfield permutations have become ever more complex following the late addition of (Carlos) Soler energy to the equation. It leaves Soler, Lucas Paqueta, Edson Alvarez, Guido Rodriguez, Tomas Soucek, and Andy Irvine fighting for three or four starting berths – according on which nominal formation Lopetegui elects to play in any given game or against any given opposition. Perhaps there will be an indication of his thinking when the team is announced for Saturday’s game at Fulham. It is difficult to imagine too much playing time for Soucek and can Paqueta and Soler be accommodated in the same eleven?

It can’t be long before Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo become the preferred centre-back partnership. With only Dinos Mavropanos as cover this is the position where additional free-agent backup is believed to be wanted before the weekend’s squad deadline. The current names in the frame being Joel Matip and Joe Egan.

All in all, the squad that has been assembled should be capable of competing towards the top end of the table. It would be disappointing not to be in the mix for a European place during the final weeks of the season. For it to happen, though, requires the pace of change to quicken and for an effective way to be found to integrate the undoubted attacking talent that the club now has. I remain confident for an exciting and interesting season ahead – at least until the next internation break. COYI!

Having Sunk Below Par Eagles West Ham Look To Cherry Pick EFL Cup Success

After an unexpected three points last Saturday, the Hammers set off on the path to Carabao Cup glory with the visit of AFC Bournemouth to the London Stadium

Picking up the first points of the new Premier League season last Saturday came as a huge relief. With only the annual slaughter at the hands of Manchester City standing between zero points and the first of the interminable international breaks, it was a perfect time to put them on the board. With West Ham facing a ninth consecutive league defeat at the Etihad, it could be time to add a charge of bullying to the 115 others faced by City.

The build up at Selhurst Park was again dominated by a sense of disbelief that Julen Lopetegui had named the same starting eleven which struggled to impress the previous weekend. It was largely the same side who had been soundly humiliated at the same venue just four months previously. At this rate it is shaping up to be the slowest transformation of football style in recorded history with the majority of summer signings continuing to kick their heels on the bench. And with wonderkid Luis Guilherme nowhere to be seen.

If the personnel looked familiar, then the display was similarly reminiscent of the Scottish manager’s early period. By that I mean the more enterprising days of swift counter attacking rather than the dour cautious fare that typified its long, painful death. This season’s performances are not yet the high press, possession based football promised on the tin – but neither has it been the dreadful low block and ten man defensive shield. And a precious away win will invariably forgive many sins.

The hosts had ended last season on a roll and might have expected to find themselves among the early pace setters when the opening fixtures were announced. As it is, they are one of five clubs yet to open their 2024/25 accounts. The departure of Olise has been a big loss and while Eze was the standout creative force of the first half, he is now operating as a one-man band.

The two West Ham summer signings that did make it into Lopetegui’s starting eleven both put in top class performances. Some felt the club had overpaid for Max Kilman but on the evidence of Saturday’s contribution it looks like money well spent. The carry out of defence to set up the second goal for Jarrod Bowen was a thing of beauty and simplicity. His defensive dominance rubbing off on centre-back partner Dinos Mavropanos who put in another sound shift and delay the introduction of Jean-Clair Todibo. The Greek could turn out to be a valuable squad member if he continues to keep the unforced errors to a minimum.

After seeming to be well off the pace in his debut against Aston Villa, Guido Rodriguez put in a far more settled performance to demonstrate his experience and competence in anchoring the midfield. The return from injury of Edson Alvarez as a second half substitute highlighting Lopetegui’s growing selection dilemmas – especially in the midfield areas. Even allowing for injuries, suspensions and option for squad rotation according to opposition it will be a challenge to find the right balance and keep everyone happy.

While Rodriguez and Alvarez would provide a formidable defensive midfield partnership who will take responsibility for directing midfield operations? Or will they not be played as a pair or double pivot? Will Lucas Paqueta be deployed in a deeper lying role and can he add better decision making to the undoubted crowd pleasing flicks and tricks? And what of Tomas Soucek? The Czech’s contribution is a perfect enigma. Useful for his defensive height and his late runs into the attacking third he offers virtually nothing in the areas inbetween. His goal attempts count is almost as high as his number of successful passes.

Attacking options are similarly confused – in both a good and bad way. Surely the pain of watching Michail Antonio flounder upfront has to put to a humane end sooner rather than later. His attributes of pace, strength and power have been useful in their day but are no longer relevant or as effective as they once were. The alternatives are more game time for Niclas Fullkrug, the signing of A N Other before the transfer window closes (not Tammy Abraham please) or playing without a recognised front man. A False 9 in modern parlance.

It is perhaps the ultimate dilemma that two of the squad’s best players – Bowen and Mohammed Kudus – are at their most effective from the same position wide on the right. I can’t believe the coach has reached the conclusion that Kudus is best deployed hugging the left touchline. It both reduces his effectiveness and keeps a natural alternative in “Jimmy” Summerville out of the mix. Kudus has to play, but where? A central role could be ideal but would require Paqueta to played much deeper.

On top of all this we have the closing days of the transfer window where – if the internet is to be believed – the Hammers continue to chase further signings, as well as shiftingout a number of players considered to be surplus to requirements.

Before all that happens West Ham face the ignominy of having to compete in the second round of the Carabao cup for the first time since 2020. Theoretically, the less glamourous League Cup offers West Ham their smoothest route to domestic glory but is a trophy that has so far eluded their grasp. With no European competition to muddy the waters, could this be an opportunity for a first EFL final since 1981?

Being drawn against Premier League opposition is not ideal at this stage of the competition. And we must wait to see how seriously the respective managers approach the game. It has become custom and practice – for unaccountable reasons in my opinion – to field weakened teams and it will be interesting to see if that happens tonight. At least Lopetegui has a stronger squad to pick from and it is an opportunity for several summer signings to get a full ninety minute run-out. It would be no surprise to see Todibo, Guileherme, Summerville, Fullkrug and mabe Lewis Orford and Oliver Scarles from the academy getting an outing.

The EFL Cup Final will be played on 16 March 2025. Put it in your diaries. COYI!