Lopetegui (sacked 8.1.2025)

[maverick180]

I was thoroughly looking forward to the start of this season

Was also prepared that things might take some time and wasn't expecting miracles over night What I didn't expect was a manager who after spending 6 weeks with the total dross he'd been left by Moyes would deem them fit to start in a premier league game And low and behold all of them played absolute shit

We're now 1 game in and none of our new players are any closer to bedding in or learning anything from their new team mates cos they barely spent a second on the pitch, half of them not at all I think it's gonna take somewhere between 6-10 games before we see the team anyone with an ounce of sense would play cos this bloke can't identify shit when he see's it I thought we was handed a miracle at half time when we went in level and low and behold he changed nothing I'm sure people are gonna make excuses for him and say it's too early to judge

But from what I've just seen today, this cսnt is David Moyes in a mission impossible mask

[Manuel]

Far too early to make any calls on this. 

Yet if we'd won every game playing great football everyone would be hailing him as the second coming. As it stands though he thinks Soucek and Antonio is the answer. Start panicking.

[wils]

Far too early to make any calls on this. 

 

 

It is, but there are signs. The only clear daylight I can see between him and Moyes at the moment is his willingness to make changes when things aren't working. 

[Full Rug]

It's not too early to say that starting Soucek & Antonio this season is a crime to football.

It's also not too early to say that using the Antonio long throw as one of your main attacking weapons is a crime to football.

What we are seeing early on with this manager is giving off massive red flags, I didn't want him but once he was appointed I got behind it, because you have to, and was more than willing to give him time, but fucking hell, talk about a test of patience. We have had the 2nd lowest amount of shots in the league so far, ahead of only Ipswich, we shithoused our only win against Palace who quite honestly gave us a footballing lesson for an hour, and got a 93rd minute equaliser in a game we deserved nothing from.

Shocking early signs, and I'm afraid it looks like the only pleasure we'll get from him is points on the board if he manages it, because it's certainly not going to be enjoyable to watch in the main.

[dealcanvey]

The changes he made at HT is something Moyes would never have done.

Admit bizarre line up to go with in the first place. Interesting to see how he lines up on Saturday.

Neighbour of mine who is a Wolves season ticket holder did say at the time of the appointment though that we have replaced one defensive minded manager with another!

Lets see.

[Sir Alf]

Yeah far too early just yet but alarm bells rang a bit due to the Soucek and Antonio selections on Sat. It just seems so obvious that these 2 just cannot play in a possession based team? Rumour now is that Paqueta had a cold, COVID or something which was why Loppy was forced to start Soucek?

i’ve always felt that once Soucek stops being a starter along with Antonio and Coufal we will start to see more progress. Stavros would be the last to make way but had been pretty decent until contributing with bad positioning to that Fulham goal. That said, it all emanated from a poor pass from Soucek.  On the positive side, Coufal is no longer a starter although obviously might play if Emerson is crocked agsinst Chelsea.

It will take a few more games to know if the transition we want is really taking shape. The bloke at Bournemouth had a poor start but started to see improvements 7-10 games in.

one positive, last season equivalent games we conceded 14 and had 1 point ?

 

[BurlingtonB]

Far too early to make any calls on this. 

[stubbo-admin]

It would seem that Soler is on big wages, and we had to shift enough wages from the wage bill to make room for him.  Could be that Ward Prowse was just the guy we were able to get an offer for, alongside being the most 'similar' to Soler in his all round game.

Shifting Irving probably wouldn't have moved the needle enough, and maybe no one wanted Soucek (plus Ings simply didn't want to leave, which we may end up being thankful for).

Suspect it wasn't a vendetta against Ward Prowse but more the case that we had to make room some how, and clearly did need a player like Soler as Paqueta is under the legal cloud, and when he doesn't play we have no one who can move the ball progresively.  Also expect Ward Prowse didn't want to spend the season on the bench being a 'special teams' player.

[Massive Attack]

Something that's not gone down well with me with Lopetegui and that's him happy to sell Ward-Prowse as if he doesn't offer much as a top flight Midfielder. Felt it was a needless sale and took away a great weapon at our disposal in regards to all set-pieces when selected. Pretty much no one better in the League at taking all corners/free-kicks/penalties from 1 player. But not only that, I also felt he could contribute well even in a more deeper lying position much like he successfully produced away at Anfield beating Liverpool without conceding for Forest. 

For me it wasn't urgent to sell him after judt 1 successful season with us scoring and assisting a fuck load across all competitions in Europe and domestically in particular in the Premier League. Can't underestimate his vasy experience in the League and we now have to start from scratch bedding in a couple more Midfielders who will take some time to get up to speed. I like who we signed, I just don't think moving on Ward-Prowse was absolutely necessary as he offers so much in way of experience and play. 

Plus I think Ward-prowse is an exceptional, reliable Pro who never causes issues and fitted in well with what we are about as a Club, not forgetting he's another quality Englishman we had on the books. 

A weird needless transfer for me.

[Hammer and Pickle]

Think it’s safe to say Lopetegui has a strategy involving us going on a run in the second half of the season that will see us securing European football next year. He certainly seems to have a plan to integrate the new players gradually according to their strengths rather than insist on some pre-defined playing regime, which is certainly an encouraging sign. 

[Full Claret Jacket]

"I was thoroughly looking forward to the start of this season

Was also prepared that things might take some time and wasn’t expecting miracles over night What I didn’t expect was a manager who after spending 6 weeks with the total dross he’d been left by Moyes would deem them fit to start in a premier league game And low and behold all of them played absolute shit

We’re now 1 game in and none of our new players are any closer to bedding in or learning anything from their new team mates cos they barely spent a second on the pitch, half of them not at all I think it’s gonna take somewhere between 6-10 games before we see the team anyone with an ounce of sense would play cos this bloke can’t identify shit when he see’s it I thought we was handed a miracle at half time when we went in level and low and behold he changed nothing I’m sure people are gonna make excuses for him and say it’s too early to judge

But from what I‚Äôve just seen today, this cսnt is David Moyes in a mission impossible mask"

There is definitely something different being tried but you cant change a whole side and philosophy and expect it to take a couple of games. I think it will take a quarter of the season to get players up to speed with the league and each other. That's why I think we will end up mid table.
That will be a problem as the keep this squad together we have to be in europe next year. The manager is under a lot of pressure as money has been spent but I think if the players buy in and gel and we dont lose key players to long term injury that we can easily grow to a top 6 side - just dont see that happening this year. The players we have brought in have way more technical ability than those outgoing.
I still think we are rebuilding but this is way more exciting than the dross I watched last season. 

[scott_d]

I believe there were some good signs against Man City on Saturday and some real positives.

1. We didn't write the game off and actually gave it a go.  If we are playing a better team, I'd much rather go down fighting than with a whimper which we did too many times under the previous manager.  Let's hope this continues away from home too - Liverpool in the Cup could be an indication considering our attitude and performance at Anfield last time we played them in up there in the Cup.

2. Much less hoofing the ball up and losing it straight away and clearly an intention to play the ball out from the back.  We didn't see this that much against Bournemouth but for me this showed how valuable Alvarez is as he is the one that comes deep to make himself available and to bring the ball out of defence.

3.  The team seems to be decent on the attack and we have goals in us.  We looked pretty dangerous going forward.

4.  The options on the bench are much better than previous seasons and the manager is not afraid to make early changes and multiple changes.  

For me that performance is a good indication of progress in terms playing style and potential for the season and I'm quite excited to see how we improve over the season.

[Frankie Pankie]

I kinda expected this start (we beat Villa with Alvarez playing though) we had a busy window, whether it was good time will tell.

Very impressed with Max Killman, top draw signing.

Lop, I like his approach and style, not afraid to sub. Players seem to like him, wasn't fully convinced to move on from Moyes or moving on from Moyes would get us to the "next level" but seen signs this will work out.

I always say its more about who stays at West Ham than who arrives, keeping who we need to keep is huge.

[BillyJenningsBoots]

So 'Loser Lop' has a 67% Premier League loss rate as West Ham manager and a 100% home Premier League loss rate.

What a manager!

That 67% lose rate (33% win rate) is still better than both of Moyes's first seasons where he had a win % of 29% and 26% respectively (where he "saved" us from relegation ... yeah right) .... So what's your point COYI?

[violator]

So 'Loser Lop' has a 67% Premier League loss rate as West Ham manager and a 100% home Premier League loss rate.

What a manager!

Why you insist on using quotation marks, nobody else calls him that apart from you?

[With Kind Regards]

Sums up my thoughts very well MA.

[The Ghost of Ted Fenton]

Give him time, all you youngsters want everything done yesterday.

[Massive Attack]

I think it's going as I expected it would so far. Some good with the bits he's trying to instill this early on in the side by way of actually trying to build play from the back and keep hold of the ball by trying to actually play Football. And also understandably some bad with old habits dying hard as the transition process continues.

Was never going to be an overnight fix however there are already encouraging signs that we are trying to be more braver on the ball, as well as pressuring the opposition more than we used too higher up the pitch. We look like we're trying to force the play more rather than just sitting back and react when it happens. The other big change I've liked already, most notably in the game against City is we flew out the traps in both the 1st half and 2nd half. We looked so dangerous in those early starts until the freak clinical City Striker does what he does best and although we lost, the bravery with our quality should eventually produce more decent results and performances than not over the course of the season with that proactive approach, which was certainly always my hope for the Team full of so much quality these days.

If we can play half decent and coherently already at this early stage, it bodes well for when it does eventually click and it becomes more easier and natural to play Teams with Lopeteguis new philosophy at the Club. 

[goose]

So 'Loser Lop' has a 67% Premier League loss rate as West Ham manager and a 100% home Premier League loss rate.

What a manager!

Somewhere there’s a special care worker desperately trying to find COYI.

[Come On You Irons]

So 'Loser Lop' has a 67% Premier League loss rate as West Ham manager and a 100% home Premier League loss rate.

What a manager!

[joe royal]

[nychammer]

He is showing signs that more changes will be forthcoming. Kilman and AWB should now be starting others will be integrated more slowly. You can’t just replace half the team it will take time.

[Coffee]

the exile 5:33 Sun Aug 25 What do you think it should be?

[goose]

"Paulo Fonseca (remember him?) is under pressure after only two games at Milan. They drew at home to Torino after being 2 down until the 89th minute, then got beat at newly promoted Parma on the weekend. Fabio Capello: “Milan’s problems are much deeper than a defeat and can be translated into one word: balance. Fonseca’s team doesn’t have it, they are scattered on the pitch, three here and four there, as the Portuguese coach himself said after the match. You won’t get anywhere like this.” Maybe those Milan fans shouldn't have protested about appointing Lopetegui......... and they did just sign Emerson Roylol."

[the exile]

"We ought to make our minds up what we're going to call him. I've seen Lop, Lope, Lopu, Lapu, Loppy, Lopi and of course JLo."

[Ron Eff]

"Given he hasn‚Äôt seen fit to change a single player from last week, I might soften on my 10 game allowance! ?üòÇ A very, very strange decision. If there isn‚Äôt an improvement in performance, it‚Äôs a decision that is absolutely open to criticism."