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

[Lee Trundle]

See Steidten has started briefing distancing himself from the Lopetegui appointment, putting at the feet of Sullivan.

Trouble at mill?

Lopetegui's number 1 fan and cheerleader, Guillem Balague, wrote that us fans complaining about the shit start should "look beyond the bench to understand the poor start to the season", and reckons those who dare to question the shite tactics do not understand football.

And then like a child turned his replies off.

Here's what he said in full:
"It is the perfect time to say this, now that the wind (and the pusillanimous that can't see further than their nose) is going against him Julen Lopetegui is a top top top manager and will show it at West Ham. Message to those that understand football: look beyond the bench to understand the poor start to the season You don't get chosen as a Spain national coach AND Real Madrid manager, and win the Europa League unless you are absolutely top. He did an absolutely superb job at Wolves (and then the ownership lied to him three times so couldn't stay as trust was gone) Bookmark this message for me please No replies allowed because I don't really care what those that cannot see it think "

Maybe there is trouble brewing?

[Mex Martillo]

Starting 11 was fine. The defensive set up and defensive tactics were the problem. As always our final balls could have been better, but possession and attacking was ok especially between 2nd and 3rd goal. After the 3rd goal, team gave up, stopped fighting and accepted defeat. I'll give Loletegui more time, but these results are down to him, he is not doing well.

[Manuel]

Euse - Surely this isn't really about the starting eleven looking right on paper, it goes way deeper than that. If they are not drilled, organised and motivated properly it won't matter a jot what the side is. How many times have we seen in the past where a side has injuries/suspensions, or a manager just wants to freshen things up, yet the side perform just as well when the replacements come in. There is a strange obsession on here about starting line up's, like it's football manager. Kudus and Paqueta played in the positions that many on here have been harping on about forever and you saw the result. I'd say that's the least of our concerns right now.

[Manuel]

See Steidten has started briefing distancing himself from the Lopetegui appointment, putting at the feet of Sullivan.

Trouble at mill?


Mmmm, really? So much for all the wide grins and back slapping when they were showing him around, what a load of old shit.
 

 

[Takashi Miike]

of course it's Sullivan, isn't his agent a mate of the dwarf?

[stubbo-admin]

See Steidten has started briefing distancing himself from the Lopetegui appointment, putting at the feet of Sullivan.

Trouble at mill?

[wils]

It's been a disappointing start but I will hold judgement until just before the Christmas schedule.

Of course he can turn things around and may well do. I don't think anyone's calling for him to be sacked or even suggesting that he has had anywhere near enough time to pass a final judgement. Just that on the evidence so far, considering he was supposed to be an improvement on Moyes, it's not looking good.

[Massive Attack]

I don't know about anyone else but I was expecting us to start the season poorly, not least because our fixture list has been 1 of the toughest which it has proved. Coupled with a whole new sweeping regime from the playing staff to the coaching staff in just a few month's none of this comes as a surprise. And because of that understanding, I was prepared for it to take a while/including some shocking results/performances until it eventually starts to click in to place. 

His reputation is on the line so he'll be eager to sort his shit out and get us playing otherwise he'll struggle to get a decent gig like this one for a while having jacked in the Wolves job as soon as he got it and kept them up. 

Because I've admired what he's done and how he's gone about it in previous jobs in the game, I'm sticking to believing he'll eventually figure it out and should he fail miserably I'll accept he wasn't the right man for us. He doesn't get an easy ride living on past success stories, they are only there to illustrate he can do good thing's for both Club and Country at different age groups and stature.

¡Saca la cabeza de tu trasero y descúbrelo, dago div!
 

[Fauxstralian]

He didn’t ditch Spain
Real Madrid leaked out that he was joining them after the World Cup so the Spanish FA sacked him on the eve of the tournament 
Spain were poor that tournament unsurprisingly 

[eusebiovic]

It's been a disappointing start but I will hold judgement until just before the Christmas schedule.

I'm not sure how fit Todibo and Soler are but you'd think they couldn't do worse at 75% than some of the old faithful plodders at 100%

Lopetegui did well at Sevilla and with the Spain national team before ditching them on the eve of the 2018 world cup to join Real Madrid - where he lasted 3 months.

He kept Wolves up with plenty to spare but his first job at Porto was a bit of a car crash. With a huge budget he pretty much left under a cloud with a lot of angry Portugeezers cursing his name.

So what version of him are we going to get? It's hard to say but I still think that a full strength team can put together a very good run. 

At the moment - it's leaving a lot to be desired but the following team look good to me:-

Areola

Wan Bissaka Todibo Kilman Emerson 
Soler Álvarez Paqueta 
Bowen Kudus Somerville 

Surely he'll come good?

[stubbo-admin]

What was this 5 games thing being associated to us purchasing Todibo? Anyone know?

It just pushes the deal into the next FFP year. We have him on loan and are obliged to buy him at the end of the season if he plays 5 games for us. Just a mechanism to buy now pay later essentially, with there being no doubt the transfer would go ahead subject to a catastrophic injury or failure.

[stubbo-admin]

Problem with Saturday more than anything was Lopetegui's game plan to deal with what Chelsea do was a total failure.

Having Alvarez drop between the CBs out of possession (which is something he's done typically elsewhere too with his DM), allowing the CBs to split and the full backs to push on. That's classic Lopetegui tactics generally. But Chelsea with their pace ran rings around it.

Defending narrow....also classic Lopetegui...looking to stifle the middle and force teams out wide. I find it weird that the managers that seem to think 'crosses' are a potential weapon also seems to back their teams to defend crosses by forcing teams out to the flanks. Moyes was the same. As was Allardyce.

The very high line squeezing the play....also Lopetegui standard approach. Squeeze high in possession, if lose the ball press to win back quicky, if that fails drop deep and narrow. Trouble was Chelsea broke so quickly and played through our press so easily, that we didn't win the ball back quick and we didn't have time to fall back into shape.  It's clear Todibo has to come back in purely for his recovery pace when we get caught on the break. For the same reason I was surprised weet Aguerd go over Mavro, as he was the other player we had with recovery pace in the backline.

Basically the team are doing a number of things that are hallmarks of the way Lopetegui sets the teams up. Let's not forget Steidten did the recruitment, and would have known how Lopetegui intended to use the positions we signed. So it's not all on the manager (Walker Peters was clearly our first choice RB and much more suited to the way he's trying to play). 

In attack his plan is squeeze the pitch up, get the full backs high and hit them on the diagonal to exploit space with the wide forwards playing narrow, and have them stick crosses in to a big man and the inside forwards.

Again you can see us trying to do these things in games...but we're either not effective at it, or are doing the mechanics without an understanding of how the whole game plan ties together and works cohesively (if it does).

I'm prepared to give him some time, as I think he does have a plan and pattern he's trying to develop.

I think he's short on a couple of tools currently (the En Nesyri style target man, the powerful centre midfielder...which he's trying to get Paqueta to be, but maybe Soler will be able to do) and has the conundrum of the two best players (Bowen and Kudus) both playing in the same position.

Personally I'd stick Bowen on the left. Kudus is clearly totally nullified out there, and he's a better carrier of the ball from the right than Bowen. Bowen is better at getting in the box and poaching, so let him forage down the right wing.

We need Fullkrug back though....not because I think he's the CF we've been crying out for, but because Lopetegui needs a big guy in the middle, and he's the closest we have to it.

​​​​​

[Sir Alf]

What was this 5 games thing being associated to us purchasing Todibo? Anyone know?

[RBshorty]

THE SPANISH SAM ALLARDYCE.

Don't worry folks. Give it a couple of games. And the excuse that will be trotted out will be.
"He would get more respect if he was English.!"

[goose]

Hope so Goose

In a related matter, I see the journo Bailey? Is saying that Loppy was not the sort of coach he recommended but did his job for Sully (who was the one who wanted him) and got him in before the season started?

that one is a bit more believable

Todibo wouldn't be 'our' player until we have his registration documents etc etc verified by governing bodies. You cannot do that outside if the transfer window so there is no mechanism to sign him permanently until Jan at the earliest.

On top of that, the deal is a loan for a fixed term so we don't have to sign him permanently until that loan deal expires.

[LeroysBoots]

The coach is ruining players

AWB had looked fucking abysmal as this bozo wants to play him higher up, everyone knows he's a defender that defends, they are his skills.

The coach either changes his dopey approach or we should sack him

[Sir Alf]

“Was not the type of coach Steidten wanted” 

i should have said  

[Sir Alf]

Hope so Goose

In a related matter, I see the journo Bailey? Is saying that Loppy was not the sort of coach he recommended but did his job for Sully (who was the one who wanted him) and got him in before the season started?

that one is a bit more believable

[goose]

Yeh it’s nonsense.

[Sir Alf]

The Todibo non starting thing? Is it somehow linked to FFP ( real or Sullivan being Sullivan who seems to steer well clear of risking anythjmg FFP)

Does FFP reset in Jan? Would it be not wanting to commit or book the purchase of Todibo until later somehow? Cant say I undersrand the nuances of these financial fair play rules except that the rich clubs seem to skirt around them.

But since the obligation to buy Todibo is triggered when he plays in 5 league games ( or is it any game including cups?) is Sullivan, Steidten and Loppy playing a game by which they keep under those 5 games until after December or something? Because this talk of Loppy thinking he’s not physically up to the demands of the Premiership seems bizarre if not absurd? They scouted and chased him for weeks and pipped Juve to his signature and even the Mancs wanted him but were prevented by UEFA club ownership rules?

Maybe all the above is nonsense but Im failing to understand his non appearance even for a few mins at the end of recent games?  

I suppose if he starts on Wednesday and does ok but then back on the bench for the league trip to Brentford, my conspiracy theory might be worth revisiting. Assuming cup games are not included in the 5 games obligation to buy clause
 

[Full Rug]

"My only criticism is that Todibo should be starting"


That's your only criticism?

[Manuel]

Fwiw, Simon Jordon on TS today said he doesn't see anything too alarming, said we lost to three good sides and beat Palace and drew with Fulham. It's a reasonable point, but it needs to be put into more context by beating Brentford and Ipswich. Had we got the pen on Saturday we may have well come right back into it.

[scott_d]

I'm just not wetting my knickers worrying about the new manager and players just yet as there is plenty of time to get things moving in the right direction.

It's true there is time. But have you seen any signs he has a plan? The problem on Saturday wasn't so much the 3-0 thumping it was that we got insight into his ability diagnose and react to problems. That insight wasn't very reassuring.

Yes.  
I thought we were pretty decent against the Champions only 2 weeks ago.  Playing out from the back and giving them a game.  Almost equalizing at 2-1 down and without the freak Haaland we may have gotten something from that game.
Agree, looked like a backward step against Chelsea as we saw none of what we saw against City, but as long as he learns from the games where is goes disastrously wrong, then at this early stage I'm not too concerned.

[wils]

I'm just not wetting my knickers worrying about the new manager and players just yet as there is plenty of time to get things moving in the right direction.

It's true there is time. But have you seen any signs he has a plan? The problem on Saturday wasn't so much the 3-0 thumping it was that we got insight into his ability diagnose and react to problems. That insight wasn't very reassuring.

[scott_d]

We've just been walloped 3-0 by Chelsea, and you can't be bothered about it?

Don't be daft, of course I'm bothered about the result.

I'm just not wetting my knickers worrying about the new manager and players just yet as there is plenty of time to get things moving in the right direction.