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

[onsideman]

I'm not just looking for arguments, MA, but Emerson isn't good enough and should be back up to a better left back imho, but whilst I sincerely hope that Scarles gets his chance, there is nothing to suggest that either Moyes or Lopetegui are going to present him with it. He's 19 next month. 

We all moaned at Moyes' treatment of the youth but Lopetegui currently looks like he's even worse

[Massive Attack]

If I thought this was as good as it gets long term then I'd share your feelings about it but I can't see it the longer they are familiar with the style of play. Could be wrong though.

Really?

5 goals conceded in 4 games in August (1.25/game)
5 goals conceded in 3 games in September (1.67/game)
6 goals conceded in 3 games in October (2/game)

Yeah, over the course of the season I see it calming down and improving after the initial quarter of the season gone where I've expected there to be issues with regards to a whole new way of doing things, as well as bedding in 3 quarters of a new defence overnight. 

Regarding Left-Back back up to Emerson long term, I think Scarles could well be ear marked in to do that eventually. That is unless he's used more in midfield but it could be a possibility. And if that was the case, it's a very exciting proposition and one that makes sense if we weren't to buy a back up Left Back once Creswell is finished with.

[dealcanvey]

We literally had 2 positions that were crying out to be improved, onsideman, which were obvious to anyone who's been following us the past year, or more.

A left back to replace Cresswell, and a striker to replace Antonio.

We signed neither.

Agree that was what was needed in the summer. Now I would say CM is an even bigger issue than both those positions. The club decided to meddle in an area that was not a priority and now we look even weaker as a result. What a mess.

[onsideman]

If I thought this was as good as it gets long term then I'd share your feelings about it but I can't see it the longer they are familiar with the style of play. Could be wrong though.

Really?

5 goals conceded in 4 games in August (1.25/game)
5 goals conceded in 3 games in September (1.67/game)
6 goals conceded in 3 games in October (2/game)

[Lee Trundle]

We literally had 2 positions that were crying out to be improved, onsideman, which were obvious to anyone who's been following us the past year, or more.

A left back to replace Cresswell, and a striker to replace Antonio.

We signed neither.

[onsideman]

Kilman is OK but I doubt he's in the top 20 Premier League centre backs for the season so far, so in that respect we probably overpaid. I do like him but would like him more at £30m and successive England managers haven't seen fit to call him up

Todibo I like, but I think he gets put under too much pressure to excel in our team. His work for Forest's third goal was fucking pitiful

Rodriguez and Soler both get a massive shrug from me. Neither are likely to improve us

Summerville I like, shame the manager doesn't

Fullkrug may never get the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong

Guilherme? Who knows but as it stands a complete waste of time, money and air miles

As an aside, Emerson has been very poor this season imho. We unquestionably shouldv'e upgraded there

[Massive Attack]

"I think the total spend on AWB, Kilman & Todibo has been a good move"

Has it?  The jury is still out with me.

We spent a load of money to go from the 4th worse defence in the league last season, to the 4th worse defence in the league this season.

I actually agree with that on that basis alone. However, I don't see this Team conceding as much as we have been the longer it continues post-Moyes defending last season. We were leaking goals like a sivve especially come the 2nd part of the season so it was getting progressively worse, whereas I don't see our current defending getting worse, in fact the longer it goes on this season I see it improving. 

If I thought this was as good as it gets long term then I'd share your feelings about it but I can't see it the longer they are familiar with the style of play. Could be wrong though.

[Lee Trundle]

"I think the total spend on AWB, Kilman & Todibo has been a good move"

Has it?  The jury is still out with me.

We spent a load of money to go from the 4th worse defence in the league last season, to the 4th worse defence in the league this season.

[Fauxstralian]

I think the total spend on AWB, Kilman & Todibo has been a good move ... I would just like the manager to play them as a back 4 with Emerson who was our only decent defender last season.
Obviously the problem is the money wasted on old man Fullkrug and 'one for the future' Guillherme
Buying old strikers is insane and we are in no position to be buying for anything but the here and now. Especially when Guillherme seems to play in the position of Bowen & Kudus
The midfielders Rodriquez & Soler look unconvincing to say the least
Summerville looks a talent but seems to be given limited opportunities and is the first hooked

[Massive Attack]

I actually think he's mostly been living up to his price tag with mainly solid consistent displays, even whilst others around him aren't coming up to the mark - Looks at Areola, Mavropanos, Emerson, Rodriguez, Alvarez.

But not only that, we still haven't seen anything yet really from Kilman with regards to what he really can do. Once it all starts settling down, he will grow more and more in to his role at West Ham. 

He's going to be worth more than £40M come next season.

[Russ of the BML]

Of course we overspent for Kilman.  That became obvious to pretty much everyone once the dust had settled.

By how much?

I would suggest by not alot. 

I mean, he is a top established PL pro. So you have to have his base value at somewhere around £25m. He was Wolves captain and is English so adds another £5m. There most consistent and rated player last season so add £5m. Wolves player of the year two seasons running (I believe). Plus, Lope obviously really wanted him so the demand is factored in. 

I mean, when you factor it all in, £40m probably isn't too far off. 

[Massive Attack]

Of course we overspent for Kilman.  That became obvious to pretty much everyone once the dust had settled.

By how much?

[Lee Trundle]

Of course we overspent for Kilman.  That became obvious to pretty much everyone once the dust had settled.

[LJC]

On the evidence so far I'm not sure it was decent. 

Kilman - way overpriced, I don't care if he was Wolves captain, no leadership and organising of the back line and often sitting behind the rest of the defence 
Füllkrug-Was too old and the wrong profile and fuck knows what he'll bring on the pitch because he's never on it, and when he was he was average at best.. We have him for another 3.5 years 
Summer ville - looks a decent bit of business 
Todibo - looks good also 
Rodriguez =Ok for a free, but just average so fsr
Wan Bissaka's - is definitely good but definitely being used poorly 
Soler - prepared to give him a chance but totally underwhelmed so far 

Ok. So out of that list you agree Todibo, Summerville, AWB were decent. Rodriguez OK and Soler you are giving a chance. Yes, Kilman was alot but were took another clubs captain. He is decent, its just that our defence is under alot of pressure. He will come good. Fullkrug been injured, may or may not end up being decent. 

I mean, you can look at it through a magnifying glass and pick through it in detail, but my point is that my original point stands - It was overall a decent window - But the fundamental problem is not that we bought shit players - They are just being coached, managed and utilised badly. 

IMO

I don’t think we bought shit players, I think we bought the wrong players.

[fraser]

I'm not convinced Kilman will come good but I am convinced he's not captain material. He's OK nothing more and if £40 million is the price of an average centre half because he was captain of a Premier league team, I'd rather have bought another Todibo and splashed the saving onto a Duran rather than an old crocked German, so no for me not decent when we overspent on a centre back to the detriment of the attack.

In my opinion of course 

[Russ of the BML]

On the evidence so far I'm not sure it was decent. 

Kilman - way overpriced, I don't care if he was Wolves captain, no leadership and organising of the back line and often sitting behind the rest of the defence 
Füllkrug-Was too old and the wrong profile and fuck knows what he'll bring on the pitch because he's never on it, and when he was he was average at best.. We have him for another 3.5 years 
Summer ville - looks a decent bit of business 
Todibo - looks good also 
Rodriguez =Ok for a free, but just average so fsr
Wan Bissaka's - is definitely good but definitely being used poorly 
Soler - prepared to give him a chance but totally underwhelmed so far 

Ok. So out of that list you agree Todibo, Summerville, AWB were decent. Rodriguez OK and Soler you are giving a chance. Yes, Kilman was alot but were took another clubs captain. He is decent, its just that our defence is under alot of pressure. He will come good. Fullkrug been injured, may or may not end up being decent. 

I mean, you can look at it through a magnifying glass and pick through it in detail, but my point is that my original point stands - It was overall a decent window - But the fundamental problem is not that we bought shit players - They are just being coached, managed and utilised badly. 

IMO

[kylay]

We all know he's not going to be binned. Sullivan was too cheap to bring in a Moyes replacement last spring to help with the transition and then too cheap to go with the preferred target. He sure as hell isn't paying off 2 years of Lope unless we're facing down relegation in February where he won't be able/forced to buy in the transfer market.

[onsideman]

Even if we win against Everton, based on how we approach the game etc, his position still needs to be reviewed.







 

That'll mean 9 points out of 15 in the last 5 matches and 3 Home wins in a row. Sacking him off the back of a win in that kind of run would be ridiculous. 

Not if you look beyond the results. With the possible exception of Ipswich I would say every game we've won this season - and even drawn, for that matter - could very easily have gone the other way, whereas the losses were entirely justified and could even have been worse

[Come On You Irons]

'Loser Lop' is going nowhere anytime soon, even if they lose badly to Everton.

The club will need to be bang in trouble in the relegation zone before Sillivan would dream of pulling the trigger. It wouldn't surprise me if there is a 'relegation zone' compo clawback clause in 'Loser Lop's' contract (less compo if sacked while in relegation zone after X amount of games).

[Massive Attack]

Even if we win against Everton, based on how we approach the game etc, his position still needs to be reviewed.





 

That'll mean 9 points out of 15 in the last 5 matches and 3 Home wins in a row. Sacking him off the back of a win in that kind of run would be ridiculous. 

[dealcanvey]

The midfield is the main issue. It was slow under Moyes and has somehow managed to become even slower under the new manager with the likes of Rodriguez and Soler.

I had hope for Fullkrug but many on here were sceptic about his pace and age. Now with his injury it all looks justified. 

We seem to be 3 transfer windows behind all the time. AWB is a good signing but he has been needed for a long time before that.

We never seem to learn.

Would love a manager to come in and get recruitment right. We need more homegrown, younger players but Moyes and now Lopetegui seem almost scared at the thought? Rather young promising talent from the championship than freebies and players whom their parent clubs cant sell so they have to loan out..

[greenie1]

Even if we win against Everton, based on how we approach the game etc, his position still needs to be reviewed.

All down to Sullivan on this one. All the time GSB have been in charge I have said they mean well, but they do not have a clue.

 

[Sir Alf]

Good business was Wan Bassaka, Todibo, Summerville and Kilman. Not financially for Kilman but what they do to improve the team. 3 if them in the back line which, if rhe midfield was not so weak, would be decent and fit for purpose.

Jury out on Guilehme but we will know by next season.  

Bad business in a footballimg sense in what we needed are Rodruiguez and Soler.  Not suitable to the Premiership and definitely not playing in the suicidal high line, very advanced wing backs system.  If we had got players with the legs, physicality and speed needed I suspect the whole season would not be the write off iit now is.

Bad business in a footballing requirements and financial sense is Fullkrug

[aldgate]

The Premier League is clearly too quick for Rodriguez and he can't adapt. Probably a decent player in a slower league but we are ten games in now and it's obvious to most people he's a fish out of water. Our manager seems to have a blind spot with him and trying to convert wan-bissaka into an attacking/inverted/whatever he is mumbling about full back. Lopetegui is totally head off now and should be binned after Saturday as the team are clearly confused/dissillusioned/downright-anti him - as are the majority of fans

[Maverick180180]

Baffles me how people think Rodriguez is ok 

he’s dreadful, offers absolutely nothing going forward, slow as fuck, can’t pass further than 4 yards and makes it look like anyone under the age of 30 could be a professional footballer