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

[Russ of the BML]

IMO Alvarez will in time, assuming he can get disciplined and focused enough, take over from Soucek in a lot of games but as much as I slagged off Soucek for the last 2 years ( esp under Moyes )  I can see he has adapted his game and now contributing to the improved passing.  Never thought he could but proved wrong ( yet again ).  But we should remember its a squad game these days, you need different players depending on the opposition, and I'm guessing we will see different pairings from Soler, Alvarez, Soucek and even Irvine ( cups ?) to start games with Paqueta ( who Loppy will always pick in his starting 11 I would think ?).  

Away game like last night, Soucek was very effective.  Scored and worked very hard all game to contribute to the win. He even got a flick on in midfield and gave Joe Linton plenty to think about just before the 2nd goal.  Commentators were making the point that Linton was grabbing Soucek and so focused on him that he switched off from AWB who galloped up past him and was not tracked before scoring.    

But there will still be games when Tommy "Potatoe Salad " is anonymous I'm sure and we would then see Alvarez replacing him as a sub and probably as a starter too.  Well I think that is what will happen especially home games where teams will sit back and the onus is on us to break them down.  A different problem to last night and against Arsenal this weekend.    

In my humble opinion, Soucek has been our most consistent player from the back end of last season and into this season. Looks a much more composed player. 

[Sir Alf]

IMO Alvarez will in time, assuming he can get disciplined and focused enough, take over from Soucek in a lot of games but as much as I slagged off Soucek for the last 2 years ( esp under Moyes )  I can see he has adapted his game and now contributing to the improved passing.  Never thought he could but proved wrong ( yet again ).  But we should remember its a squad game these days, you need different players depending on the opposition, and I'm guessing we will see different pairings from Soler, Alvarez, Soucek and even Irvine ( cups ?) to start games with Paqueta ( who Loppy will always pick in his starting 11 I would think ?).  

Away game like last night, Soucek was very effective.  Scored and worked very hard all game to contribute to the win. He even got a flick on in midfield and gave Joe Linton plenty to think about just before the 2nd goal.  Commentators were making the point that Linton was grabbing Soucek and so focused on him that he switched off from AWB who galloped up past him and was not tracked before scoring.    

But there will still be games when Tommy "Potatoe Salad " is anonymous I'm sure and we would then see Alvarez replacing him as a sub and probably as a starter too.  Well I think that is what will happen especially home games where teams will sit back and the onus is on us to break them down.  A different problem to last night and against Arsenal this weekend.    

[Russ of the BML]

Thought the Soler and Paqueta pairing worked surprisingly well. Much better than having the sideway merchants like Alvarez and Rodriguez. Honestly Rodriguez should be allowed to leave if he wants and put faith in Irving who looks no worse and arguably better.

we looked much more of a unit and passing out from the back was impressive especially as Newcastle are a team that put pressure on up the pitch constantly.


 

Bang on. Really not sure why Rodriguez and Alvarez have struggled so much. Seems to be that being tough holding midfielders they should be suited to PL but they really have fallen away. As you say. Paq and Soler with Soucek worked much better. 

[dealcanvey]

Thought the Soler and Paqueta pairing worked surprisingly well. Much better than having the sideway merchants like Alvarez and Rodriguez. Honestly Rodriguez should be allowed to leave if he wants and put faith in Irving who looks no worse and arguably better.

we looked much more of a unit and passing out from the back was impressive especially as Newcastle are a team that put pressure on up the pitch constantly.

 

[Russ of the BML]

Superb performance. First time this season that we have really looked like a cohesive team that all players knew what they should be doing. They also worked very hard and played very tidy football. To go to Newcastle on Monday night with confidence low and our season on the edge, and play that way and get that result is an amazing effort. Right out of the blue and very welcomed. 

Is it the turning point? I pray to god. But, being honest, I am not convinced. Lope hasn't done anything to convince me he is the right man for West Ham. He hasn't even done anything to convince me he is a decent coach. Right now I am praying he is, but I do have a niggle that we will be sitting there in three weeks time, after more abject performances, wondering where the team from last night went. I hope I am wrong. 

[Massive Attack]

I was thinking during the game how much better we'd be had we had someone like Isak up front for us...

Solve that conundrum then fuck me we'd be some Team. At least we do have plenty of goals in us all over the pitch we can call upon until that time. I have big reservations Fullkrug will deliver what we want goals wise but would love to be eating plenty of humble pie on that one!

[Manuel]

Fair point about the non bookings the last two games, hopefully that has been addressed.

I don't doubt Lop is a good coach, the fella probably knows football inside and out, my concern is if he a good fit for us and English football. Let's hope this is a turning point. That said, he's not a genius and this squad lacks goalscorers, pace too. Hopefully it's true that the Kraut is back on Saturday to give us another option.

[Massive Attack]

Something I noticed over the past 2 matches, as well as the back-to-back clean sheets, is that none of our player's picked up a single booking since the Forest fiasco.  

After the recent high profile red/yellow cards costing us dearly, the ill discipline in the Team has clearly been addressed by Lopetegui.  

Ironic then I thought that after the game it was actually Lopetegui himself that received his 3rd yellow card of the season during the game that's lead to a 1 match suspension against Arsenal.  

At least the card collecting at player level has dried right up and doesn't it show how well we play when we do manage to keep all our players on the pitch..

[Dick Shaftsbury]

Really pleased for the fella. If that is the way he is trying to get us to play, I'm all for it and he has my patience now. 

The problem was up and until now, that there wasnt any progress being shown. That changed last night. 

[Mex Martillo]

I would like to think this is a turning point, players looked well up for it and seemed more united and determined than i have seen all season, maybe they are finally getting what he wants them to do and just as importantly playing for the manager?

Early days, or late off the mark either way Arsenal at home is never easy but let's hope this is just the start of a roll and run of results.

Lopi has been given a stay of execution at this point, that's it, we beat a decent side and on their turf, but he needs more like this, points on the board and to be climbing the ladder.

Still a long way to go, and how many times have we thought we have turned the corner this season, only to be delt a swift kick to the bollocks????



 

100%. A draw, or even a loss on Saturday but with a good performance won't be fatal, pressure off a little now. It's the games after that, Wolves, Leicester, B'mouth, Brighton, Soton when we need to start racking up points.

Yep, maybe Lopetegui and get a tune out of us yet. Bloody hope so!

[Manuel]

I would like to think this is a turning point, players looked well up for it and seemed more united and determined than i have seen all season, maybe they are finally getting what he wants them to do and just as importantly playing for the manager?

Early days, or late off the mark either way Arsenal at home is never easy but let's hope this is just the start of a roll and run of results.

Lopi has been given a stay of execution at this point, that's it, we beat a decent side and on their turf, but he needs more like this, points on the board and to be climbing the ladder.

Still a long way to go, and how many times have we thought we have turned the corner this season, only to be delt a swift kick to the bollocks????


 

100%. A draw, or even a loss on Saturday but with a good performance won't be fatal, pressure off a little now. It's the games after that, Wolves, Leicester, B'mouth, Brighton, Soton when we need to start racking up points.

[Sydney_Iron]

I would like to think this is a turning point, players looked well up for it and seemed more united and determined than i have seen all season, maybe they are finally getting what he wants them to do and just as importantly playing for the manager?

Early days, or late off the mark either way Arsenal at home is never easy but let's hope this is just the start of a roll and run of results.

Lopi has been given a stay of execution at this point, that's it, we beat a decent side and on their turf, but he needs more like this, points on the board and to be climbing the ladder.

Still a long way to go, and how many times have we thought we have turned the corner this season, only to be delt a swift kick to the bollocks????

 

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Wipe the shit from your eyes and watch the game again carefully, you thick blind wanker!

We never stopped for 96 minutes trying to play intricate free flowing Football that mostly came off. 

Dumb? I'm still laughing all the way to the bank at winning £510, ta... 

Well done on winning your bit of money, but there wasn't a man alive (or dead) that thought we would win 0-2, so let's not pretend you really did, you just had a little put that came in for a change.

As for the analysis of the game, I've always thought it's hard to take it all in live and think you need to re-watch it to get a clear picture, which is why coaches do many times. What I will say is that we looked very comfortable once ahead and I didn't feel that worried, and we probably looked at least just as likely to go 3 up than they were to get back to 1-2. After Isaak's early misses they didn't really threaten us much at all, by memory anyway. 

We had very  generous  odds for a VICTORY
​​​​before kick -off...which I found odd ( in football terms ). 21-4 .
If you lumped on at that price ..I salute you
The love -in for the geordies is bizarre .?
if you listened on the wireless you would have thought we were a national league outfit that were  well and truly PUMMELLED and  got lucky.

Howe looks like hes about to explode  pork pies

[Massive Attack]

Manny

I put my money where my mouth is and backed the manager to get a really positive result when no one did. I could see the signs were were defending better picking up another clean sheet in the last game and also felt we could score a couple tonight with how we were attacking Everton, only kept out due to luck of an upright and Pickford putting in a worldie performance in goal. At no point was i cashing out either, very comfortable of the scoreline at 0-2.

Thankfully it came through but I really wasn't surprised about the result having predicted it before the match, if everyone else was.

What I'm most pleased about tonight though is everyone was treated to the kind of Football they had been promised in the Summer. It had been a while coming but better late than never. That was a complete performance by the Team and manager at a very tough place to go, especially on a Monday fucking night in winter!

[Manuel]

Wipe the shit from your eyes and watch the game again carefully, you thick blind wanker!

We never stopped for 96 minutes trying to play intricate free flowing Football that mostly came off. 

Dumb? I'm still laughing all the way to the bank at winning £510, ta... 

Well done on winning your bit of money, but there wasn't a man alive (or dead) that thought we would win 0-2, so let's not pretend you really did, you just had a little put that came in for a change.

As for the analysis of the game, I've always thought it's hard to take it all in live and think you need to re-watch it to get a clear picture, which is why coaches do many times. What I will say is that we looked very comfortable once ahead and I didn't feel that worried, and we probably looked at least just as likely to go 3 up than they were to get back to 1-2. After Isaak's early misses they didn't really threaten us much at all, by memory anyway. 

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

I'm pleased for Loppy...fair play to him.
I dont like to see people visibly struggling, and he definitely is.
 

[Leavemyarcelona]

JulenLopetegui's claret and blue army

[Massive Attack]

Wipe the shit from your eyes and watch the game again carefully, you thick blind wanker!

We never stopped for 96 minutes trying to play intricate free flowing Football that mostly came off. 

Dumb? I'm still laughing all the way to the bank at winning £510, ta... 

[fraser]

We were the Away side at a vety difficult place to play and played throughout the game trying to pass it the way we intended from minute 1 to minute 96 without losijg faith in it, you thick div. No Team can pass it about and succeed in every pass and only a lipstick like you would take it that literal. Not every pass will come off but most of them did and majority of the time it was slick, 1-touch Football.

Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to watching it again, you might be more surprised at how well we played than you think.

From start to finish we passed it around for fun a lot of the time and always looked comfortable in getting a result, indeed a win. You can bury your head in the sand all you like and deny it but that was a proper passing Footballing performance from the Team all night long. 

Don't be a dumb cսnt I never said we didn't attempt to play that way I said we didn't play intricate free flowing football for 96 minutes... It just didn't happen you  weird delusional odfball

[Massive Attack]

We were the Away side at a vety difficult place to play and played throughout the game trying to pass it the way we intended from minute 1 to minute 96 without losijg faith in it, you thick div. No Team can pass it about and succeed in every pass and only a lipstick like you would take it that literal. Not every pass will come off but most of them did and majority of the time it was slick, 1-touch Football.

Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to watching it again, you might be more surprised at how well we played than you think.

From start to finish we passed it around for fun a lot of the time and always looked comfortable in getting a result, indeed a win. You can bury your head in the sand all you like and deny it but that was a proper passing Footballing performance from the Team all night long. 

[fraser]

Away at Eddie Howe's Newcastle...

15 Shots

6 On Target

2 Goals

Clean sheet

47%

82% successful passes

All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football.

Wow. And just what I expected would happen once we got him in the Summer and previously remarked that I saw flashes of this during some of the games already leading to goals against Brentford, Ipswich, Man Utd. Small signs were there if you looked close enough and it just needed time for it to click and to sink in to the player's what's expected of them. 

It still won't be straight forward from here as it's still very early days but this is what we all wanted and Lopetegui is trying his best to give us what we want. 

Give him the season and for fans to get off his back now to see where we can go with this style of Football....

Very good performance today, but fmob you've gone way over the top here... Especially this bit

"All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football." 

After the second maybe but 96 minutes, have a word with yourself 

No, you have a fucking word with yourself and go back to wanking yourself silly over Madueke instead of MotM tonight Bowen after his goal for England midweek.

You're the only one that thinks we dominated the game playing intricate football for 96 minutes... You're fucking clueless... We scored twice against the run of play, they were all over us the last twenty of the first half. After our second we were on top and comfortable, you were clearly watching a different game. 

[Massive Attack]

Away at Eddie Howe's Newcastle...

15 Shots

6 On Target

2 Goals

Clean sheet

47%

82% successful passes

All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football.

Wow. And just what I expected would happen once we got him in the Summer and previously remarked that I saw flashes of this during some of the games already leading to goals against Brentford, Ipswich, Man Utd. Small signs were there if you looked close enough and it just needed time for it to click and to sink in to the player's what's expected of them. 

It still won't be straight forward from here as it's still very early days but this is what we all wanted and Lopetegui is trying his best to give us what we want. 

Give him the season and for fans to get off his back now to see where we can go with this style of Football....

Very good performance today, but fmob you've gone way over the top here... Especially this bit

"All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football." 

After the second maybe but 96 minutes, have a word with yourself 

No, you have a fucking word with yourself and go back to wanking yourself silly over Madueke instead of MotM tonight Bowen after his goal for England midweek.

[fraser]

Away at Eddie Howe's Newcastle...

15 Shots

6 On Target

2 Goals

Clean sheet

47%

82% successful passes

All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football.

Wow. And just what I expected would happen once we got him in the Summer and previously remarked that I saw flashes of this during some of the games already leading to goals against Brentford, Ipswich, Man Utd. Small signs were there if you looked close enough and it just needed time for it to click and to sink in to the player's what's expected of them. 

It still won't be straight forward from here as it's still very early days but this is what we all wanted and Lopetegui is trying his best to give us what we want. 

Give him the season and for fans to get off his back now to see where we can go with this style of Football....

Very good performance today, but fmob you've gone way over the top here... Especially this bit

"All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football." 

After the second maybe but 96 minutes, have a word with yourself 

[Massive Attack]

Away at Eddie Howe's Newcastle...

15 Shots

6 On Target

2 Goals

Clean sheet

47%

82% successful passes

All while playing for 96 minutes of intricate, free flowing often 1-touch Football.

Wow. And just what I expected would happen once we got him in the Summer and previously remarked that I saw flashes of this during some of the games already leading to goals against Brentford, Ipswich, Man Utd. Small signs were there if you looked close enough and it just needed time for it to click and to sink in to the player's what's expected of them. 

It still won't be straight forward from here as it's still very early days but this is what we all wanted and Lopetegui is trying his best to give us what we want. 

Give him the season and for fans to get off his back now to see where we can go with this style of Football....

[Maverick180180]

Didn’t see that result coming in a million years

fair play to him

just hope he now realises that dropping Rodriguez was absolutely massive and doesn’t bring him back into the side