Nigel Reo-Coker witnessed something very worrying on visit to West Ham training. Julen Lopetegui has endured a torrid start to life at West Ham and a host of deficiencies have been clear for all to see. The only real positive for West Ham from there underwhelming 1-1 draw at Brentford was that the team at least showed a bit of resilience.
The Football Club That Never Gets Promoted Or Relegated
It says a lot about the start Julen Lopetegui has made to his Hammers tenure that fans are so grateful for small mercies right now. The latest London derby was a game West Ham could and should have won.
Brentford were missing eight key players and had centre-backs playing in both full-back roles.
West Ham meanwhile were full strength bar Niclas Fullkrug.
Having spent £155m on nine new players in the summer, the pressure is on Lopetegui.
West Ham not getting wins or performances. Most fans appreciate changing the style after a mammoth turnaround of 21 players was never going to be easy. So it has proved with the Hammers losing four, winning two and drawing two of the new manager’s first seven games.
There has been only one win in the Premier League. And performances have been poor for the most part with no discernible style or patterns of play.
Debate has raged over what issues Lopetegui must fix first.
West Ham are the most vulnerable team in the top flight defensively having conceded a mammoth 91 shots in just six games. There are no crumbs of comfort in attack either.
Biggest problems facing Lopetegui at West Ham
Lopetegui’s side have created the fewest big chances in the entire top flight – just five in six games.
That’s three less than the next worst, Wolves, and 13 less than the leaders of that particular stat, Aston Villa.
With the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus, Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta in the team, that is extremely concerning for Hammers fans.
Despite the issues up front and at the back, many feel the real problem is the midfield.
It is a strange and rather random mix of players which seems – to fans and journalists at least – to have been thrown together with little thought.
There is no cohesion in the middle of the park for West Ham. Edson Alvarez and Paqueta have been woeful, Guido Rodriguez is not pulling up any trees so far, Carlos Soler has been hot and cold in showings thus far.
The only one putting in consistent performances is good old reliable Tomas Soucek.
West Ham’s midfield is failing to protect the back four or create chances for the attackers.
But the biggest issue that has stuck out like a sore thumb is a lack of characters. In recent seasons West Ham have lost Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma to name but a few.
All big personalities and characters in the dressing room.
Lopetegui made quiet Bowen captain. That’s a decision that has been criticised by many fans and pundits. West Ham lack players who look willing or capable of rallying the team, grabbing a game by the scruff of the neck or getting stuck in to teammates to raise the levels.
Some may point to Alvarez but leadership is not making silly tackles and getting booked when the game is already running away from you.
If West Ham seem to lack characters that’s because they do according to one former captain.
