West Ham United decided to part ways with David Moyes at the end of last season after a tumultuous campaign that saw the Hammers finish ninth in the Premier League table.
He led the club to their first major trophy in over four decades just one year prior, but an awful run of five wins in 22 games at the back end of last season sealed his fate.
Given the calibre of players at their disposal, West Ham fans demanded a manager who could inject a more dynamic, attacking brand of football.
Moyes’ pragmatic system nauseated the club faithful who watched their side repeatedly get Hammered despite their negative approach.
A change was required, but West Ham’s decision to replace Moyes with Julen Lopegui was puzzling, especially since he didn’t fit the profile of an attack-minded manager the supporters hoped for.
Moyes and Lopetegui are cut from the same cloth. Their styles are identical in many ways – pragmatic, risk-averse, and often rigid. They even share an identical trophy cabinet.
Somehow, West Ham believed he was the man to push them higher up the table and disrupt the established order. But if Moyes was the problem, how was Lopetegui the solution?
West Ham invested over £100 million during the summer transfer window to reshape the squad in Lopetegui’s image, assembling one of the most exciting rosters in the league – at least on paper.
However, as is often the case, football is not played on paper.
Eight league games into the new era, the Hammers sit 15th on the table, just five points above the relegation zone. They have accumulated eight points from as many games (W2, D2, L4).
Their most recent 4-1 thrashing at the hands of capital rivals Tottenham Hotspur epitomised the Hammers’ collapse. The result was dreadful, but so was the tactical set-up and performance.
West Ham can only have themselves to blame for their current situation. They gambled on Lopetegui and are now paying the price.
The Hammers lack ideas, cohesion, and basic tactical awareness. They have no identity or direction, but that’s what you get when you hire a wildly overrated manager.