When you lose the travelling fans of your club, the writing is well and truly on the wall and that’s bad news for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham.
The Hammers hit a new low under Julen Lopetegui at Leicester City last night.
West Ham’s owners had made it clear before the game that it was a must-win.
That was the expectation from the board and West Ham fans at the King Power.
Defeat did not even bear thinking about.
Journalist Jacob Steinberg, who is well-connected at West Ham, claimed Lopetegui could be sacked if that transpired.
Well it did as the Irons lost 3-1 to one of the few teams in the Premier League who are worse than them.
Before the game only three clubs had conceded more goals than Lopetegui’s Hammers this season.
After it, there’s just two, as West Ham took their dismal tally to 27 goals shipped in 14 matches.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
That is on course to potentially break last season’s unwanted club record of 74.
The difference is, Lopetegui has had £87m spent on improving the Hammers’ backline.
Julen Lopetegui, Manager of West Ham United, interacts with Konstantinos Mavropanos of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Leic...
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Broken Lopetegui responds to angry chant from West Ham fans
West Ham huffed and puffed, having 10 shots on target. But Leicester, who are atrocious, had seven themselves.
Quite what the other 21 efforts West Ham had off target count for is anyone’s guess.
The narrative among some after the game was that the Hammers had been unlucky.
They say you make your own luck in football and West Ham defend so utterly ineptly, it’s hard to argue they deserve any.
On the subject of luck, Lopetegui is extremely fortunate to even have four wins from 14 league games.
West Ham should have been beaten out of sight before somehow registering victories against Palace and Man United.
Save the Hammers hard luck story
The last gasp cup win against a Bournemouth side who wasted a host of chances, was extremely fortunate too.
So let’s park the hard luck story for now.
This was simply not good enough from West Ham. Again.
Pathetic capitulations have become a common theme this season.
Lopetegui’s side have now been hammered by Man City 3-1, Chelsea 3-0, Liverpool 5-1, Spurs 4-1, Forest 3-0, Arsenal 5-2 and Leicester 3-1.
Losing to the Foxes takes the biscuit, though, given how bad they are.
And the club’s loyal travelling supporters let the manager know in no uncertain terms.
Broken Lopetegui has responded after the hardcore West Ham fans turn on him with an angry chant.
Julen Lopetegui, Manager of West Ham United, acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and West Ham United FC ...
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Lopetegui “understands question” as West Ham hardcore turn
There’s a reason Leicester City are so bad.
After getting promoted, they were unable to do much business due to the threat of a PSR points deduction on their return to the top flight.
So they have a Championship squad which, on paper at least, has no right to be competitive against West Ham’s expensively assembled outfit.
West Ham’s summer spend was three times that of Leicester’s as nine signings were added to an existing clutch of quality players.
So as the Hammers fell 3-0 behind to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side, the away fans had seen enough.
When chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” rang out from the stands, many assumed it was the home supporters goading Lopetegui.
But in actual fact it was West Ham supporters letting the board and manager know exactly how they feel.
Footage has emerged from the away end, showing supporters aiming the chant at the 58-year-old loud and clear.
Given pre-match reports that defeat could lead to his sacking and the fans chanting for that to be the result of this latest defeat, it was one of the first things Lopetegui was asked about by the press.
The manager was broken in more ways than one.
He look broken and sounded like a broken record.
Responding to a direct question about being sacked in the morning, Lopetegui admitted he understood it had to be asked.
But his answer was a copy and paste of the same thing Hammers fans are sick of hearing most weeks, the promise that things will change ‘for sure’.
“The only thing I’m focused on is getting ready for next match,” Lopetegui told The Evening Standard’s Dom Smith when asked about being sacked by West Ham after the fans turned.
“I understand your question.
“We are able to change the situation, for sure. There are lots of games in December.”
There are but Leicester was a crucial one.
Whether Lopetegui will be in charge for the ones that follow is now seriously in doubt.
David Sullivan reportedly has Sergio Conceicao lined up and the West Ham corner flag picture may be imminent.
Related Posts