West Ham, Julen Lopetegui, Vladimir Coufal
Julen Lopetegui opted to start Vladimir Coufal against Leicester. (Credit: Imago)
Josh Edwards
Wed 4 December 2024 8:10, UK
Julen Lopetegui had his faith in Vladimir Coufal thrown back in his face after his performance for West Ham in their defeat at Leicester.
A 3-1 defeat at the hands of a fellow Premier League struggler on 3 December mounted additional misery on the Irons and Lopetegui, who remain under heavy pressure at the London Stadium.
The Spaniard opted to utilise Coufal against the Foxes, with the fullback having claimed to be a “fighter” ready to stake a claim for his place in the side before the win at Newcastle (WHUFC).
Unfortunately for the Hammers, there was no fight seen in his performance and was arguably the worst player on the pitch throughout the clash.
Vladimir Coufal backfires for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham
As a whole, the performance from the Irons was wretched. West Ham gave Leicester far too much respect and lacked any identity throughout the night.
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However, Coufal quite remarkably underperformed significantly in comparison to his other teammates, getting hooked in the 62nd minute.
According to FotMob, the Czech defender failed to complete a single dribble throughout the clash. While Coufal isn’t typically known for his attacking prowess, his inability to get his side forward proved costly against the Foxes and ultimately showcased why he is rarely utilised.
Added to that, all three of his attempted crosses were unsuccessful with a zero per cent completion rate.
In fact, his final ball was poor all night and West Ham offered little threat down the right side, especially when Lopetegui opted to move Jarrow Bowen into a central role at halftime.
For a fullback typically known for his defensive attributes, Coufal also failed to impress in that regard having won just 50 per cent of the tackles he attempted.
The Hammers defender was involved in 11 defensive duels on Tuesday, eight in the air and three on the floor. A 36 per cent win rate in those areas is shameful for a player who fails to contribute going forward.
Vladimir Coufal
West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal [Credit: Imago]
Perhaps the one area he thrived in was his ability to retain the ball in possession. He completed 31 of 25 attempted passes while being dispossessed just once. With that said, too many of those passes were safe and didn’t get West Ham anywhere.
His performance certainly won’t have pleased Lopetegui who put his faith in the international in a bid to save his job.
With an encounter against Wolves up next, it is hard to envisage a scenario in which Coufal retains his place in the starting 11.
In other West Ham news, an update on the future of Maxwel Cornet has been provided.
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