I sincerely hope that **West Ham** are not looking ahead to Monday night’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers and seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.
Fellow strugglers Wolves lost 4-0 to Everton in last night’s [Premier League](https://www.claretandhugh.info/premier-league-bio/) fixture, which is incredible given the Toffees’ inability to score recently.
Understandably, the result has further cemented the Midlander’s in the relegation zone, and Gary O’Neil is under pressure. Whether he makes it to the West Ham fixture is uncertain, and O’Neil was far from confident about his position during his post-match press interviews.
Wolves’ and O’Neil’s plight could yet convince the Hammers to give [Julen Lopetegui](https://www.claretandhugh.info/julen-lopetegui/) ‘one more game’ against a wounded animal, but this would be a foolish move.
Even were West Ham to win, it would only create a stay of execution for Lopetegui, who has utterly failed in his attempts to convey his methods to the players. Talk of an open revolt amongst the playing squad is perhaps a little sensationalistic, but morale is at an all-time low.
A win against Wanderers would merely delay the inevitable, which would come swiftly with Bournemouth, Brighton, and Liverpool on the horizon. All three teams would likely expose Lopetegui’s failed defensive unit and drop team spirit even further.
But there is also an even worse-case scenario. If Wolves sack O’Neil, there could well be an uplift in their team with a new manager or caretaker boss in charge. West Ham could face the same situation they experienced against Leicester City, who don’t have the talent at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ disposal.
The next 24 hours are crucial for West Ham. Most fans have already decided that Lopetegui is not capable of leading the team. If we lose next Monday, anger will not be directed towards the Spaniard but the directors’ box for being indecisive.