West Ham fans often get a bad rap but they’re actually very simple creatures who are easy to please, someone just needs to tell Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham head to Bournemouth on Monday night with Julen Lopetegui still hanging by a thread.
The owners weren’t convinced by West Ham’s win over Wolves. None of us were.
They have let the manager know in no uncertain terms that he is on his last chance.
Before Wolves, the Spaniard was told he needed four consecutive wins from that game, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton to save his job after the demoralising defeats to Arsenal and Leicester.
He got the first one. Just.
But Andoni Iraola’s Cherries will be a different proposition entirely.
A chastening defeat could see Lopetegui sacked.
Especially as West Ham have Graham Potter on standby while job vacancies open up elsewhere.
Lopetegui still on brink as West Ham head to Bournemouth
It’s not just been results and performances that have put the manager in this position, though.
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There is a disconnect between Hammers fans, the manager and the team.
Lopetegui’s press conferences and interviews are as dull as dishwater. He makes David Moyes – who could be dour at the best of times – look like Aristotle.
As well as falling out with some of his best players, the manager is also failing to get a tune out of his expensively assembled squad on the pitch.
There’s no clear identity or philosophy fans can hang their hat on.
West Ham are too good to be relegated but will soon find themselves left in midtable mediocrity if they don’t string wins together and go on a run.
There’s been no evidence so far that Lopetegui or his team are capable of doing that.
Julen Lopetegui, Manager of West Ham United, reacts after Edson Alvarez of West Ham United is shown a red card following a second yellow card by Re...
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Oblivious Lopetegui can win back fans with brave West Ham call
One thing West Ham fans have been angry about is the bare-faced lie told to them by both Lopetegui and technical director Tim Steidten.
Both promised a new-look side built around young, hungry players.
But the average age of West Ham’s squad has risen from the second oldest in the Premier League to THE oldest after the summer window.
Hammers fans are rightly proud of the club’s Academy of Football roots. So they were excited by the prospect of having a young side.
But despite their rising stars winning the FA Youth Cup last year, Lopetegui has given a disgraceful zero minutes to club-trained players this season.
Meanwhile two players who were in the Arsenal side battered 5-1 by West Ham in that FA Youth Cup final are now first team regulars at the Emirates.
It’s not just frustrating, it’s unacceptable. It betrays the club’s history and roots.
Especially as West Ham have an ageing, immobile side in desperate need of some youthful exuberance and legs.
Despite his snubbing of young players being highlighted, the manager doesn’t seem overly fussed because nothing has changed since it was exposed.
Now oblivious Lopetegui can win back fans with a brave West Ham call at Bournemouth – but he won’t.
Lopetegui detached from what Hammers fans want
Remarkably, despite all the above, there’s still a glimmer of hope for the season.
The most wide open Premier League for 12 years means a West Ham win at Bournemouth would put them just three points behind their seventh-placed opponents with 22 games to play.
Make no bones about it, the Hammers played worse in the win over Wolves than they did at Leicester.
Nobody should be getting carried away by that victory. Changes still need to be made and one will actually be enforced at the Vitality.
This is where Lopetegui can really build bridges and win back fans by being bold.
Emerson Palmieri is suspended.
What Lopetegui will do is probably push Aaron Wan-Bissaka to left-back and play 32-year-old Vladimir Coufal at right-back.
Or perhaps he’ll bring in 35-year-old Aaron Cresswell in a straight swap.
Either way, where is the future in that?
Oliver Scarles of West Ham U21 reacts during the Bristol Street Motors Trophy match between Cheltenham Town and West Ham United U21 at The EV Char...
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Scarles and Orford should replace Emerson and Alvarez
What he should do is play academy starlet Ollie Scarles.
The left-back – who can also play wingback, in midfield and has even been used at number 10 for the youth team – looked brilliant when he was given some game time under Moyes.
But he hasn’t had a sniff since.
Mark Noble and the academy rate him as a future first team star.
Lopetegui would have fans getting right behind him if he brought Scarles in. The problem is we all know he won’t.
In midfield Edson Alvarez was the worst player on the pitch in the Wolves game.
The Mexican says he’s still recovering from his injury at the Copa America. That excuse doesn’t wash.
Because he’s been terrible all year like so many others at West Ham.
Alvarez is slow, rash and offers little. He’s one of several who have been at odds with the manager too.
Word is bright young England midfielder Lewis Orford is in the squad for West Ham’s game at Bournemouth with another slow, ageing signing – Guido Rodriguez – a doubt.
Villa really wanted Orford in the summer.
He’s a hugely promising all-round midfielder full of self-belief.
West Ham United midfielder Lewis Orford (61) battles Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-Chan (11) for the ball during the game between Wolve...
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Lopetegui won’t make changes fans would love
Orford believes he is ready for first team football.
Lopetegui clearly doesn’t or he’d have played him by now given central midfield has been the worst part of West Ham’s team.
It is a hodge podge incoherent mix of players which offers little by way of guile and zero protection to a back four that has shipped the third most goals in the top flight.
Orford is combative, full of energy and great on the ball going forward too.
He’s also proper West Ham.
We have far too few of those in and around the first team.
So why not give them a chance Lopetegui? Fans will love it.
But we won’t be holding our breath because we know it won’t happen.
I’d go as far as to say that if the Spaniard snubs Scarles and Orford for others and they contribute to a defeat then he should be sacked.
Academy of Football? Not anymore.
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