The future of Julen Lopetegui will once again be under the microscope when West Ham go to Southampton on Boxing Day.
After being given a final chance following the shambolic defeats to Arsenal and Leicester, West Ham have seriously ridden their luck in the three games since.
It was claimed by a club insider before the Wolves clash that Julen Lopetegui had to win against his old club, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton.
The Hammers somehow squeaked a 2-1 win over woeful Wolves – with a big helping hand from three controversial VAR calls.
In the context of the season a draw at Bournemouth is not the worst result.
But West Ham’s inability to see out the win after taking a lead on 87 minutes was frustrating.
Brighton may have started the season well but they have faded badly of late with no wins in four ahead of the clash at the London Stadium.
So it was a game, at home, West Ham should have been looking to win.
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In the end the Hammers were once again extremely fortunate not to lose.
Brighton missed four massive chances at the end of the game.
West Ham fans jeered their team off again and a large number left before the final whistle once more.
One look at fan forums and social media shows the mood among supporters is one of boredom and disillusionment.
Manager Julen Lopetegui shows emotion during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion at the London Stadium in...
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Saints could be beginning of the end for Lopetegui at West Ham
Five wins in 17 Premier League games under the manager simply is not good enough.
Hopes of getting back into Europe look dead in the water.
There is a lack of identity on show and the team are boring to watch despite having a host of exciting attacking players.
Many West Ham fans have no idea what the manager is trying to achieve and it seems the players don’t either. There is no feeling this is a team that are on the verge of clicking and really going somewhere.
The manager’s tactics appear to amount to little more than give it to Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus and hope for the best at times.
With Lopetegui’s future being looked at on a game-by-game basis, all eyes now turn to Southampton.
Comfortably one of the worst teams in Premier League history, nothing but a convincing win will do for West Ham.
That in itself would not prove much about the team or the manager of course.
But it’s the minimum expected.
This is West Ham, though, and things are never straightforward.
Now it really could be the beginning of the end for Lopetegui at West Ham after an impressive manager announcement.
Impressive Southampton manager announcement feels ominous for Hammers
A host of managers have been linked with the Hammers hotseat in the last few months.
Graham Potter has reportedly been on standby since just before the Wolves game.
Another name on the club’s alleged shortlist of candidates was Ivan Juric.
The Croatian was last seen at Roma and Torino.
Juric is the man who took Nikola Vlasic off West Ham’s hands.
He is a madcap manager who has a reputation for being very much his own man – and getting teams punching above their weight.
West Ham are punching well below their weight under Lopetegui.
But failure to beat the Saints will be a new low for the Spaniard’s difficult tenure.
That task has just potentially been made a lot more challenging, though.
Southampton FC unveil the new men's First team manager, Ivan Juric, at St Mary's stadium on December 20, 2024 in Southampton, England.
Photo by Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images
Ivan the terrible – new manager bounce could cost Lopetegui his job
Because Southampton have announced that they have appointed Juric on an 18-month contract.
His first home game as manager? Against West Ham of course.
Just as was the case when Ruud van Nistelrooy took over Leicester before that win over the Hammers which pushed Lopetegui to the brink.
A similar outcome this time and it really would be curtains.
It all feels very ominous and all the pressure will be on the Hammers.
On being appointed, Juric has promised an aggressive team from the get go.
“I’m very pleased,” Juric told Southampton’s website.
“I think it’s a really big challenge but I’m very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better.
“It’s important to immediately be connected with the fans. I want an aggressive team and I think that fans of Southampton will like that.”
That is a seriously impressive coup for a club like Southampton with the position they are in.
It will have Hammers fans looking on with great interest given he was linked with them too.
This is quickly threatening to become a season wasted for West Ham.
A spark is sorely and urgently needed to ignite the campaign.
West Ham are fortunate there are so many bad teams in the division this season.
But on the flip side the club are completely failing to capitalise on the fact it is the most wide open Premier League campaign for 12 years.
That means fewer points are expected to be needed to qualify for Europe – perhaps as little as 53-55.
But Lopetegui’s side have left themselves with a mountain to climb to get anywhere near that.
If Juric gets a new manager bounce against West Ham, it will surely be the end of the road for Lopetegui.
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