Much has been said about West Ham’s performance against Fulham last weekend. It wasn’t a game to remember, nor was it the kind of display fans had hoped for when Julen Lopetegui took the reins over the summer.
After David Moyes stepped aside, the sense was that West Ham might become a more formidable side, a team capable of pushing on from last season’s inconsistencies.
However, what unfolded at Craven Cottage left many supporters, including prominent voices within the West Ham community, feeling somewhat disillusioned. A 95th-minute equaliser may have salvaged a point, but questions remain over the direction of Lopetegui’s side.
Expectations were naturally high following the managerial change. Moyes had given the club some memorable moments, but the arrival of Lopetegui, a manager with pedigree, raised hopes that the Hammers would play with a more defined identity and perhaps show greater cohesion than they did towards the end of last season. Yet, here we are, early in the season, and the frustrations from last year seem to be lingering.
The 1-1 draw with Fulham, while an improvement on last season’s 5-0 hammering at the same venue, didn’t inspire confidence. Some have pointed to the result as a sign of progress, but the performance tells a different story.
Lopetegui, still in the early stages of moulding his team, is grappling with the challenge of integrating the eight new outfield players brought in over the summer.
This period of transition was never going to produce instant results, nor would the players quickly grasp the nuances of Lopetegui’s tactical vision.
Changing a manager requires patience, and when a team is in the process of finding its feet under new leadership, time is often the remedy.
If supporters can see signs of development, they’re usually willing to give the manager some leeway. However, what seems to be concerning some fans is the apparent absence of any clear signs of Lopetegui’s style.
One of the most vocal critics of the recent performance was West Ham podcaster and sports journalist Will Pugh. Speaking on the latest episode of the We Are West Ham podcast, Pugh expressed his worries about the team’s showing at Craven Cottage.
“It was really bad. Fulham really deserved to win,” Pugh said, candidly assessing West Ham’s performance.
“They [Fulham] are a lot better than people give them credit for. They’ll be absolutely fine this season, there’s no way they’ll be in a relegation battle. But we were making them look like Brazil.”
Pugh’s concerns extended to the Hammers’ defensive frailties, something that has been a persistent issue.
“We look really leaky at the back. We did it against Aston Villa, I said we should’ve lost that one 4-1. We did it against Crystal Palace before we went on to win the game.
“A lot of the lads I was chatting to at half-time on Saturday were saying the same thing, that the first half against Fulham was exactly the same performance as at Palace, the only difference is we got away with it there.”
What seems to be causing the most anxiety among fans like Pugh is the apparent lack of any discernible attacking structure or plan.
“The thing that really worries me and I’m going to keep saying it, is that I’ve got no idea what the Julen Lopetegui pattern of play, or style of play, is when we have the ball. Like, how we try and build attacks, I have got no idea what it is, other than ‘quick, quick, where’s Kudus? Just smash it towards Kudus as quick as we can’ and see if he dribbles around ten hundred players.”
Pugh’s frustrations didn’t stop there. He pointed to Jarrod Bowen, West Ham’s standout performer last season, as a symbol of the team’s struggles.
“Jarrod Bowen was our best player last season, he plays for England and is an outstanding football player and our captain and was rewarded with a brilliant new deal, and the bloke just doesn’t get the ball anymore. When he does, he still does great things, he did well at the end to keep the ball in for the goal.”
Pugh summed up his concerns with a stark observation. “I’m really worried. It’s not a case of ‘oh look, that’s what Lopetegui’s trying to do, it’s just taking the players a bit of time to learn it, or they’re trying and they’ve not quite got the implementation spot on yet because they just need a few more weeks in training.’ It’s like, I don’t know what we are doing!”
That’s quite the damning verdict on Lopetegui’s early days in charge, especially after just four matches of the new Premier League campaign.
But Pugh’s criticism taps into a broader feeling of uncertainty. Where exactly is this West Ham team headed under their new Spanish manager?
There have been flashes of what could be. Against Manchester City, for instance, West Ham gave the champions a scare, especially in the second half, when they hit the woodwork twice.
That performance suggested that there’s potential for Lopetegui to instil a more sophisticated style of play. But flashes are not enough, and consistency remains elusive.
Is the Fulham performance a sign of what’s to come? It’s far too early to reach such conclusions. After all, this was the first game after the international break, and many players had only a few days to prepare after returning. However, if we’re still having these conversations come October, it may be time to start asking some difficult questions.
For now, Lopetegui has time on his side, but he’ll need to show more than sporadic glimpses of promise if he’s to convince the doubters. The next few weeks could prove crucial in shaping the narrative around his tenure at West Ham.