West Ham slumped to a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Chelsea at the London Stadium on Saturday (21 September), continuing their poor start to the Premier League season.
Having won just once in five matches, the nature of this latest loss will be a concern for the West Ham board, who were visibly unhappy with what they saw.
It wasn’t just the defeat that troubled fans and the hierarchy alike; West Ham looked disorganised and lacked discipline throughout the match.
Communication between players was non-existent, and there was a noticeable absence of any real intent, particularly in a derby game. The early optimism surrounding Julen Lopetegui’s appointment has quickly faded, and the pressure is mounting.
Mark Chapman, speaking on BBC Radio 5, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the situation.
He said, as quoted by BBC Sport: “West Ham are an absolute mess,” echoing the frustrations felt by the fans after another lacklustre performance.
The atmosphere at the London Stadium has become toxic, similar to the final days of David Moyes’ tenure.
When Lopetegui substituted one of West Ham’s few bright sparks, Crysencio Summerville, for Michail Antonio, he was met with boos from the crowd. The reaction was brutal but reflected the growing discontent among supporters.
Chapman’s blunt critique of the situation is hard to argue with. Despite an influx of new players in the summer transfer window, Lopetegui’s side has shown little sign of progress. The new signings have struggled to gel, and West Ham’s play has lacked cohesion and organisation.
Defensively, they were particularly poor, with Max Kilman enduring a difficult afternoon against Chelsea’s attackers. The Hammers look disjointed, and their performances have yet to offer any indication that they can turn their fortunes around.
It’s concerning when fans start booing the team as early as September, with so much of the season still to play. Something needs to change quickly, or West Ham could be facing another long, difficult campaign.