Julen Lopetegui faces mounting pressure at West Ham as concerns grow over the team’s defensive fragility, according to former club scout Mick Brown.
Brown, who served as a senior scout at the London Stadium until his departure alongside David Moyes in June, believes West Ham’s defensive shortcomings threaten their stability under Lopetegui.
In an exclusive interview with Football Insider, Brown noted, “they will not be ‘stable’ until the defence improves.”
West Ham have secured just 11 points from their opening nine games, tallying three wins, two draws, and four defeats. Despite this, the Hammers have struggled defensively, keeping only one clean sheet away against Crystal Palace, while conceding 16 goals.
Lopetegui led a substantial overhaul of West Ham’s backline during the summer transfer window, bringing in players like Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Max Kilman, while Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd were both moved on.
However, the club has yet to see the defensive improvement they had hoped for from their big-money investments.
Brown insists that unless Lopetegui can address West Ham’s defensive issues, the scrutiny on his role will continue to intensify.
Despite some positive results at the London Stadium, Brown is concerned about the lingering defensive problems that continue to undermine the team’s progress.
“Of course, if they’re winning games, his position will be stronger,” Brown told Football Insider.
“But with the team West Ham have got, the performances have got to be better. Even in the win against United, they could’ve lost that by four or five if the chances went in.”
Brown highlighted the frequency with which West Ham are conceding, a worrying trend that could have long-term repercussions.
“They just concede too many goals,” he said.
“They’re better than their results have shown, but if you can’t defend, you can’t win games.”
He explained that the team’s instability stems from the defensive unit’s inconsistency, pointing out that while it’s manageable to concede one goal and score two, on days when they can’t find the net, West Ham’s defensive lapses leave them vulnerable.
“As long as they keep shipping goals like they have, I don’t see them being in a stable position,” he stated.
Brown warned that continued defensive struggles would inevitably lead to increased scrutiny on Lopetegui.
“If they keep losing games as a result of that, then fingers are, of course, pointed in the direction of the manager because it’s his job to sort that out.”
Until Lopetegui can fortify the defence, it seems the pressure on his tenure will only intensify.