“The thing that really worries me” West Ham insider share SHOCKING Lopetegui London Stadium future glimpse with HUGE problem tagged few months after Moyes sack.
After replacing David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui in the summer, there were higher expectations for West Ham to show improvement compared to the end of last season. However, it took a 95th-minute equalizer to secure a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage, which left some fans disappointed.
While some might view the draw as progress—especially compared to last season’s 5-0 defeat at the same ground—many feel the overall performance was largely unchanged. Lopetegui is still in the process of figuring out his best lineup after bringing in eight new players over the summer. It was always going to take time for the players to fully adapt to his preferred style and tactics.
Patience is necessary with a new manager, especially if there are glimpses of improvement, even if results aren’t immediate. However, some fans have voiced concerns that they haven’t yet seen any clear signs of Lopetegui’s tactical approach. West Ham podcaster and sports journalist Will Pugh, who attended the Fulham game, expressed his worries on the latest episode of the *We Are West Ham* podcast.
Pugh said, “It was really bad. Fulham deserved to win. They’re a much better team than people think and won’t be in a relegation fight. But we made them look like Brazil. We’re too shaky at the back, and it’s happened in games against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace too. We were lucky to get away with it against Palace, but the first half against Fulham felt exactly the same.”
He added, “What worries me most is that I still don’t know what Lopetegui’s style of play is when we have the ball. It feels like the plan is just to get the ball to Kudus and hope he can dribble past everyone. Jarrod Bowen, who was our best player last season, barely sees the ball anymore. It’s not that the players need more time to understand the system—it’s that I don’t even know what the system is.”
Pugh’s comments are a harsh critique of Lopetegui’s West Ham after just four Premier League games. While he makes valid points about the team’s lack of a clear style, there were moments of improvement, especially in the defeat to Manchester City, where the team caused some problems and hit the woodwork twice.
Is the performance against Fulham a sign of what’s to come? It’s still early to draw conclusions. This was the first game after the international break, and some players only had a couple of days to prepare with the rest of the squad. If by October there’s still no clear style or identity, then it might be time to start raising questions.