WORST OF ALL: West Ham continues to Face bitter days under Lopetegui after summer trio first debut to starting XI drops a stinker to Forget at Anfield.
West Ham faced a tough challenge against Liverpool on Wednesday night in the League Cup, suffering a heavy 5-1 defeat against the side managed by Arne Slot. The Hammers were outclassed and looked completely out of their depth, with Liverpool’s attack dominating throughout the match.
Despite significant summer spending under new manager Julen Lopetegui, West Ham’s season has been underwhelming. They currently sit 14th in the Premier League, and this humiliating loss only adds to their struggles.
Several players underperformed for West Ham, with three standing out in particular. First is goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, who conceded five goals and appeared well past his prime. Fabianski has been a reliable Premier League keeper for a decade, once boasting a save percentage of over 70% for six straight seasons. However, this season, his save percentage has dipped to 66%, and Wednesday’s performance was a low point, with the 39-year-old looking sluggish and out of form. Any debate about whether Fabianski is still a better option than Alphonse Areola should be settled after this game.
Jean-Clair Todibo, a promising young center-back with a Barcelona background, was equally disappointing. Having impressed in Ligue 1 with Nice and snubbed Juventus to join West Ham, Todibo’s performance was a major letdown. He looked completely lost defensively, wasteful in possession, and nothing like the top-class defender he has been in recent seasons. At just 24, he has plenty of room to improve, but if he continues like this, his future at West Ham may be in doubt.
Lastly, midfielder Edson Alvarez, another talented player, had a poor outing against Liverpool. Known for his defensive abilities rather than his playmaking, Alvarez struggled to hold onto the ball, completing fewer than 80% of his passes and regularly giving possession away. To keep his spot in the starting lineup, Alvarez will need to improve his ball retention and offensive contributions. His night got worse when he received two yellow cards, resulting in a red. His reckless second challenge, especially while already on a yellow, was a moment of poor judgment more expected from an inexperienced player than a 26-year-old regular starter.
Overall, this match highlighted some key issues for West Ham that they’ll need to address moving forward.