'West Ham fans are within their right to question Lopetegui' | Nick Fan Cam | West Ham 0-3 Chelsea

[@characterscapes]

Hello Nick. I don't watch the watchalongs (I didnt even with Charlie), but good to have ya on Hammers Chat.

[@westham11996688]

I didn't know anything about Jlo before his appointment but, was quite happy that with Nobles and Steidtens influence we would get a good manager. I read everything possible about this guy, I watched everything that i could find. So I was expecting 433 with lots of possession, building out from the back, a slow build up, lots of diagonal balls. He was an ex goalkeeper so pragmatic and leant his trade under cruyff. This all sounded brilliant and I had dreams of champions league. What I have watched so far has no relationship to what I had learnt . So bearing all this in mind I think we need to give this guy more time and understand what he is trying to do. Lots of new players and staff , all with very good credentials but, the thing that is missing is the relationship between these player and a clear identity of the team. Chelsea looked top 4, villa are top 4, mancity are the best team 8n the world , Fulham beat Newcastle yesterday. Let's not behave like tottenham fans thinking we are up there with the best and get behind the team. COYI

[@jamesgunn7]

Sullivan will spend hundreds of millions on players but will only take managers out of a job. Makes no sense at all

[@beaugromowski-cook505]

He doesnt take managers out of there jobs mate what u on abt

[@davidharris1686]

He means we only take managers who are already out of a job when we employ them. I.E- the cheap option

[@ShamrockDan]

Exactly

[@richmushroomman8769]

Makes a lot of sense Nick.

[@luckylee6009]

I'm a Chelsea fan, 50 years. Your video came up on my KZbin feed as I watched highlights of the game. I respect the 'brutal' honesty of West Ham fans! I heard a comment from an ex player that during pre-season - Lopetegui was criticizing players to death during training. That method went out with the dinosaurs. It diminishes players causing them to doubt themselves, breeding confusion. In modern football it only works when players believe they can win trophies, hence, they will put up with it. How would you feel at work with your boss constantly putting you down? You either give him the middle finger or withdraw into your shell, either way it's stupid stress that doesn't help anyone. Balance is needed. Build players up as well. Always be truthful with them, they know when it's BS. I'm amazed at how well Maresca is doing with such a big squad at Chelsea, 'the poison chalice'. None of the other managers could cope. He's been crystal clear: this is how I play, if you don't buy in, you don't play. He assessed the giant squad and told them, 24 are my weekly squad, the rest - train elsewhere, fight or leave, your choice. No Chelsea manager since the takeover has been this clear cut. It's refreshing. But a long way to go with this lot...... With regards to West Ham, everything depends on the next 10 games. If they muddle along, picking up enough points to keep out of relegation, the board will keep him because they don't want to lose face after appointing him. Lopetegui is better served to lighten up a bit. Build players confidence. Work on tactics and strategies that suit the players. But that will take a minor miracle - because the manager is under stress/flight/fight survival mode, he will double down on his default methods, no matter how ineffective. The miracle is in him changing his ways or at least tweaking them. West ham have a good squad, a better suited manager would turn them into a team other teams don't want to face. Next 10 games, let's see what happens........you never know things could somehow click into place.

[@paulmccarthy6663]

Great summing up Lee - have been very impressed with how Maresca has Chelsea playing so far and you’re spot on with your assessment of us (West Ham). I was unconvinced by his appointment and remain so. I’m boring myself but if we had managed to get Amorim over the line and a striker like Duran I think we’d have started a lot brighter. Unfortunately it is what it is and everyone at the club needs to sharpen up.

[@hi-tech55]

Lopetegui isn't the manager for us. I can see we have signed some dead wood. I have seen enough, so time to move him on.

[@SamJ031]

The buck stops at the top. If we want a modern, forward thinking coach we need a modern, forward thinking owner. Sullivan wouldn’t dare to hire someone like Hürzeler or Maresca. Too preoccupied with what someone has achieved in the past rather than what they might achieve in the future.

[@Poikka65]

Sullivan is 75 yrs old , so he's old school. There's absolutely no chance he going for a young and up and coming manager, its not on Sullivans dna

[@scott7975]

I sound like a broken record but I have been saying the week before the transfer window closed that we need another strong, quick, ball playing midfielder, because our CM is so slow

[@MrBngwatson]

I'm sorry but the manager is crap!!!!!

[@transituk1616]

we have every right to question Lope at this point in time. he’s spent over 100 million this window yet can’t really form any results with it

[@TonyHammer61]

The "continue with Mavrapanos regardless" decision is baffling. Even more baffling was the formation yesterday, with the slow, rash Alvarez dropping into the back line to go 1 on 1 with Jackson, and the error strewn Mavrapanos pressing high and leaving huge gaps behind him - again. He must know that Alvarez is a destroyer and is not fast, so why put him up against Jackson? Todibo was part of the best defence in Europe in 2024 and is quick. Why not play him in a back 3 if that is the formation you want to play? Since when is Antonio the answer to anything these days? Taking arguably our best player off (Summerville) was baffling. Wasting Kudus on the left once he took Summerville off was baffling. Play players in their best position. Any coach who doesn't do that is walking towards the sack in my opinion

[@ricochet2977]

Totally agree with everything you said, I would add that allowing WAN-Bassaka to maraud forward without the discipline to get back is a huge mistake, everything came down our right side and we didn’t correct it, Chelsea cut through our defence like a knife through butter and could probably have scored 5/6 goals with better finishing.

[@HVNYHammer84-s6v]

At this point, Lop has all the gear, and absolutely NO idea. None. Firstly, I never thought Lop studied us. I did say, "If Lop did study us, we should have a chance." He didnt start till 4 wks before, not 6 mo. Secondly, he is NOT the one we as fans by-and-large wanted to coach the team. But we were making a call for a style of football that, according to some, this man would hopefully be able to make front-footed, supportive, tactical, clinically sound, pressing attack based football, because there were glimpses of this working all over Spain. As fans, we would've taken the prospect of having just the HOPE of that style of football, over returning to guarding w/10 men in the 18th yd box &fumbled transfer windows. Lop has EVERYTHING he could possibly need to bring home wins. He doesnt know how. COYI ⚒️ GOD HELP US ALL.

[@cm-oo1td]

Only west ham could find another manager as clueless as Moyes 😮

[@2009kall]

SULLIVAN IS THE EXPERT

[@characterscapes]

@@2009kall Sullivan loves to waste money on players but for managers we must get a free one

[@obsidiancurse429]

Totally agree mate, how long do you hold your hand in the fire before you realise the pains only going to get worse, not better? We suspected he wasn’t right, we heard Tim and Noble argued he wasn’t right but Sully listened to his mate as usual. But that’s why we are stuck with him, no way Sully will admit that we, Tim, Noble etc we’re right and he was wrong, not until it gets desperate, which it will in 3 games time when we lose to Ipswich.

[@markwilson4991]

5 more games, no improvement, sack him

[@purplecrayon7281]

5? I'm giving him just 2.

[@Poikka65]

You are talking about sullivan. He won't sack because that costs money

[@garygold6894]

Totally agree, we should question J-Lo , Tolibo is regarded as best CB in Europe,. If the manager has watched us ,as much as he said,has knows west ham, then he must know as fans we simply want to watch entertaining football, and win more games then we lose (hopefully) lose the fan base as a manager you are lost. Why do we keep playing ,players out of position,. Chelsea have been in the same position this season as us new manager, loads of new players, and they have 9 points, we have 4 , do Chelsea have a better manager? Methinks is so. No.more excuses, how many games do you give J-Lo ..love your simple analysis

[@tonyhirst3628]

that VAR decision was utter lunacy, who's watching it, AI? its like Orwell's 1984, 'what colour is....

[@andrew7780]

Liverpool Brentford and Ipswich up next can easily see 3 straight defeats out of these games from what I’ve witnessed from Lopetegui’s tactics this early in the season.

[@BenningsWhu]

Very knowledgeable, you seem to be around my age range so you know what you are talking about. I never wanted JLO in the first place

[@leefr76]

Let’s reserve judgement on the manager until after the next two league games. Lose them both or come away with just one point, then start panicking!

[@thisisstevet]

Good points there, Nick. All valid

[@Michaelkelly-z3c]

Next few weeks will tell us more got a few easier games so points should be easier to acquire - if not JLO is fair game for the fans

[@kevinpeffer4761]

Afraid I can't agree that Bowen or Paquata had a good game today. Could only single out Kudos and Somerville to be honest. Definitely penalty though.

[@ChingChangWallah.]

Nor me. Did Paqueta even completie a pass?

[@ricochet2977]

Bowen didn’t receive a single pass for the first 20 minutes, if you don’t give him the right ball/pass it’s hard to blame for having a bad game.

[@ChingChangWallah.]

@@ricochet2977 Do you think he had a good game? If not you must agree with the comment. No one blamed him.

[@nickcarson6389]

There is a precedent, Palace sacked De Boer I think it was after only 4 games a few years back

[@ironix1]

I knew those fans that agreed to give the manager time never meant it! It is always the same nowadays. Instant success or sack.

[@HammersChat]

I (Geo) completely disagree with that, I’ve seen loads pissed off but happy to wait.

[@obsidiancurse429]

I don’t want instant success but I want to see some improvement game to game, however slight. We are regressing, I’ve never seen so many good players look so bad . No one seems to be thriving under this guy, except maybe Somerville but he got subbed for daring to not look like a Sunday league sack of 💩 🤣

[@ricochet2977]

⁠@@HammersChat It’s seems the vast majority of comments on here are calling for him to go, it was a similar situation with the Arsenal fans saying the same about Mikel Arteta who got two seasons before he really came good, and I’m not saying he deserves two seasons because I agree he needs to sort out the situation with Mavropanos by either playing 3 at the back or dropping him for Todibo, he also needs to sort out whether Wan-Bassaka is a fullback or a midfielder?

[@StephenUren-qb6ff]

Hi Nick, liked your summary and I do question Lopetegui and his choice of tactics, subs and formations, even though I don't see what happens in the training sessions. What I DO NOT agree with is Lopetegui's post match interview in which he infers that it is the players fault and not his coaching and that he is working with mostly Moyes players? You are the Coach Julien and these are professional players who are used to working with different coaches, you must instil your tactics and ideas on the players so they understand, that's your job and what you get paid for!

[@paulcummings9015]

He survived for 10 weeks at Real Madrid

[@montanaprime]

12:56 Nick you hit it on the head here. What is the reason to keep him if he doesn’t make the rational decisions? But I tell you this, Sullivan and Brady are the major problem with this B.S. of wanting a manager with prem experience. The football is too slow for us to punish teams.

[@ethanbast3945]

For me, I think we can’t sack him already. I don’t disagree with arguments that people have against him. He has been backed with some of the most money spent in the league this past summer, and spent well on good players as many fans, WHU and neutral alike. Other teams have the same issues of new players / managers bedding into new clubs, international break and fitness issues, yet still seem to be getting more out from their teams on game day. However, we could quickly become similar to Chelsea constantly swapping managers mid season. I feel the odds a new guy comes in already and gets a tune out of our squad are equal to Lopetegui turning it around at this point. Come December, maybe not. But a new manager at this point would completely reset the post Moyes era. He should get more time to show us what he convinced Steiden of. I don’t think we’ll be anyways near going down if we stick with Lopetegui, and I didn’t predict we’d get European football anyway before the season started. I thought maybe we’d finish 10-8th. I still think we could easily do that with J-Lo, and even if we don’t, again I don’t think we’ll be near the relegation zone. The way we’ve run the club from a financial stand point recently, I don’t think finishing 12th-10th would be that different of a 9th-8th finish, and think Lop should be capable of that even with this start. If we’re 14th or below come December, I’ll hope there’s serious discussions in the club to change managers, but don’t yet think we’ll get in that position. So I still say give him time.

[@markyboy7012]

I said from day 1 I’d happily write off this season as it’s a massive transition - but a write-off forme is a mid table finish I also said I’d give him 10 games to get a system & best 11 sorted However, I’m seriously rethinking that on the basis I don’t think Lopetegui is the right appointment. No idea why he kept starting Soucek. And Antonio at Fulham. Or why he keeps starting Mavrapanos. And why today he subbed our best player off. Not quite squeaky bum time but getting there. I left on 80 minutes today. Unusual for me. And I don’t give a fuck who criticises me for it. My money. My choice.

[@nigelbaldwin1038]

Brentford have eight players out. If we lose that one, he must be sacked ….

[@ethanbast3945]

The only reason I’d take Moyes back is then I’d know who to blame, Moyes and then I’d want him gone. Rn idk if I blame J-Lo or the players or both or someone else.

[@woodhammer8341]

Great video. I think it's also fair and accurate to lay blame at Sullivan's door if this whole Lopetegui thing continues to fail. He was the cheap option, not necessarily the right option. We all thought it and have been gaslighting ourselves in to believing otherwise because we are desperate for this to work out. But if it doesn't, blame the organ grinder, not the monkey.

[@chippe999]

Either Loppy is a chancer, which is possible, since he hasn't been as successful as people seem to think....or, our players are total shite and Moyes is a genius, and got more out of them than any other manager ever could.

[@PaulAckerman-c2h]

Got to blame the board Sullivan doesn’t care what the fans want ⚒️

[@cm-oo1td]

I think he's trying to beat his record of getting sacked at real Madrid, how many weeks was it before they sussed him out ?

[@nicevid117]

it's going to be a tough season. anyone who thought differently going into the season is an optimist and i envy you.

[@HVNYHammer84-s6v]

Wolves fans warned us about the panicked subs thing Lop does...

[@SuperALBSURE]

I think you start to worry when they start doubling down on mistakes. That’s what turned me off Moyes. It’s too early to see that with JLo. He literally hasn’t done the same things for every game. And he seems to try to change things pretty fast when it’s not working (whether the changes are right is another question!) I just think it takes time to take a club with a low block counter attack philosophy for the last 4yrs and make them different. The issue is can he coach this change? I think he probably can but not without mistakes, losses and false starts. Every mistake we make we learn from. We should learn from yesterday. In fact, I think it probably makes sense trying to play a new style against the harder at teams (city, villa and Chelsea) because that will put you in good stead for lesser teams. I think it’s silly to panic over 5 games.

[@samuelshaw6986]

Where’s Charlie

[@talkingballs]

🥱

[@akwamarsunzal]

These watchalong muppets are not a patch on Charlie! Since they started the watchalongs I watchalong elsewhere! They are like watching paint dry!

[@MrBngwatson]

I was thinking that too

[@characterscapes]

Charlie left Hammers Chat, he got a job in his field

[@akwamarsunzal]

@@characterscapes Sadly, we know that. Now stuck with a couple of old women droning on for 90 minutes! And, if you are one of them, maybe you should go get a job in your field because commentating on a watchalong aint one of them!

[@deanhodges2852]

Having listened to the post match interview lopetegui gave then we had all better be prepared for soucek in the 10 role for the rest of the season

[@doghouse100148]

To create a team the characters must enjoy each other’s game and I. Don’t see enough of this to think any real change is going to happen.COYI⚒

[@ricochet2977]

I agree, Bowen’s a good lad and a great player but you need a captain with character and one who can pull everyone together so they enjoy their time together, I didn’t see the players working for one another yesterday.

[@Mikes_Travels]

Doesn't Todibo have to start 5 Premier league games for us to then have a £40m liability to sign him next summer? If true, maybe that's all you need to know re why he isn't starting 🤷‍♂️ If he isn't fit, then that's down to JLo and his team who should have him fit enough by now. Im not a JLo out yet, but this coach is beginning to worry me

[@paunixon]

I am JL in, but I have to say it seems he doesn't have a first 11. That worries me. His tactics seem rigid. His subs, like you say, seem reactionary and indiscriminate. I guess my question is - Is this a question of the King has no clothes? Or is it a question of wait, like Arsenal did with Arteta - who seemed like a nightmare for the first season. I don't see a team yet. Hoping we are patient, but understand the anger/disbelief.

[@petehabanasukie9008]

To all you young hammers, welcome to WH pre Moyes all the way to Redknapp,

[@carlstoakes6240]

I find myself as being really angry all day. Why can we not play well as a team. We have amazing players. It can't all be JLo. AWB I saw literally standing on the by-line watching play. I can understand JLo's very vocal frustrations.

[@montanaprime]

This is Moyes with a Spanish name

[@AlfieTheHammer363]

He hasn’t got a clue , He’s worse than Moyes but Sullivan won’t want to pay so He will drag it out for a few more weeks, but He ain’t getting No better , Should have gone for Brighton manager someone who plays our way , Chelsea just danced through like We weren’t there 🤬

[@FlowDeFlowDrainage]

Slippery slope mate. Sacked Zola got Grant got relegated. Let Sam run out his full term smooth transition to Bilic. Sacked Bilic then didn't keep Moyes and Pelligrini spends a ton of money to get us flirting with relegation. To be fair I thought he should have been given more time but here we are. They let et Moyes run out his deal (should have kept him on as Lopetegui is a reaction to a vacancy rather than a new direction) and here we are. We have let him spend a lot of money on players so we need to let him try to make it work. Personally I think the possesion based thing is a fantasy and the sooner we realise it the better. To play possession football all your players have to be comfortable on the ball. Too many of ours are not. They are fine for quick breaks with a few passes. But at this levels mistakes are fatal and we give the ball away too much to build a possession based game on it. The last half decent possession based team we had was under Bilic. That was a long time ago and we had Payet and Lanzini. As many of us said this is a results business and if you lose sight of that you get hurt.

[@whiskyman4756]

First few moments of thar explains why a lot of the media think our fans are a joke. Right to ask for a change of manager after 5 games. Ok Nick off you go and recruit Guardiola. I bet he’d jump at the chance. Let’s have more Geo with his sensible stuff and less of this guy please.

[@lloydbuchan1986]

They hired J-Lo cause of his CV on paper rather than looking at his style. I feel like we are watching scooby doo, and when they take off the mask it will be moyes underneath

[@Lysdexia]

As we say in Scotland - J-Lo's jaiket is on a shoogly peg. Already.

[@cm-oo1td]

Maybe lopy thinks he can sign the rest of the Brasil team to get the best out of paqueta

[@ShamrockDan]

Maybe the Lollypopgoo Spanish tactical style & way of thinking doesn't work in the PL ? 🤔 🤦

[@charlieanthony9367]

Have to ask, did you cut your own hair today Nick? Someone’s done away with ya sideburns fella 😂

[@davidwatts8578]

Reality check - this Chelsea team are top 4 form and have been since end of last season. Doesn’t explain why we are so exposed defensively .

[@akwamarsunzal]

Todibo is carrying a knock! Yeah, lets start playing players who are carying a knock!

[@obsidiancurse429]

Says who? He’s shown no signs of it in the training videos and if he has a knock why’s he on the bench?

[@akwamarsunzal]

@@obsidiancurse429 Say Ex I believe. And its not unusual to have a player on the bench who is carrrying a small knock

[@akwamarsunzal]

Get him out after 5 games? Man City, Villa, Chelski? Some people need to give theri heads a fucking wobble!

[@petehabanasukie9008]

I feel the team spirit is missing

[@The_Rizz_Lord_]

Ha ha. Looks like nothing has changed since moyes left. It's moyes 2.0. lol What a joke. I knew this would happen. I was one of few that didn't agree with his appointment.

[@irons1980]

Still way too early though, it’s ridiculous

[@stevie1derful1]

Ah just give him some time. I think it's gonna take a long time to get things right. I do think the players that are so entrenched in the moyes way are finding it hard to adapt. Bowen should not be captain, it's messing with his head.

[@Poikka65]

Absolutely rubbish , you surd your a hammer

[@theoisme]

Kudos will be gone as soon as he can

[@ekim3380]

there is scullduggery a foot

[@raydeeble6053]

Sick of saying same things

[@snizzern4530]

yeah sure you dont sound upset about chelsea at all :/

[@garykray66]

Poor from owners as won’t at for good manager that’s young

[@thisisstevet]

Was a pen all day long

[@evangeloslagoudis2448]

Think you are a liability

[@grelch]

If Lopetegui needs to go then Steidten needs to go even more. All of these new people, Lopetegui, his coaches and all of the players, they’re all his recruits.

[@hi-tech55]

That's exactly what I said. They are Laurel and Hardy. That's another fine mess they have got us into.

[@obsidiancurse429]

Disagree, all the insiders were saying Loppy was Sullys choice, not Tim’s. Tim and Nobes argued against him but Sulky and Brady overruled them. Tim pretending Loppy was a perfect fit was only for the cameras. This was all said before the crap start, it was part of the reason the fans didn’t want him, we knew our sporting and football directors didn’t want him.

[@ralphenjoyingthesun4233]

That's Bs jlo has the players he just doesn't have any tactics..From what I have seen it looks like a failure he doesn't know what he is doing..I can see us losing 3 out of next 4 ...

[@grelch]

@@obsidiancurse429 wasn’t aware of that.

[@enzofan_]

You gonna talk about how Summerville dove so much that he should’ve been carded on that “pen” 😭😭😭