Julen Lopetegui has a big problem at West Ham as he looks to build a successful new look team and it’s David Moyes’ fault.
West Ham got their first home win of the new Premier League season against Ipswich.
But perhaps just as importantly, they got a good 90-minute performance too.
There is an argument to say it was West Ham’s best win of 2024 so far – both pre and post David Moyes’ departure.
The world and its wife has had their opinion on why the Hammers have struggled under the Scot’s predecessor Julen Lopetegui so far.
The truth is it’s a malaise that had set in long before the Spaniard’s arrival in east London.
December 29th 2023 to be precise.
Whether it was West Ham starting to believe their own hype, luck running out or failing to cope with absences of key players at different times in the month that followed, Moyes’ tenure started to unravel.
West Ham struggles this season were nothing new
Moyes had the Hammers perfectly placed in the top six of the Premier League table after back-to-back 2-0 wins at home to Man United and then away at Arsenal.
Having also beaten Spurs away 2-1, West Ham looked a safe bet for a fourth consecutive season of European football.
The Hammers were within striking distance of the top four, sparking dreams they might even make the Champions League.
Fast forward to present day and it says everything about the dismal collapse that ensued following the win at Arsenal that Moyes has been replaced by Lopetegui and the squad has been overhauled by 21 players.
West Ham had won just seven of their 32 games of 2024 until Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Ipswich.
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Lopetegui’s biggest problem at West Ham is entirely Moyes’ fault
Making winning a regular habit once again in east London will be key for the Hammers’ new head coach.
But Lopetegui’s biggest problem at West Ham is entirely Moyes’ fault.
David Sullivan has handed Lopetegui a Hammers contract with a difference.
The length of the Spaniard’s deal was never officially announced.
But it is a two-year contract with a interesting caveat that will be tough to trigger.
Should West Ham qualify for Europe of any kind, Lopetegui will automatically have a third year triggered.
Achieving that this season looks extremely difficult, though.
And there is no lack of irony in the reason why.
Earlier this summer Kevin Nolan admitted something Moyes did derailed West Ham’s season last term.
The former assistant coach says Moyes’ decision to publicly state he would talk about his contract at the end of the season created uncertainty among the squad which ultimately unsettled players and created an unwelcome distraction.
A ninth-place finish was respectable enough but was an anti-climax given the position West Ham had put themselves in halfway through the season.
Ironically Moyes failing to seal qualification for Europe has now made that same task a tough ask for his successor Lopetegui.
West Ham spent £155m on nine signings in the summer and the stated aim is to make Europe.
That requires an average points-per-game ratio of around two. After seven games the Hammers have just over one point per game.
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The trouble is with no European football it is impossible for Lopetegui to keep his much-improved squad playing regularly and happy as a result.
Quality players like Crysencio Summerville are barely getting a kick so far.
Luis Guilherme is unlikely to get any substantial action unless injuries dictate.
At least two international midfielders are going to be miffed at not starting every week too.
There are no real opportunities to give the back-up goalkeeper some minutes either.
When so many quality players are not getting game time, it’s hard to foster a close knit team spirit.
If West Ham were in Europe then all their players would be getting games most weeks.
The Hammers are also out of the Carabao Cup, meaning there’s even less games for Lopetegui to share out.
West Ham were in such a great position to make Europe last season. It was a real own goal not making it.
The only positive is that West Ham should be fresh for every single game with no midweek fixture overloads.
That could bear fruit over the busy winter period.
But Lopetegui will have to somehow get players to buy into his vision while not playing as much as they would like.
That is the real key to this West Ham side being a success and it’s not going to be easy.
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