West Ham and Julen Lopetegui seem to be experiencing something of an identity crisis. We appear to be stuck in a “halfway house” with our football, where our approach is neither fully committed to defence nor entirely embracing attack.
In yesterday’s 4-1 defeat against Spurs, we pushed players forward after going 2-1 behind, yet initially set up defensively. The contrast between the two styles was night and day because in the first half we had ten men behind the ball. However, when West Ham started chasing the game we left only Max Kilman and Jean Clair Todibo to defend. The tactics were a case of two extremes and nothing in the middle.
It’s hard to determine whether we are tactically structured or merely reactive, but the Hammers look muddled. This inconsistency hints at a lack of conviction, which is troubling for a new head coach aiming to impose his vision on the team.
In many respects, Lopetegui’s intentions to quickly claw the game back with three substitutions were promising. However, the ‘rush football’ approach focused solely on attack left us exposed and was completely different from the defensive shape we started the game with.
Looking at how the likes of Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham hold firm to their style, regardless of criticism or setbacks, it’s evident that strong managers have a well-defined philosophy. Postecoglou stuck with his aggressive, high-risk tactics, which got him to where he is despite mounting media pressure. That’s something our head coach might be struggling with—settling on a clear vision as he seems to be jumping from one approach to another and just reacting to situations as they develop.
West Ham tactics were all over the place
We started yesterdays Tottenham game, ironically, playing like Moyes-era West Ham—counter-attacking and parking the bus. It was working for a while too, and even Peter Crouch in the Spurs-biased commentary team acknowledged how difficult we were to break down. However, it all fell apart in the second half following Ange’s tactical switch, and we pushed forward recklessly. What followed was a series of goals conceded in quick succession—the team seemed completely lost.
Transitioning between contrasting styles mid-game isn’t working for us. If our manager continues to waver between approaches, comparisons to Moyes will only grow. Stability comes from conviction, and right now, we’re missing that.
In short, I’m not entirely sure what Lopetegui’s tactics are, as they seem to change in-game and from match to match. So, if he doesn’t know, how can the players?
