West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui urgently needs to get back to basics for the upcoming Premier League match against Everton.
In his preview press conference, Lopetegui reflected on West Ham’s struggle after going down to 10 men against Nottingham Forest, citing Edson Alvarez’s red card with the team only trailing 1-0. However, focusing solely on the second-half challenge overshadows deeper issues in the first half, when West Ham had a full team of players.
With eleven men on the pitch in the first 45 minutes at the City Ground, the team’s performance was dismal. Lopetegui deployed at least five players in unfamiliar roles within a rarely used formation, throwing the Hammers off balance. Jarrod Bowen, undersized against Forest’s physical defenders, was forced to play centrally, while playmaker Lucas Paquetá was awkwardly positioned on the right wing, often having to outpace faster opponents. Crysencio Summerville’s narrow and deep placement limited his impact, managing just one dribble. Emerson, meanwhile, was occupying Summerville’s space the left touchline, crossing to Bowen who was outmatched in the air.
Predictably, this tactical experiment failed, with West Ham unable to register a shot until the 44th minute, despite having all players on the field.
While Alvarez’s red card hampered them in the second half, Lopetegui must acknowledge that his muddled first-half tactics also contributed to the 3-0 defeat. If he simplifies the approach, he has a good chance of besting Everton and securing his job. But if he continues forcing players into unnatural roles and unsuitable systems, he’ll have no one to blame but himself.
