The Hammers rumour mill suggests that Lopetegui maybe on borrowed time, whilst our own common sense suggests two more heavy defeats in the forthcoming matches against Newcastle and Arsenal are inevitable if West Ham perform as they did against Everton.
At which point the Hammers would be within touching distance of the relegation zone and surely that would be the trigger for the board to act to remove Lopetegui.
The current front runner to replace him, Edin Terzic (who has been in the UK this week) – could, we read, be installed before the Christmas run of more winnable, easier fixtures.
With so many sources claiming the Croatian former assistant to Slaven Bilic is the ‘most likely’ head coach designate, it felt like time to do the research on what he would bring to London Stadium. An initial set of great results in the Bundesliga labelled him a ‘clear winner’: A deeper dive would suggest, however, that Terzic will not be a magic bullet at West Ham.
Indeed, after the departure of his key man Jude Bellingham who was sold to Real Madrid, results fell away and there was a familiar criticism of Terzic’s Dortmund.
In remarkable parallels, research from October 2023 – ‘totalfootballanalysis.com’ – could equally be speaking about Lopetegui’s West Ham:
“The team has frequently showcased a lack of incisiveness in their play. They tend to pass the ball back and forth between the flanks without posing a genuine threat to their opponents. In essence, it appears as though Dortmund has almost abandoned a possession-based build-up strategy. Their approach sometimes lacks the drive and determination required during the build-up phase, which raises questions about their work ethic and commitment to breaking down their opposition.”
Ringing any bells yet?
“..Edin Terzić and his analysis team devised a strategy centred around forcing long passes to the wing-backs. In reality, Dortmund plays the most long passes from the top teams in the Bundesliga.”
Now that gets me worried and sounds like Lopetegui 2.0. And finally :
“This heavy reliance on long passes is quite unusual for a possession-based side like Dortmund. It highlights their struggles in executing a more refined build-up play.”
This warning from last year suggests Terzic’s solution certainly seems to offer no magic bullet. Limited tactical options and without a playmaker who can pick a pass: Are we ready for Moyes Ball III?
