The name Guillem Balague might not be known to all of you West Ham fans who frequent Claret and Hugh so I’ll elaborate a little. The Spaniard is -(thanks Wiki) ” a Spanish football journalist, author, and pundit. He was a regular pundit on Sky Sports’ show Revista de la Liga and has also written for some of Britain’s newspapers as well as several Spanish newspapers”.
He’s been a well known supporter of countryman Julen Lopetegui and, whilst I admire his loyalty, I’m not sure he’s correct when he dives to J’Lo’s defence – again – taking to his own twitterX account accordingly after the loss against Leicester.
“The team played very well against Newcastle and also Leicester (31 shots on goal, record this season!), but they lack the confidence you acquire when you win two consecutive games. They also need to adjust the high line employed yesterday, and not to concede so early. That is more work in training, not an impossible task.
“Mind is everything in football and you can tell the players lack calmness right now in key moments during matches.”
“It does feel though that the team believes in the idea and in the leadership, that is what it seemed yesterday. It is starting to be a recognisable team that wants to dominate, create chances, entertain”
Lopetegui’s supporter Guillem Balague
I’m not sure he and West Ham fans have been watching the same games.
I’d ask myself – why do they need to ‘adjust the high line’ – because it was a naive set up against a renown Premier League predator who specialises in running off the full backs. 100% down to the way the coach set them up.
The players lack calmness – why? Because they’ve been set up wrong so often I don’t believe they buy into the head coach’s approach any more.
Compare with Tim Sherwood’s blunt summary on Sky Sports: “They are playing as if they have just been thrown on the pitch and wherever they land is where they play. There is absolutely no structure to their play. The manager has got it all wrong.”
Having watched the game myself – I know whose opinion I’d go with.
I’ll bet you a Christmas pudding he’s gone by the weekend.
