Julen Lopetegui makes Konstantinos Mavropanos error yet again – West Ham confirmed XI v Chelsea
Julen Lopetegui continues to prefer Konstantinos Mavropanos over Jean-Clair Todibo in his West Ham United starting XI as they face Chelsea on Saturday (21 September).
The Hammers posted their starting XI on X with Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville coming into the side, but one glaring omission has been made in defence.
Lopetegui’s side were woefully under-par in the 1-1 draw at Fulham last time out, only rescuing a point thanks to Danny Ings’ last-gasp goal, with Mavropanos largely at fault for Raul Jimenez’s opener.
However, by keeping faith with the centre-back, Lopetegui has shown that he’s still hesitant to trust new signing Todibo with a Premier League start, as the Irons seek only their second win of the new season.
Julen Lopetegui omits Jean-Clair Todibo for West Ham v Chelsea
Alphonse Areola, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and a fit-again Emerson Palmieri keeping their places after the draw at Craven Cottage is no great surprise, despite the two full-backs coming under pressure.
Mavropanos, meanwhile, was the player who looked most likely to come out of the side, particularly with Todibo, a French international, waiting in the wings following a high-profile summer transfer saga.
Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez were also given the run-around in midfield with both picking up yellow cards, and they’ll need to provide much more solidity against Chelsea’s free-scoring frontline.
Playing Tomas Soucek further forward in a more advanced role – at the expense of Paqueta, no less – did not have the desired effect against Fulham, and so the Brazilian’s return at number 10 is a sensible one.
In attack, Bowen and Kudus remain the Hammers’ most dangerous players, and with Bowen moving into the number nine role, Summerville finally gets his chance on the left as Kudus switches sides.
Ings’ late goal is arguably the sole reason Lopetegui isn’t already under huge pressure in East London, and though he’ll have hoped to earn a start, he may have better luck with another late cameo.
In other West Ham news, international media lauded one Hammers star after he “finished off what he started”.
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