Darren Bent drops West Ham United relegation prediction in new Lopetegui verdict
Darren Bent does not believe West Ham will be relegated this season but has told Julen Lopetegui to get more out of his attacking players.
The Hammers are in 14th place after the first 11 matches of the Premier League campaign, having claimed just three victories against Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town and Manchester United.
Lopetegui is already feeling the pressure despite only taking over in the summer, and with players lacking quality in the final third, the Spaniard has multiple problems to fix if he is to save his job.
Speaking live via talkSPORT [22 November, 4:45pm], Bent said: Lopetegui’s got to find a way of getting more out of these attacking players.”
Andy Goldstein asked: “They won’t go down?” to which Bent replied: “No. They’ve got a lot of quality in the squad.”
Julen Lopetegui surely capable of steering West Ham United away from relegation
While Lopetegui has put the Hammers in this current position, his previous experiences with Real Madrid, Wolves and Spain would suggest he has what it takes to push the team up the league table.
However, the Spaniard is running out of time to prove himself in the top tier of English football, with the Hammers set to make a decision based on the upcoming fixtures with Newcastle United and Arsenal [The Guardian].
It is a very difficult predicament, with the Hammers only five points above the dropzone after the first 11 matches, and multiple possible replacements available for David Sullivan to pick from.
Edin Terzic looks to be the likeliest candidate to replace Lopetegui if the Irons do make the tough decision [TBR Football], but with relegation certainly a possibility this season, something needs to change.
Sullivan has been berated for many of his choices recently but he could get the fans back onside if he is to get rid of Lopetegui already.
In other West Ham news, one player could nail the final coffin in Lopetegui’s coffin, he has 2 wins in 24 meetings v Newcastle United and Arsenal.
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