Julen Lopetegui verdict emerges live on Sky Sports News as pressure mounts at West Ham United
Tim Sherwood believes Julen Lopetegui is “massively underachieving” and is already under pressure to turn things around at West Ham.
With just two wins from their first eight matches of the Premier League campaign, the Hammers are five points above the relegation zone, just three spots above eighteenth-place Crystal Palace.
Having watched Lopetegui’s side throw away a 1-0 lead to Tottenham on Saturday 19 October, Sherwood was astonished as the 4-1 result unfolded at the London Stadium.
Speaking live via Sky Sports on Saturday (26 October, 12:46pm), he said: “They have changed because they’re not as secure at the back, not as organised.
“West Ham fans wanted a change, not necessarily Lopetegui, but this [Tottenham] was the biggest game of the season for the fans. The capitulation was so bad. After going 1-0 down, they just downed their tools.
“Tottenham played well, don’t get me wrong, but Lopetegui has a lot to do. He’s at a huge football club which is so well supported. It was a total capitulation. How can you be this stretched? They’ve got good players at West Ham but they seem to have no idea what the manager wants in and out of possession.
“He is massively underachieving at that football club and he needs to find a result as quickly as possible. When you make a change, you’re looking for progression. You’re not seeing progression there.”
Julen Lopetegui already under pressure at West Ham United
While Lopetegui is still understood to have the backing of the West Ham hierarchy [Florian Plettenberg], a defeat at the London Stadium to Manchester United on Sunday 27 October could be very damaging.
The Hammers have only claimed wins against Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, with their only other win coming against Bournemouth in the EFL Cup, but they have several difficult clashes so far.
Losses have come against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Chelsea, and the matter of some of those defeats have been far from ideal, with frustration emerging amongst the fanbase.
Lopetegui is unlikely to be sacked by the club’s hierarchy anytime soon, but with the number of talented stars added to the squad during the summer, the Hammers should be in a much better position at this point.
A win against the Red Devils could lift the Irons into the top half of the Premier League table, so it is not all doom and gloom yet, but fans are losing faith in the manager rather quickly.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers are leading the race to sign a winger from abroad, with the price tag already set.
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