Paul Merson launches brutal Lopetegui rant after ‘unbelievable’ West Ham snub
Paul Merson couldn’t believe Lucas Paqueta was left out of the starting lineup for West Ham United in the 3-1 loss against Leicester City as he predicted the scoreline for the upcoming Wolves clash.
Julen Lopetegui is expected to remain in charge of the Hammers as his side prepares to welcome Wolves to the London Stadium on Monday [9 December], despite ongoing concerns regarding his future [Dharmesh Sheth].
However, despite predicting a 2-0 victory for West Ham in his Premier League predictions for Sportskeeda [5 December], Merson slammed Lopetegui for not selecting Paqueta to face Leicester and believes the Spaniard doesn’t have what it takes to manage in the English top flight.
He said: “This is a massive game for both managers. Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil are under immense pressure. How can Wolves win 4-1 at Fulham, and then concede four goals in back-to-back defeats to Bournemouth and Everton? That’s just unbelievable.
“Speaking of unbelievable, I was baffled by how West Ham did not include Lucas Paqueta in their line-up to face Leicester. How can you do that? I don’t understand that decision. We all know Leicester won’t take the game to West Ham, they have a certain way of playing. It involves sitting back and hitting teams on the counter.
“We knew West Ham would enjoy a lot of the ball, so why not include Paqueta? He keeps the ball well and makes things happen. That worked quite well against Newcastle and Lopetegui made a big mistake by leaving him out. This is what happens when you bring in managers who don’t understand how the Premier League works. They may have done great things elsewhere in Europe, but it’s not the same here.
Lucas Paqueta has to start for West Ham United v Wolves
The Standard reported on 1 November that Paqueta was expected to miss the clash against Leicester as he was due to appear in front of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry [CPI] as part of the investigation into his four counts of alleged spot-fixing.
However, the Evening Standard provided a further update to the investigation on Monday [2 December], one day before the match, that the Brazilian had indeed not been summoned to provide evidence to the Brazilian parliament, confirming his availability for the contest.
Lopetegui may have already had his lineup in mind heading to the King Power Stadium before the news was announced – if so, it further adds to the claims that his stubbornness will ultimately be his downfall in East London.
The best managers adapt to the intensity of the Premier League and the quick-fire decisions that come their way; the Spaniard opting to leave Paqueta out of his side despite his availability is a self-destructive move on his part.
He may have lost the dressing room at the London Stadium [talkSPORT], but what else can be expected when the boss makes such short-minded decisions?
Regardless of the feelings towards the manager, the best players will continue to perform at the highest level possible under his guise; it is up to Lopetegui alone to answer why the usual high standards have fallen off a cliff under his stewardship.
The Spaniard has been awarded one last roll of the die at West Ham to overturn his fortunes [Fabrizio Romano], but for any supporter holding out hope that the tide will turn over Lopetegui, maybe it is time to stop holding your breath.
In other West Ham news, Max Allegri is in London monthly as a new Irons manager update emerges.
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