Robbie Savage speculates Lopetegui agony after what’s happened at West Ham
Julen Lopetegui will go through “agonies and emotions” in the West Ham United and Wolves clash, Robbie Savage says.
The former Welsh footballer feels the game between the Hammers and Gary O’Niel’s team on Monday [9 November] could be a turning point for one of the two managers, with the Spaniard under pressure at the London Stadium.
In his Mirror column [7 December, pg 61], Savage predicted the Irons to win, writing: “West Ham’s game with Wolves on Monday night feels like it’s going to be a turning point in somebody’s season.
“I’m not sure which way it will go — although the Hammers have a knack of pulling a home win out of the hat when they need it most.
“And as a manager myself, albeit at a much lower level than the Premier League, I can imagine the agonies and emotions that Lopetequi and O’Neil will go through for 90 minutes.
“Football is an unforgiving business. It’s only 12 days or so ago that West Ham’s win at Newcastle seemed to have lifted the pressure on Lopetegui — that’s how quickly the game can turn on you.”
The Hammers are currently 15th in the Premier League table after 14 matches, but Lopetegui has been given another shot at securing his job against 19th-place Wolves [Fabrizio Romano, 5 December].
Julen Lopetegui end near at West Ham
The former Sevilla head coach seems to be at the end of his wits at the London Stadium, managing just four wins in the English top flight this season.
Despite the Irons investing a lot of money in the squad over the summer, the 58-year-old has the East London club amongst the worst teams in the league.
Tim Steidten must be wondering what’s gone wrong at the Hammers after signing the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, Guido Rodriguez and Crysencio Summerville in the previous transfer window.
West Ham fans were hoping to see their team fighting to get back into Europe, but instead, they’ve been made to see drab football, with the East London club fighting for survival.
The 3-1 loss to Leicester at the King Power on 3 December should’ve been the final nail in the coffin for Lopetegui, but it looks like the Hammers’ hierarchy can’t come to that conclusion.
David Sullivan can’t let this go on any longer and needs to pull the trigger at the Irons before things go from bad to worse.
In other West Ham news, Lopetegui has issued a message after the decision over his sacking.
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