Early pressure is already mounting on the shoulders of Julen Lopetegui but three West Ham stars have spoken up for the manager.
There has been something of a pile-on by the media and some fans when it comes to Julen Lopetegui at West Ham.
Understandably so given the performances of the Hammers under the new head coach so far.
There has been little sign of anything exciting or fresh from West Ham as yet.
That’s despite spending £155m on nine new signings in the summer and being widely regarded to have ‘won the transfer window’.
That kind of spending brings pressure.
So too does the team being booed off, manager jeered for his substitutions and thousands of fans walking out en masse with 20 minutes to play in a 3-0 defeat against one of your biggest rivals.
Throw in the fact West Ham’s owners are far from impressed with what they’ve seen from Lopetegui and it’s been something of a nightmare start.
The Hammers have lost their first three league games of a new season for the first time in the club’s 129-year history.
Lopetegui under pressure already at West Ham
West Ham have created the second fewest big chances in the top flight. And they’ve conceded more shots (83) than any other side. That’s 20 more than the next worst in that particular table.
The crux of the problem so far is that West Ham are far too flaky and open at the back.
As they were for much of last season on the way to conceding a club Premier League record 74 goals under David Moyes.
A journalist close to the Hammers board has made an astonishing claim that Lopetegui and Tim Steidten are already under massive pressure just five Premier League games in.
Lucas Paqueta has spoken out on the shambles under Lopetegui in a post on social media.
Now three Hammers have rallied around the boss.
Carlos Soler and two West Ham teammates have pleaded with owners and fans over the Lopetegui plan.
Emerson Palmieri has insisted West Ham can and will get better under Lopetegui. And he has called on the fans to come together amid the difficult transition period.
“We can do better, and we will for sure,” Emerson said on social media.
“We will work harder to get back to win again.
“Together we are stronger!”
We can do better, and we will for sure. We will work harder to get back to win again. Together we are stronger! ⚒️💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/cGU9CQNIxZ
— Emerson Palmieri (@emersonpalmieri) September 21, 2024
Max Kilman did not have his best game against Chelsea after an impressive start to life at West Ham.
The defender was reunited with Lopetegui at West Ham after they worked together at Wolves.
So nobody knows better than Kilman what the manager can do.
And he says fans and owners must appreciate how much change the team is going through.
Soler and teammates plead with owners and fans over Lopetegui
“We need to make sure we are much better than this,” Kilman told beIN Sports.
“We all have to have a big look at ourselves and make sure we can improve on this and make sure we come back better next week and in the games coming up.
“Of course we want to make the London Stadium a really hard place to come to. At the moment it’s really tough.
“But you know we’re going through a big transitional period at the club but as time goes on I’m sure we’re going to pick ourselves up and make sure we get going and things will improve.
“We need to show more hunger, we need to show more focus and be more as a team now. It’s still really early on (under the manager) but we need to pick up results quickly and make sure we improve our performances really soon. That’s the plan and I’m sure as time goes on we’ll get there.”
"We're going through a big transition as a club… things will improve."
Max Kilman admits things are not going well at West Ham, but remains positive they can turn their fortunes around…#beINPL #WHUFC #CFC pic.twitter.com/98Qi7srvUh
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) September 21, 2024
New boy Soler came on and looked decent against Chelsea.
He has also rallied behind his compatriot Lopetegui, saying he’s confident in the process and thinks West Ham will be a ‘much better team soon’.
“Confident we’ll correct our mistakes to be a much better team, for sure,” Soler said on Instagram.
“Heads up and let’s go for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup match!
“Thanks for your constant support. COYI!”
Let’s hope all these words are backed up with serious action in the coming weeks.
West Ham simply must start to show something fans can get behind before the October international break.
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