Two wins in eight games – West Ham are paying the price for a huge gamble | OneFootball

West Ham United decided to part ways with David Moyes at the end of last season after they finished ninth in the Premier League.

He led the club to their first major trophy in over four decades just one year prior, but an awful run of five wins in 22 games at the back end of last season sealed his fate.

Given the calibre of players at their disposal, West Ham fans demanded a manager who could inject a more dynamic, attacking brand of football.

Moyes’ pragmatic system nauseated the club faithful, who watched their side repeatedly get hammered despite their negative approach.

A change was required, but West Ham’s decision to replace Moyes with Julen Lopegui was puzzling, especially since he didn’t fit the profile of an attack-minded manager the supporters hoped for.

Moyes and Lopetegui are cut from the same cloth. Their styles are identical in many ways – pragmatic, risk-averse, and often rigid. They even share an identical trophy cabinet.

West Ham somehow believed he was the man to push them higher up the table and disrupt the established order. Moyes may have been the problem, but Lopetegui was not the solution.

The club invested over £100 million during the summer transfer window to reshape the squad, assembling one of the most exciting rosters in the league – at least on paper.

However, as is often the case, football is not played on paper.

The Hammers are in 15th place after eight games, just five points above the relegation zone. They have accumulated eight points from as many games (W2, D2, L4).

The 4-1 thrashing against Tottenham Hotspur epitomised the Hammers’ collapse. The result was dreadful, but so was the tactical set-up and performance.

West Ham can only have themselves to blame for their current situation. They gambled on Lopetegui and are now paying the price.

The Hammers lack ideas, cohesion and basic tactical awareness. They have no identity or direction, but that’s what you get when you hire a wildly overrated manager.

It’s still early in the season, but the writing may already be on the wall for Lopetegui.

Their next five games are against Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Everton, Newcastle United and Arsenal – a daunting run that could easily leave them stuck in a relegation battle.

If Lopetegui doesn’t find a way to stop the ship from sinking any further, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him out of a job before the end of this difficult run.