Julen Lopetegui’s patchy start to life in the dugout at West Ham United hit its apotheosis after Manchester United were dispatched at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Jarrod Bowen’s late penalty handed the hosts the goods, taking them level on points with Erik ten Hag’s beleaguered outfit but ahead due to a superior goal difference.
There’s plenty of work to do, but West Ham have showcased their quality against a Red Devils side that desperately needed to emerge from east London with the win, and it could be the confidence boost to restore this exciting spread of high-class Hammers talent.
Why this could be a turning point for West Ham
Man United’s profligacy allowed West Ham to go unpunished following a lacklustre opening, but there was a tenacity and drive about the hosts that was most pleasing after the break. West Ham showed grit and guts that partnered with the quality dotted across the field.
There might have been some controversy around Bowen’s last-gasp winner, but West Ham won’t care, not least after harking back to some questionable decisions that have fallen Man United’s way in recent fixtures between these teams.
Crysencio Summerville’s goal, his first since joining from Leeds United in a deal worth over £25m plus add-ons, could see the 2023/24 Championship MVP start to find his footing under Lopetegui, suggesting that he should start on the left flank over Carlos Soler, who failed to impress in the makeshift role on Sunday.
The electric-paced Dutchman was joined by former Red Devil, Aaron Wan-Bissaka in putting in a highlight performance that might just speak of cogs coming together for a club starting to move from second gear.
Declan Rice’s third return to east London will present a tough test, but some winnable matches are rolling up for the Irons, who might now be able to make some headway in the Premier League.
02/11/24
Nott’m Forest
City Ground
09/11/24
Everton
London Stadium
25/11/24
Newcastle
St. James’ Park
30/11/24
Arsenal
London Stadium
03/11/24
Leicester
King Power Stadium
Let’s hope that it prompts the Spanish tactician to be a bit more flexible with his team selection, perhaps convincing him to make a bold move and axe Lucas Paqueta from the starting line-up, with the Brazilian playmaker flattering to deceive once again.
Why Julen Lopetegui must drop Lucas Paqueta
It has not been a good start to the season for Paqueta, often appearing as a mere shadow of the all-influencing superstar who has raised the roof at the London Stadium across the past several seasons.
Minutes played
45′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Touches
33
Shots (on target)
1 (0)
Accurate passes
22/29 (76%)
Key passes
0
Dribbles (completed)
0 (0)
Tackles
0
Ground duels (won)
2 (0)
Possession lost
10x
Yellow card
1
Writing in their post-match player ratings, the Daily Mail branded Paqueta with a 4/10 score, commenting on ‘another disappointing afternoon’ in which he failed to influence proceedings and was duly hooked at the interval, having taken fewer touches than his shot-stopper Lucasz Fabianski.
The Brazil international failed to create a single key pass nor attempt a dribble, while he also lost possession every 3.3 touches, with his static and colourless performance sure to have done little to persuade Lopetegui that he deserves to be handed a sixth successive starting berth in the Premier League against Nottingham Forest next weekend.
It’s no coincidence that West Ham’s uninspiring beginnings under Lopetegui have run parallel with Paqueta’s own shortcomings, having averaged just one key pass per game and won just 35% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore, with an average of 3.1 per game.
Last year, for contextualisation, the 27-year-old was far more imposing in his combativeness, averaging a whopping 7.6 duels per game and winning 50% of such challenges.
The Telegraph reporter and West Ham supporter Dan Silver summed it up nicely: “Skilful player for sure, it (sic) we looked a much better team without him.”
Of course, Paqueta might carry more natural-born talent than any other star at Lopetegui’s disposal, but he’s not unleashing such skills on the pitch right now, and though Soler flattered to deceive in an experimental role, you’d argue that the playmaking Spaniard has a point to prove and might be a difference-maker in a more suitable central role.
Chalkboard
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