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The departing manager should be the role model for his successor. Not just at Liverpool, but also at West Ham. David Moyes qualified for Europe regularly, had a series of victories against their supposed superiors and won a trophy. He also lost 5-1 at Anfield in the Carabao Cup.
Julen Lopetegui has emulated in his predecessor in one respect. He, too, has lost 5-1 at Anfield in the Carabao Cup. At a stroke, it removed one of the trophies West Ham could have won this season and rendered it less likely they will qualify for Europe in his debut season.
And so it was tempting to recall Moyes’ words after his 5-1 thrashing. They were undiplomatic but instructive. “What would West Ham’s expectations be?” he asked. “Would you expect us to win a European trophy? Would you expect us to be challenging for the Champions League? There’s not many nodding their heads in here.”
The question of West Ham’s expectations revolves around their season, their spending, their regime change, Lopetegui’s tenure. None of it necessarily means their supporters are unrealistic or that Lopetegui is automatically Manuel Pellegrini Mk II. West Ham’s first attempt to replace Moyes with a more glamorous alternative produced an unglamorous man who played neither particularly attractive nor winning football.
These are early days, but Lopetegui has made a false start. West Ham sit 14th; they needed an injury-time equaliser to get a point against Fulham so that could be worse. Their new signings are yet to gel; indeed some have scarcely been seen. Niclas Fullkrug, perhaps the flagship acquisition, has not even been spotted in a starting 11 in the league, partly because of injury. Nor have Luis Guilherme, Jean-Clair Todibo or Carlos Soler, while Crysencio Summerville has begun once in the top flight.
As a club they are no strangers to recruitment drives where, individually, buys look exciting but teams become less than the sum of their parts. Thus far, however, there is insufficient evidence for a valid assessment of their arrivals. But there is a concern Lopetegui has some unwanted similarities with Moyes. His sides do not press. He is supposed to bring defensive resolve, but West Ham have conceded eight goals in their last two games. It was damning that West Ham conceded at least five goals in five matches last season; they have done so once already in this.
At Anfield, they had the worst of both worlds. Lopetegui fielded most of his premier players at some stage but while the outcome felt harsh – “I don’t think we deserve the score,” the Basque said – they ended up losing 5-1 and losing Edson Alvarez, sent off and now suspended for Saturday’s derby with Brentford. West Ham did much right in passages of the game but the late capitulation as Cody Gakpo scored twice was scarcely indicative of the right kind of spirit.
The counterargument is that, underwhelming as Lopetegui’s first few weeks in charge have been, is that West Ham’s four defeats in all competitions have come to Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool: all currently in the top five, perhaps all destined to finish there. There is no shame in being beaten by any, though the manner of a 3-0 reverse at home to Chelsea drew boos.
And yet it makes Moyes’ analysis at Anfield last season more pertinent. The Premier League may now has a big eight and West Ham finished ninth in May. Their purchasing power showed an ambition. Their overall expenditure in the summer exceeded £120m. They had the sixth-highest net spend in Europe. They hired a manager who has been in charge of Real Madrid and Spain, albeit not for many matches, and who was shortlisted by AC Milan.
West Ham should not be faulted for being aspirational. It was too simplistic to warn them to be careful what they wished for when supporters looked to move on from Moyes. In any case, the Scot’s reign, admirable as it was for the most part, had surely run its course. But if the purpose of change was to reconnect with a historical identity of delivering stylish football it was an odd choice, as Lopetegui is not a born entertainer. Nor does his brand of football automatically suggest he is a natural fit with Tim Steidten, the director of football.
For now, the task is to beat Brentford and then Ipswich, which would effect a swift return to the top half; then to work out how and where to use the many newcomers, to deliver a win or two against the elite, and eventually follow Moyes’ 2020-21 challenge for a top-four finish. For now, while Moyes had been defiant after defeat at Anfield, Lopetegui was apologetic, saying sorry to the fans. But his task remains the same: to echo the best parts of the Moyes years, not the worst.
