When Julen Lopetegui arrived at West Ham this summer, he was supposed to tear up David Moyes’ playbook and start again.
Five games into the new Premier League season, and it seems little has changed.
Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea gave Lopetegui the unwanted record of becoming the first manager in Hammers history to preside over three consecutive home defeats to start a campaign.
Perhaps if West Ham had shown more intent and attacking determination in those games, fans would be happier with the four points they have. The boos that rang out at the London Stadium on Saturday showed that they are far from satisfied.
After the opening-day defeat to Aston Villa, Lopetegui’s side seemed to take a step forward with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace. Although they lost 3-1 to Manchester City, they competed well and the players seemed to get used to their new tactics.
Julen Lopetegui became the first West Ham manager to preside over three consecutive home defeats at the start of a campaign
Manager Tim Steidten was seen hugging players, including Hammers captain Jarrod Bowen, on the pitch after their win over Crystal Palace.
Lopetegui’s appointment was driven by West Ham owner David Sullivan, not Steidten
But performances against Fulham, where Danny Ings rescued a point in the 95th minute, and Chelsea have seen the Hammers take two steps backwards. Jarrod Bowen, who Lopetegui made captain this summer, admitted they made things “easy” for Chelsea.
It is still unclear what West Ham’s identity will be under Lopetegui. In July, when the Spaniard was unveiled, he said: “The style has to help you win, that is the first step. We have to be able to have the initiative, be aggressive with the ball. But my objective as a manager is to have everything: to understand the game and have the right responses.”
There is no indication that Lopetegui is under pressure or that his team is unhappy. He has had little time to implement his philosophy and it is understood that more time will be needed to see progress.
But the influence of manager Tim Steidten will be key in determining how much room he is given. Lopetegui’s appointment was driven by owner David Sullivan, not Steidten, who would have preferred a more dynamic manager.
The club considered signing Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, who was Steidten’s choice, but Sullivan decided his £17m release clause was too high.
Lopetegui accepted when he arrived that his role would be that of “head coach”, not manager. It is a subtle but important distinction.
The Hammers passed up the chance to sign Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim
There was a lot of excitement about French defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who was on the radar of Manchester United and Tottenham.
Niclas Fullkrug, who arrived for £23m from Borussia Dortmund, suffered an injury while playing for Germany.
Steidten is in charge of transfers and, although he was in daily contact with Lopetegui during pre-season, he was tasked with recruiting players for a manager he ultimately did not want.
West Ham spent just over £120m on new signings but Lopetegui has struggled to establish his new signings and has cited late arrivals and a lack of pre-season as a problem.
French defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who was being eyed by Manchester United and Tottenham, has been the subject of much excitement but has yet to play in the league. Lopetegui does not consider him fit enough yet, although he is considering starting him against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup third round tonight. The Frenchman is happy in London and willing to bide his time, but a lack of form has been a recurring theme.
Niclas Fullkrug, who joined for £23m from Borussia Dortmund, spent the first few weeks of the season getting back on track but suffered an injury while playing for Germany and missed the final two games.
Max Kilman and Guido Rodriguez have started every league game, but the latter was substituted after just 38 minutes on Saturday.
There is also a feeling that the Hammers needed another striker and that their midfield combination lacks pace, which has at times left the back four vulnerable. There are also suspicions about the amount of transfer information that was leaked into the public domain during the summer.
David Moyes (right) and Steidten clashed over the latter’s desire to have a bigger profile.
While Steidten was at the forefront of summer activity, given the transfer window closed on August 30, it was assumed that, at least until January, his work would continue in the background.
It was interesting, then, to see him give an interview to TNT Sports before the game against Chelsea. It was brief and he spoke mainly about his satisfaction with the club’s signings and his ambitions for the season.
However, it is not the first time he has ventured into territory usually reserved for managers: the German was seen hugging the players on the pitch after Palace’s victory.
However, this is not unusual in Europe, where sporting directors are more visible than we are used to seeing.
Moyes and Steidten clashed over the latter’s desire for a bigger role. Moyes prevented him from giving interviews and, at the end of last season, banned him from entering the first-team dressing room.
During the summer, the club said Lopetegui and Steidten had a good working relationship. Sources told Mail Sport that Steidten is relaxed and approachable to players and staff. He is described as a warm and relaxed person who spends a lot of time on the phone.
Lopetegui takes his team to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup in their next match
But while Lopetegui accepted that the manager would have significant power when he took over, he is not a man to be swayed by that. He is a man who has managed Real Madrid and Spain and will not sit back if he feels the line has been crossed.
In a strange power struggle between three teams, Sullivan is the one who ultimately calls the shots. He relies on Steidten for signings, but Lopetegui is his man. The Spaniard will know he needs to start repaying that trust quickly.
