Southampton: Ramsdale, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood; Sugawara, Downes, Ugochukwu, Walker-Peters, Fernandes; Armstrong, Onuachu Subs: McCarthy, Bree, Manning, Fraser, Aribo, Lallana, Sulemana, Dibling, Archer
West Ham: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Rodriguez, Soler, Soucek; Bowen, Fullkrug, Kudus Subs: Areola, Cresswell, Coufal, Summerville, Guillherme, Ings, Alvarez, Todibo, Irving
From the brink of sacking, Lopetegui has gone undefeated in his last three games, picking up 5 points.
The home game against Wolves seemingly appeared to be the fitting end of his time in the Premier League, with a replacement in Graham Potter supposedly at the ready, it was thought his sacking was imminent.
However, a lacklustre win with two very generous early Christmas gifts from VAR gave us three points and kept him in his job. Before the Bournemouth game, it was said that the match wouldn't have much impact on the decision to get rid of him due to West Ham being "LONG odds against winning."
One of Lopetegui's lives came through Fabianski's cat-like performance, saving everything in his path, ultimately leading to him winning MOTM while securing us more points on the board, in which we actually had a rather decent performance.
This, unfortunately, couldn't be the same against Brighton, a game in which you just wish you didn't attend simply due to the snoozefest we all watched, not to mention the freezing cold.
If you'd like a stat that would pretty much summarise the match, it would be that out of every West Ham player, the man with the most touches (64) would be Lukasz Fabianski...
The dismal nature of the football we are playing seems like 'Jules' is only doing this to keep his job, playing a very defensive style of football while then occasionally hitting the ball up the field, hoping that someone wins it and we can create a chance from it.
The exclusion of Carlos Soler was missed, a player who has started to find his grooves, this was shown especially throughout the Bournemouth game, he shinned, and upon taking him off, the decline began in the match, which only really led to us getting a point where we perhaps could've had three.
Decisions in Lopetegui's substitutions seem to be raising eyebrows more than being applauded; he has most definitely made it known during this season that he isn't afraid to make substitutions. Decisions against Brentford to take off Mohammed Kudus, or even in the game against Brighton where he took off Mavropanos at halftime for Todibo... which says a lot.
Jules' longest unbeaten record in the Premier League in 3 matches, with our next game being on Boxing Day away to Southampton, he has a chance to extend his record and a win would see us having 8 points in the last four, wherein the current silly season we are in, is rather good.
After the Southampton match, games against Liverpool, Manchester City, and Aston Villa in the FA Cup are to follow, it seems to be only a matter of time before the sacking rumours surface again, but for now, his unbeaten streak has spared him some of his lives, but how many has he used so far?
The site would also like to give its deepest condolences to Julien Lopetegui and the recent loss of his father before the Brighton match. Rest In Peace.
Silly question i know and of course we would but being played out on the left is a waste of the mans talent and he looked so low yesterday but once the switch to the right had been made he looked so much better and like his old self but sadly Bowen is first choice there and i just see him going in January which is sad but the club cannot buy until we get money in owing to the disaster of a few purchases in the summer.
We wont get a lot for him he has been nowhere near the player we had last season i hear being said but of course he is not because he is played out of position a decent team will get him play him where he thrives and the £85million release clause would seem a bargain and the Gooners and maybe the bindippers prepared to fight it out but despite getting the money in we will once again be the losers of a terrific player so frustrating so annoying.
Paquetta i am afraid to say that i would not miss him as he does not put in the performances he is capable of on a regular basis again very frustrating but again with all that is hanging over him and the club sadly i think he needs to go once this mess has been sorted out.
Alvarez this one is debated a lot around me at the ground some love him and his commitment others moan about how slow he is and the cards he picks up that make him a liability as refs know him and always on the lookout to dish a card out and alongside Soucek seriously what are we thinking pairing them up!
So three of the biggest named players we have could we survive if all sold? if they were sold just who would we replace them with? ideas anyone? and be realistic not fantasy football buys we will leave that to the Little man at the top.
OMG!! Another one?? Who is £14m Striker we've been linked with?? So will this be the 57th or the 75th we're going to sign?? The club is a joke, all the attacking talent and we're F--king 14th?? News of Kudus being up for grabs at £100m, Really?? Füllkrug whingeing to the gutter press about how he's feeling let down, Yeah Well, so are we!.
After all we paid £31m for you, You're 31yrs old, You're Slow, you miss a penalty in preseason, and miss an open goal with a header after spending 2 months on the injury table. Hmmm, meanwhile we send a youngster sorry a Northern Ireland International squad, youngster on loan to a Division One side, and he's getting in their squad every week, yet we start looking at other strikers who we don't even know will score goals.
At least young Callum is playing against seasoned pro's and alright he's not prolific but he's already proved he's better than Mubama. Plus why are we looking to spend more money on Yet another, err 76th Striker; in the Odious Little Spiv Dwarf Gobshite Sullivan's tenure. Just FFS give Marshall a run out, call him back from Huddersfield. Save the money because we don't even know if Lopetegui will still be our coach come end of January.
West Ham: Fabiański, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček, Kudus, Paquetá, Bowen ©, Füllkrug
Subs: Areola (GK), Scarles, Coufal, Todibo, Irving, Rodríguez, Luis Guilherme, Summerville, Ings
Brighton: Verbruggen, Estupinan, Dunk ©, Van Hecke, Gruda, Veltman, Wieffer, Baleba, Mitoma, Rutter, Pedro
Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Julio, Enciso, Adingra, Minteh, Ayari, Ferguson, O'Riley
Another year has flashed by in the twinkling of an eye it seems and i just wish to thank you all for the fun the digs and all the other West Ham input we have had on hear it is most enjoyable to read the thoughts of my Fellow sufferers and so i bid you all the best for this festive season wherever you are in the Uk or abroad.
Louis i understand this is going to be a tough time for you and your family with Nevs passing but again i want to thank you for picking up the baton of running the site and as many have mentioned we are all here for you as we were for your Father.
Merry Christmas everyone(if that's not to PC!)
It started with Ings against Manure it was never a Pen but Var said yes it is.. then against Wolves two penalties that Var said naaa they are not which saved our bacon and yesterday against Bournemouth Handball the ref and Linesman did not see Var go oh yes that is a pen so lets be thankful for VAR:-) and not rubbish it till.............next time!
Emerson the latest player being linked with a move to Juventus is the rumour and we could get £25/30 million for him well if it happens then Scarles has to be moved into the team with Cresswell to help with his development it is a win all round for the club and a boost for "The Academy".
Now i hear all the arguments back and forth about if they were good enough they would be playing and look at the players we let go who are now nowhere to be seen proof that they are not as good as made out.
Bournemouth had a 19 year old central defender starting and does not look out of place Arsenal started 18 year old at Left back in the champions league Liverpool have blooded quite a few and none have sunk out of sight and when you consider the pressure and demands playing for that club is quite a lot to deal with.
Unless tested you never will know if they can or cannot make it and would Cottee of got a chance in todays world? to small to be a striker would be the argument.
So whilst not every academy graduate is going to make it there are times when surely it is better to look within and try something different instead of a foreign or over the hill injury prone player who are costly and really provide us with nothing but hefty wages...and it has to be better than putting square pegs in round holes.
Again it was only for twenty minutes and we were under the cosh for the last ten for sure but Scarles did not buckle so maybe just maybe he deserves his chance and others to before we go wasting more money in an inflated transfer market.
Lots of talk about various players not happy and wanting out, the latest being Emerson, so he’s added to the list of Fulkrug, Alvarez, Kudus, Paqueta and I imagine Todibo.
I think there are ways to go about leaving a club, I think Declan Rice showed a lot of class whereas I don’t think any from that list have shown any professionalism, at the end of the day it’s not acceptable to show disrespect to the manager regardless of whether you believe what he’s saying or not, for whatever faults Lopetegui has I don’t think he’s weak and he’s been strong enough to leave players out when they’re not performing, and if you believe what’s being written then some players are giving ultimatums of either Lopetegui goes or they do, modern football and social media I guess but makes you think West Ham would be better off without them anyway.
Bournemouth: Kepa, Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Christie, Cook, Ouattara, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.
Subs: Travers, Brooks, Adams, Hill, Unal, Billing, Aarons, Winterburn, Kinsey.
West Ham: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Coufal, Alvarez, Soler, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen, Kudus.
Subs: Areola, Summerville, Fullkrug, Guillherme, Ings, Irving, Casey, Scarles, Orford.
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