When Julen Lopetegui arrived at West Ham this summer, he was expected to rip up David Moyes’ playbook and start again.
Five games into the new Premier League season and it feels like little has changed.
Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea gave Lopetegui the unwanted record of becoming the first manager in the Hammers’ history to preside over three consecutive home defeats at the start of a season.
Perhaps if West Ham had shown more attacking intent and purpose in those games, the fans would be more satisfied with the four points they have. The cheering around the London Stadium on Saturday showed that they are far from satisfied.
After an opening day defeat to Aston Villa, Lopetegui’s side looked to take a step forward with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Although they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City, they played well and the players seemed to be getting on board with his new tactics.
Julen Lopetegui became the first West Ham manager to oversee three consecutive home defeats to start a season
Technical director Tim Steidten was spotted 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 the performances against Fulham, where Danny Ings salvaged a point in the 95th minute, and Chelsea have seen the Hammers fall two steps backwards. Jarrod Bowen, who appointed Lopetegui captain this summer, admitted they made it “easy” for Chelsea.
It is still unclear what West Ham’s identity under Lopetegui is, or should be. In July, when the Spaniard was unveiled, he said: ‘The style has to help you win, that’s the first step. We have to be able to take the initiative, be aggressive with the ball. But my goal as a coach is to have everything – to understand the game and have the right answers.’
There is no indication that Lopetegui is under pressure or has an unhappy camp. He has had little time to implement his philosophy and there is an understanding that it will take longer to see progress.
But the influence of technical director Tim Steidten will determine how much scope is given. Lopetegui’s appointment was driven by owner David Sullivan, not Steidten, who would have preferred a more dynamic coach.
The club wanted to sign Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, who was Steidten’s choice, but Sullivan felt his £17million buyout fee was too high.
Lopetegui accepted that his role would be ‘head coach’, not manager, when he arrived. It’s a subtle but important distinction.
The Hammers missed the chance to recruit Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim
There was a lot of excitement surrounding French defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who was on the radar of Manchester United and Tottenham
Niclas Fullkrug, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £23million, suffered an injury during the international break with Germany
Steidten is in charge of transfers and although he had daily contact with Lopetegui during the pre-season, he was given the task of recruiting players for a manager he ultimately did not want.
West Ham spent just over £120m on new players, but Lopetegui struggled to settle his new signings, citing late arrivals and a lack of pre-season training as a problem.
There has been much excitement over French defender Jean-Clair Todibo, who has been on the radar of Manchester United and Tottenham, but he has yet to start a league game. Lopetegui does not believe he is fit enough, although he is considering starting him tonight against Liverpool in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The Frenchman is happy in London and will bide his time, but a lack of fitness is a recurring theme.
Niclas Fullkrug, a £23million signing from Borussia Dortmund, needed the first few weeks of the season to get going but was injured during the Germany international break and has missed the last 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 an extra striker and that their combination of central midfielders all lack pace, leaving the back four vulnerable at times. There are also suspicions about the amount of transfer information that was leaked into the public domain last summer.
David Moyes (right) and Steidten clashed over the latter’s desire for a higher profile
Although Steidten was in the spotlight in the summer, it was expected that his work would remain in the background until January, as the transfer window closed on August 30.
It was intriguing then to see him give an interview to TNT Sports ahead of the Chelsea match. It was brief and he spoke mainly about his satisfaction with the club’s transfers and their ambitions for the season.
It is not the first time he has ventured onto a field normally reserved for coaches, however, as the German was spotted embracing his players on the pitch after Palace’s win.
However, this is not unusual in Europe, where sporting directors are more visible than we are used to.
Moyes and Steidten clashed over the latter’s desire for a higher profile, with Moyes blocking his interviews and banning him from the first-team dressing room at the end of last season.
The club’s summer rumour was that Lopetegui and Steidten had a good working relationship. Sources have told Mail Sport that Steidten is relaxed and approachable to players and staff. He is described as a warm and easy-going character who spends a lot of his time on the phone.
Lopetegui takes his team to Anfield to face Liverpool in their next match in the Carabao Cup
But while Lopetegui accepted that the sporting director would have considerable power when he took the job, he is no wimp. This is a man who has managed Real Madrid and Spain and he will not sit back if he thinks lines have been crossed.
In a strange three-way power struggle, Sullivan is the one who ultimately makes the decisions. He trusts Steidten with transfers, but Lopetegui is his man. The Spaniard knows he must repay that trust quickly.