Julen Lopetegui: West Ham insider shares explosive sack update
Julen Lopetegui remains under pressure at West Ham amid growing concerns about their lack of defensive stability, according to the club’s former scout.
Mick Brown, who worked as a senior scout at the London Stadium until leaving alongside David Moyes in June and remains very well-connected at the club, exclusively told Football Insider that they will not be “stable” until the defence improves.
The Hammers have picked up 11 points from their opening nine games of the season with three wins, two draws and four defeats so far.
In that time, however, the team have kept just one clean sheet, away from home against Crystal Palace, and have shipped 16 goals.
Lopetegui led an overhaul of the defensive unit at the London Stadium with the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Killman coming in while Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd were both moved on.
However, they have yet to reap the rewards of their big-money investment, with the defensive changes especially yet to bear fruit.
Brown has insisted that, until Lopetegui can get a grip on how many goals his team are conceding, the pressure on his position will continue to grow.
Julen Lopetegui concerns linger amid defensive issues at West Ham
That defensive record, despite a summer overhaul, has raised red flags for the Hammers despite a recent upturn in results at the London Stadium.
Brown, who spent over a decade at Man United and has worked closely with struggling managers in the past, insisted that pressure will increase on Lopetegui if their defence continues to ship goals.
“Of course, if they’re winning games his position will be stronger,” he told Football Insider.
“But with the team West Ham have got, the performances have got to be better.
“Even in the win against United, they could’ve lost that by four or five if the chances went in.
“They just concede too many goals.
“They’re better than their results have shown, but if you can’t defend, you can’t win games.
“It’s always fine conceding one if you can score two, but on those days you can’t score two, you won’t pick up points because your defence isn’t doing the job.
“As long as they keep shipping goals like they have, I don’t see them being in a stable position.
“And if they keep losing games as a result of that, then fingers are, of course, pointed in the direction of the manager because it’s his job to sort that out.”
In other news, West Ham hit by “surprise” January window blow.
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