Top West Ham star leaps to defence of Julen Lopetegui after 'tragic' criticism

Julen Lopetegui has come under attack following a distinctly average start to life at West Ham but one star’s not having it.

Who would be a football manager?

Just five games into his new job at West Ham and Julen Lopetegui is already having to don his tin hat.

There has been criticism from supporters frustrated by the Spaniard’s team selections thus far.

That is justified, although West Ham’s head coach may have reasons for those choices which fans are not privy to.

It is also to be expected when you sign nine new players and dull the excitement that brings by drip-feeding them into the Hammers side.

As a result, Lopetegui’s “new-look West Ham” isn’t quite new-look yet.

Until he makes the transition to his own team and has had time to get his message across on how he wants West Ham to play, then it only seems fair to reserve too harsh a judgement of the Spaniard.

Lopetegui likened to OAP driving a Bugatti

In the modern world, though, patience is an increasingly rare virtue. There is a demand for immediacy in modern football in particular.

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Some fans, pundits and journalists have already gone in hard on Lopetegui.

None more so than iNews’ George Simms who has delivered a scathing assessment of the Hammers boss.

He likened Lopetegui to a pensioner driving Bugattis and F1 cars at West Ham.

The journalist pointed to the fact West Ham have had the second fewest shots on target so far this season as proof Lopetegui is not the man to make the most of the immense talent at the club.

And it added that it is ‘tragic’ seeing such skilled stars and ‘potential joy’ being wasted.

Thankfully for the Hammers boss, though, one of his key players has his back.

Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Wst Ham star leaps to defence of Lopetegui after ‘tragic’ criticism

A top West Ham star has leapt to defence of Lopetegui after the ‘tragic’ criticism.

Edson Alvarez is certainly not making a song and dance of West Ham earning a last gasp point at Fulham.

The Mexican fan favourite is well aware the performance was not good enough and that West Ham have had an indifferent start under Lopetegui.

But he completely disagrees with those criticising Lopetegui’s approach.

Alvarez believes West Ham are ‘on the right track’ given the big turnover of players in the summer and opening fixtures.

And he says the Hammers will only get better the more they play together.

Alvarez says chemistry and success will come with time

“I don’t want to make excuses, but the first game back after an international break is always hard because you don’t have the whole group together until a couple of days before the match, so you don’t have much time to prepare,” Alvarez told West Ham’s website in defence of the manager and his teammates.

“And I think all things considered, we’re on the right track. We’re still very early on in the season, there is a long way to go, and we have to be positive…

“It’s not been an easy start, but in England every game feels like a final…

“The longer the season goes on, the more chemistry we’ll build up, so we’re confident of success.”

Finally someone talking some sense about West Ham.

Let’s hope that chemistry is more evident when Chelsea come to town this Saturday.

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