West Ham United are a complete and utter mess after an embarrassing defeat at Nottingham Forest and two men are to blame.
West Ham needed a big rebuild in the summer.
After all David Moyes had left the club with the smallest and second oldest squad in the Premier League.
Well it may have slipped the attentions of many Hammers fans after a busy window, but do you know West Ham now have THE oldest squad in the top flight bar none.
The average age of West Ham’s squad has gone up by more than a year on last season to 28.4.
What happened to the genius that is Tim Steidten building a young, new-look West Ham side.
That is nowhere to be seen.
You never know what West Ham you’re going to get from one half to the next under Julen Lopetegui.
But it was the worst of everything we’ve quickly become accustomed to under the Spaniard.
Lopetegui had a year out of the game before being appointed by West Ham.
He looks like he’s been out of the game for a decade on what we’ve witnessed so far.
Yet again West Ham looked like they would concede every time the opposition attacked as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest.
The week started with claims Lopetegui was going to be ‘ruthless’ and drop Lucas Paqueta.
Whether Tomas Soucek being taken ill kept the Brazilian in the side only they know.
But instead of dropping him, the Hammers head coach played Paqueta as a false nine.
It was certainly false alright.
Geriatric Hammers raise big questions over duo
The not so magnifico Brazilian was woeful yet again, barely mustering the guts to track back at times.
Crysencio Summerville finally got a start but barely saw the ball as West Ham have no clear plan, style of play or discernible identity.
And guess what? The exciting young Dutchman was hauled off at half-time. That would do the 22-year-old’s already fragile confidence the world of good.
Only a few players can come away from the City Ground able to look themselves in the mirror.
On the pitch the harshest criticism must be reserved for braindead Edson Alvarez, though.
Once again the immobile Mexican was sent off for the most ridiculous decision to slide in on Anthony Elanga when already on a booking.
Alvarez threw West Ham to the wolves at Liverpool by being stupidly sent off in the cup.
He did it again at Forest.
West Ham had seven players back, including Alvarez, to Forest’s two. What possessed Alvarez to slide in only he knows.
The midfielder has been atrocious since the turn of the year like so many of this overhyped team.
He wanted to leave in the summer and has not stopped talking about leaving since the day he arrived.
Alvarez looks like he is in a sulk after injury scuppered any chance of a departure in the summer.
But there is no mistaking the two main culprits for the shambles that’s unfolding this season.
The geriatric Hammers raise big questions over Steidten and Lopetegui.
The duo have built an ageing, slow, weak, unathletic side which lacks any redeemable features.
Steidten and Lopetegui have questions to answer
Ten games in West Ham still look like a bunch of strangers thrown together with no thought or plan.
Steidten and Lopetegui must take the fall for that.
The only players worthy of any praise are Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jarrod Bowen, Max Kilman and Michail Antonio.
West Ham are a laughing stock at the moment.
This could and should have been another absolutely hammering.
The Hammers registered two shots on goal all game.
If Man United had got the goals they should have in that first half, the pressure on Lopetegui right now would be at boiling point.
He and Steidten have put this rag-tag, mis-matched bunch together at great expense.
West Ham look lightyears behind many of their Premier League rivals.
And with the oldest squad in the league, where is the hope that it will get any better?
West Ham player ratings vs Forest:
Lukasz Fabianski – 7/10: Kicking awful and beaten by a cross after a slight deflection. But he made two world class saves to keep it to three. Been a great servant but the perfect example of where West Ham are at – a man who turns 40 in April as their number one goalkeeper.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 7/10: West Ham’s best player. Busted a lung for the team and was shifted all around the pitch by a manager who doesn’t seem to know what he is doing. People will say he is getting caught too far up the pitch at times. But that is the manager’s tactics and not on the player.
Konstantinos Mavropanos – 3/10: For a 6ft 5in towering Greek, Mavropanos doesn’t half spend a lot of time rolling around and showing his pain. By rights should have all the makings of a West Ham cult hero. But he makes too many mistakes every time he’s on the pitch. Very poor again.
Jean-Clair Todibo – 3/10: Hammers News understands Todibo is carrying an injury. It looked like it too at Forest. The Frenchman has looked class at times. But some of his decision-making is horrendous. Tried to chip the ball over Ola Aina on the edge of his own box, giving the ball away for the ex Hammers target to fire into the top corner. Dreadful.
Max Kilman – 5/10: The least of West Ham’s problems at the back. Kilman has been one of West Ham’s better players this season. But at times we have seen why Wolves fans felt we overpaid for his services. Had a decent first half but isn’t commanding enough when the going gets tough.
Emerson Palmieri – 3/10: What has happened to Emerson? One of West Ham’s best and most consistent players looks weak, scared and lost. Another failing of Steidten and Lopetegui not to sign a new left-back. Needs replacing but we only have 35-year-old Aaron Cresswell as back-up.
Edson Alvarez – 0/10: The immobile Mexican has been a disgrace this season. This red card after his one at Liverpool is unforgiveable. Must come out of the side long-term. Not up to Premier League standards, £34m wasted by Steidten.
Guido Rodriguez – 3/10: Reads the game ok but Argentine looks like someone in their 40s trying to get around the middle of the park. He and Alvarez were single-handedly dominated by RYAN YATES. Dragged off at half-time and not for the first time.
Lucas Paqueta – 3/10: Lazy, disinterested and offers nothing on the ball or off it. West Ham have stood by him during the case against him. And this is how he repays them? Another who must come out of the side.
Crysencio Summerville – 5/10: Poor Summerville. Finally gets his start and Lopetegui drags him off at half-time when we’re chasing the game. Don’t be surprised if he pushes for a move away in January or the summer.
Jarrod Bowen – 6/10: Always ferreting around and trying his best. But nothing was happening for Bowen at Forest. It is games like this where Lopetegui’s decision to make him captain gets called into question too.
SUBS:
Michail Antonio – 6/10: Looked good when he came on. Why can’t he play with that attitude when he starts? All for nothing in the end, though.
Carlos Soler – 4/10: Lightweight and offered little.
Andy Irving – N/A: Not on long enough for a rating.
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