✍️ Welcome to West Ham Utd Julen Lopetegui.

[the pink palermo]

To have spent god knows how much and still be playing with a 35 year old striker, a right winger on the left wing and a reserve centre half is a bit dispiriting…

It's almost as if we have one bloke signing the players and a completely different bloke picking the team.

[Southminster Hammer]

Chelsea is a big one, if JLO gets this one right, we’re looking good… lose at home to this mob however and things will get moody quickly.

If, hopefully we don't, we lose Saturday, that would be 3 home league games in a row we would have lost, when was the last time that happened? Just wondering.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

not necessarily a "style of play" but I am so far VERY impressed with the play of Kilman, Guido, Obi Wan, and to a lesser extent how Alvarez is or seems to be, playing a bit further forward.

not quite sure what everyone is "expecting" from an almost complete rework of the team and the "style" to be implemented.

I can wait a few more games before throwing the boss under the bus...

[D C]

I wouldn’t label him defence first but he’s far from all out attack too. I hate to use ‘tactic talk’ that so many on here hate but he’s more mid-block rather than Moyes’ more often than not low-block

For me he’s cut from the same cloth as his Basque counterparts Emery and Arteta, he’ll set up to dominate the ball and tire out the opp or counter attack depending on the team we face.

What’s confusing is that he seems to have come in to try to evolve Moyes’ tactics rather than implement his own thing from the off

[Croydon]

I’m not saying Steidten‘s a better judge of player, I think Moyes has made some very good signings for us, and his good signings outweigh the bad ones. I think he was probably a bit too overly-cautious when signing players though, and if he’d of let his hair down and worked with Steidten in some capacity we’d of had better squad options previously.

Hesitant to write anything Moyes relating, particularly in the JL thread, but your comment got me thinking. This weekends matches go someway to justify Moyes pursuits of: Barnes, Onana (last week moreso than this), Digne, (Ward Prowse), Cole Palmer.

All ifs and buts though.

New fella needs time to get his team straightened out. I suspect there is some underlying concerns with Paqueta, but I don't think we should be looking into results in earnest until mid-season.

[BobbyMooreLower]

I wouldn’t label him defence first but he’s far from all out attack too. I hate to use ‘tactic talk’ that so many on here hate but he’s more mid-block rather than Moyes’ more often than not low-block

See I’ve always been under the impression Jules is a defence first kind of manager. Not in the same way a Tony Pulis team would put 11 behind the ball, but certainly a manager that’s first priority is the keep a clean sheet and then go from there, hence the 3 CDMs on Saturday

[ironilunga]

It's almost as if we have one bloke signing the players and a completely different bloke picking the team.

Well indeed.

It will be interesting to see how this model translates to the premier league. Players purchased by Tim could arguably be more impactful in a league of inferior quality. However, the purchases made this Summer will likely only serve to maintain our position in the premier league rather than advance it. None I would say are top draw but some could be.

I also think the dance between Tim and an inexperienced manager like Alonso is likely to go more smoothly than with more experienced managers such as Moyes or Jules - too much treading on each others feet!!! The signings this Summer seem to be a similar makeup to last - a mixture of Tim signings and Moyes/Lopetegui (JWP, Kilman, maybe Fullkrug, perhaps AWB. Then of course there is Sullivan….

Can it be cohesive with so many cooks and does this model demand a coach rather than a manager? We shall see….

[Beavis Danzig]

Has anyone actually worked out what the Lopetegui way is yet? Or is he just sticking to Moyesball until his new signings are pronto?

we play a much higher line and generally try and work it from the back through the middle until we panic and go back to the long ball safety blanket.

we're an odd team to watch currently. a weird fusion of old and new school football which is showcasing the failings of both at the same time, but we're for the most part getting away with it. hard to tell what is by design and what's the player's falling into old habits.

the XI at the weekend continues to haunt me though. i suspect we'll start fullkrug against chelsea with paqueta making up the midfield three and kudus on the left (to both his and my dismay).

probably his biggest positive is that i think we've played substantially better every second half than the first, which speaks strongly of his ability to read a game of football and perhaps sees substitutions as more than just the second rate players you throw on when your best XI are tiring.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

guess who we say Tim signed.

IF

Alvarez - not as good as Declan but to be honest, not many are. VERY good
Kudus - brilliant signing
Kilman - best CB since prime time Oggie
Obi Wan - early days but an upgrade on Coufal
Guido - for the sum total of naff all, a VERY good signing

Summerville - jury still out looked decent yesterday coming on for a team that was struggling
Fullkrug - hasn't managed a full 90 but honestly has fantastic C.V.
Todibo - hasn't played enough but comes with excellent credentials

Guillherme - paid peanuts I'm honestly guessing who knows ?

so it's a tough shout right now. I am very excited with the signings in general so far. whether the coach can put the pieces together or not, we will have to wait and see.....

[Chrissieboy]

When I looked at that line up before the match I actually groaned. I knew there was no way we would get 3 points. Lopetegui needs to get players fit and firing soon. He needs Todibo in for Marapanos and Soucek and Antonio cannot be starting. At least try Bowen up top with Summerville, Paqueta and Kudus behind if he won't start Ings and Fullkrug is unfit.

It is crazy that our two best players are the same position. Poor planning or just planning to make money off Kudus soon? It is a problem for Lopetegui, especially if we are still a defence first team hoping for one of our star players to nick something on the break.

I'm not excited or impressed at all so far. Still no real replacement for Antonio which we have needed for over a year at least now. Someone with pace to make space and join our talented attackers in flowing moves.

Soler could be key if he can get his Valencia form back and be more consistent than Paqueta. Again though, he is new to the league and coming off being messed around at PSG. Far from guaranteed.

There still just seems to be no unified plan at the club. We are as badly run as ever.

[Wilko1304]

If Mavropanos keeps his head, we come out of that first half level.

It was too functional and we weren’t good enough, but it wasn’t criminal

[EastVillageHammer]

If Mavropanos keeps his head, we come out of that first half level.

It was too functional and we weren’t good enough, but it wasn’t criminal

They should have had 2/3 more.

Don’t think Mavropanos is consistent enough. but I think to suggest he was the only thing that stopped us being beaten is to paper over the cracks… and so get the tension between what happened and what could have happened.

[Korea Hammer]

4 of our key players were half way around the world only getting back on Thursday afternoon.

Did Fulham have any players away on international duty?

This is absolutely not a sarcy reply - I tried to find out and failed.

[Tipsextra]

Did Fulham have any players away on international duty?

This is absolutely not a sarcy reply - I tried to find out and failed.

Bassey, Iwobi, Andersen, Berge, Castagne, Wilson & Lukic

[funky chicken]

If Mavropanos keeps his head, we come out of that first half level.

It was too functional and we weren’t good enough, but it wasn’t criminal

Yep.

How many saves did Alphonse have to make?

[ironilunga]

Don’t think Mavropanos is consistent enough.

He is delivering what 17mil generally gets you for a central defender. We’ve had plenty of these over the years - Diop, Balbuena, Keherer - essentially reserve top ten premier league defenders.

[Wilko1304]

They should have had 2/3 more.

Don’t think Mavropanos is consistent enough. but I think to suggest he was the only thing that stopped us being beaten is to paper over the cracks… and so get the tension between what happened and what could have happened.

I don’t think that’s true. What should they have scored? Would you be suggesting we should have had two goals if Summerville met two headers at the far post? Cos their threats on goal were poor Traore headers.

On Mav, I either don’t get you or that misrepresents/misunderstands what I said. The point is that it was a plan that wasn’t working, but we were one sensible defender away from 0-0. It wasn’t that bad, is what I mean.

Being taken apart on here because his conservative, but likely forced lineup wasn’t working. But it did the defensive job, and we were away from home. It’s not that bad, truly. Last year we got nothing right there, this year he got the defensive setup right but lacked the punch - and the individual performances - that was needed.

Reacting as he did was a big positive, getting a point was another, and his creative solutions were pretty good to observe.

[UpneyHammer]

I don’t think that’s true. What should they have scored? Would you be suggesting we should have had two goals if Summerville met two headers at the far post? Cos their threats on goal were poor Traore headers.

The Traore close range header & also the play where he was clean through on goal were very good chances & ones that you’d expect a player with a bit more composure to finish.

We were very lucky it was only 1-0 in that first half imo

[The Old Man of Storr]

All I'm seeing thus far is improvement .


Quite happy .

[Puff Daddy]

He's got us looking like a bottom 6 team. That's for sure