Former Hammer Nigel Winterburn believes West Ham United's board are right to call time on Julen Lopetegui's spell as Head Coach.
The former left back, who spent three seasons on West Ham's books in the early noughties added that the club have lost their ability to compete against any team, as was the case under predecessor David Moyes.And he believes Lopetegui's successor - who is expected to be the currently unemployed Graham Potter - needs to determine how best to utilise the plethora of attacking options available within the squad, even if two of those - Michail Antonio and skipper Jarrod Bowen - are currently unavailable.
"Under David Moyes, West Ham always looked competitive, even if the style of play wasn’t to everyone’s taste," Winterburn told William Hill. "For me, Moyes did a brilliant job in maintaining competitiveness, something the club has struggled to replicate this season with Lopetegui.
"West Ham's performances have been lacklustre, with only a few standout games, which is far below what supporters expect and deserve. Having spent three years at West Ham, I know how much the club values a clear style of play. Unfortunately, under Lopetegui, that clarity hasn’t been there.
"The plan hasn’t come together, and the results have reflected it. Six games across all competitions with four or more goals conceded simply isn’t acceptable for a club of West Ham’s stature."
And Winterburn believes Lopetegui's system - instead of bringing out the best in his players - often served instead to have a detrimental effect.
"We must acknowledge the unfortunate situation with Michail Antonio and wish him the best, but losing a talisman like him, along with Jarrod Bowen’s fractured foot, leaves West Ham without two crucial players," he said.
"But even when the top attacking talents were fit, it often felt like Lopetegui’s system stifled their potential. Watching his West Ham, I can’t tell if they want to press high and dominate or sit back and play on the counter.
"Whoever replaces Lopetegui must prioritise giving these free-flowing attackers as much time as possible in the opposition’s half to thrive."
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