Julen Lopetegui’s time at West Ham United hasn’t gone exactly to plan, taking over from David Moyes this summer, and aiming to transform the Hammers from a counter-attacking side, into a more control-based, possession-heavy team.
West Ham sit 14th in the Premier League after 14 games played, winning four times, drawing three, and losing seven already this season.
Lopetegui’s side are averaging 46.4% possession, the eighth lowest total in the division, are taking 14.7 shots per game (6th highest), and are conceding 15.8 shots per game (4th most).
Lopetegui’s future seems to be in trouble, as West Ham are already drawing up shortlists of new candidates to take over from the 58-year-old Spanish coach, one of which has been out of a job since the 2022/23 season.
Graham Potter to West Ham
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, one name on the West Ham manager shortlist is Graham Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea in the 2022/23 season, having only taken charge of 31 games as manager, averaging 1.42 points per match.
The English coach had Chelsea averaging around 58.8% possession, taking 12.7 shots per game (only scoring 38 goals that season), and conceding 11.5 shots per game.
Whilst the numbers were not terrible, their league position was, finishing 12th that campaign after sacking Potter, trying to navigate turbulent times under new ownership.
While he is still considered a top manager, and is clearly taking his time to pick the right job before jumping back in, the one concern that could be had around Potter is the fact he hasn’t had a job since that tough Chelsea time, and how he will bounce back from it.
But perhaps the best name on the short list isn’t actually Potter but instead is Sergio Conceicao, the most experienced of the three names discussed by the Hammers board, and an option that could bring real stability to the club in a season of struggle.
Manager Focus
Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.
How Sergio Conceicao compares to Graham Potter
Possessing a brand of “heavy metal” football in the words of scout Antonio Mango, Conceicao could well be the perfect manager for West Ham, being adaptable – much like Potter – in his ability to go from a control-based 4-2-3-1, into a deeper 4-4-2 block, and change game plans based on the opposition and scoreline in a game.
This is a huge factor in such a competitive league, especially for a club like West Ham, who have a squad capable of controlling games against the bottom half of the table, but perhaps need a different approach when facing top-half sides, who possess slightly more on-ball quality. That was particularly evident when the Irons were dispatched 5-2 by Arsenal a few days ago.
Olhanense
34
1.26
Coimbra
39
1.28
SC Braga
45
1.80
Vitoria Guimaraes
31
1.10
FC Nantes
26
1.69
FC Porto
368
2.29
Conceicao’s best period was clearly at FC Porto, managing there from 2017-2024, winning three Primeira Liga titles (2017/18, 2019/20 and 2021/22), four Taca de Portugal’s (2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24), one Taca da Liga (2022/23), and three Supertaca Candido de Oliveira’s.
During the 2023/24 season, Porto averaged 63.6% possession (the most in their division), and only conceded 8.3 shots per game (the 2nd fewest in their division), showing Conceicao’s ability to coach a defensive unit and control games with more of the ball, two factors West Ham wish to improve upon since moving on from Moyes. Those numbers are also far better than the ones achieved by Potter when he was at Stamford Bridge.
With Lopetegui’s struggles already this season, West Ham need to ensure this next appointment can provide stability to their current squad and drag them away from the relegation zone.
Conceicao seems the best fit to do this, bringing extra defensive stability compared to Potter, and therefore making him the ideal appointment for the Hammers.
West Ham dud may have cost Lopetegui his job after a 4/10 performance
West Ham fell to yet another defeat in the Premier League last night.
1 ByEthan LambDec 4, 2024