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Chelsea icon Joe Cole has called out West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui for the display of his team in their 3-0 defeat to the Blues. The Blues coasted to an easy win against the Hammers, who appear to be struggling at the start of this season.
West Ham paid heavily for sleepy starts to each half, conceding all three goals in the game at the start of each half. Their opponents were two goals up just 18 minutes into the first half, before adding a third less than two minutes into the second half.
Speaking as a pundit on TNT Sports, former Chelsea and West Ham midfielder Joe Cole was quick to criticize the Hammers' new manager Lopetegui for his side's dreadful start. He highlighted the combination of players selected to start the game and how they did everything wrong in allowing easy goals for the Blues, saying:
"West Ham were very, very poor. The manager got it wrong. If you've got Mavropanos and Alvarez running back towards your own goal three or four times, there's something wrong. It's fantastic from Jackson. The first ten minutes of the derby, three players not concentrating, that's criminal. Wan-Bissaka, you have to retreat."
"Alvarez, that's exactly where you don't want to be as a midfield player, chasing after someone that's quicker than you. From Chelsea's perspective, it's an excellent finish from Jackson. So often particularly in the first 20 minutes, West Ham's pressing was all over the place. Wan-Bissaka's pushing into midfield. West Ham are in a foot race and they've lost it."
Former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui took over at the London Stadium this summer, replacing David Moyes with the promise of introducing better attacking football.
The Hammers have since picked up only one win from their opening five league games this term, putting the Spanish tactician under early pressure.
West Ham will face fellow London side Brentford in their next league game after a trip to Anfield in midweek in the Carabao Cup. Chelsea, on the other hand, will face Barrow in the cup before squaring off against Brighton & Hove Albion next weekend.
Former West Ham boss calls out disappointing display in Chelsea defeat
Former West Ham manager David Moyes has called out the side's poor performance in their 3-0 defeat at home to Chelsea in the Premier League. The former Everton and Manchester United boss pointed out that the side's good record at home to the Blues had counted for nought in the defeat on Saturday.
Moyes said (via West Ham Football on X):
"It's a poor performance and they'd be disappointed because we have a pretty good record against Chelsea at the London Stadium over the years. We've had more difficulties at Stamford Bridge but we've been good against them. I'm disappointed in [Chelsea] getting the third goal just after half-time."
Coming into the game, the Blues had only picked up one win from their previous seven visits to the London Stadium - when the stands were empty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Moyes last season, they lost 3-1 in the same game, and the frustration of the manager can be understood.
On Saturday, goals from Nicolas Jackson (2) and Cole Palmer gave Enzo Maresca's Blues a comfortable away win.
