It is no secret West Ham United are struggling under Julen Lopetegui. Last week’s 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur was their fourth loss in the Premier League this term as they are currently languishing in the bottom half of the table.
A clash against Manchester United awaits them this afternoon. Erik ten Hag’s men may not be in the best form either, but Lopetegui would have preferred a clash against another team surely.
During the second half against Spurs, the wheels fell off and this could see the Spaniard making a few changes.
Is it time to take a gamble with team selection? Several players have struggled of late, including Edson Alvarez and Guido Rodriguez.
Alvarez & Rodriguez's stats vs Spurs
The Argentinian did win five of his seven duels against Spurs, yet he could only complete 75% of his passes during his time on the pitch before being subbed off with 20 minutes remaining.
Alvarez replaced the ineffective Lucas Paqueta with half an hour left during the game, but he failed to really assert any positive influence on the team.
Touches
45
Total passes
22/30
Total duels won
7 (5)
Possession lost
8
Tackles
5
Key passes
0
The midfielder lost possession five times, won just 50% of his total duels and made just 12 passes, hardly the numbers Lopetegui would have hoped for.
The duo are currently earning a staggering £175k-per-week combined, yet they aren’t delivering performances worthy of such riches at the minute.
The Spaniard has several options at his choice for a berth in the heart of the midfield. Instead of an established player, could the former Real Madrid manager turn to a youngster who could offer some much-needed dynamism to his starting XI?
The teenager who should be unleashed by Julen Lopetegui
Still just 18 years old, Lewis Orford has been making waves with the U21 side recently, emerging as a standout player coming through the academy.
Since the 2020/21 season, Orford has made a total of 94 appearances for both the U21 and U18 teams, scoring 19 goals and registering 30 assists, a wonderful haul by the youngster.
The teenager signed his first professional contract with the club in February 2023 and was immediately hailed by Academy Manager Kenny Brown, who said: “Lewis has been with the Academy since he was five-years-old and this news will make many people very happy. His development over this period has been impressive and he is now performing to a high level with the U18s and U21s.”
Over the previous two seasons, Orford has made the matchday squad on no fewer than ten occasions, yet he has still to make his senior debut.
There is no doubting his potential and considering how poor the midfield has looked in recent weeks, perhaps now is the right time to unleash him for his senior debut, with the teenager currently in fine form with four assists to his name in 2024/25.
A baptism of fire, indeed, it would be for the young Englishman, but with the Hammers struggling, a fresh injection of youth could be what is needed.
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