The knives are well and truly out for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham and now the leaks have begun from the dressing room it seems.
That’s if a new claim from a journalist is to be believed.
Julen Lopetegui will go in front of the press today under increasing pressure at West Ham.
With just one win in the Premier League under him so far, the Hammers face a must-win game against Ipswich on Saturday.
The Spaniard has struggled to convince he has been the right choice to succeed David Moyes at the London Stadium.
Negative news has been following Lopetegui like a bad smell so far at West Ham.
Whether that’s becoming the first manager to oversee three home league defeats to start a season, being jeered by fans over substitutions or having blazing rows with star players.
Patience is a rare virtue in football and West Ham’s owners have already called for improvement, billing games against Brentford and Ipswich ‘huge’.
After only drawing with the injury-ravaged Bees, that piles even more pressure on the Ipswich clash.
And the Tractor Boys have been no pushovers thus far.
In mitigation Lopetegui has had a lot on his plate since joining West Ham.
Lopetegui facing battle to convince at West Ham
There has been a turnaround of 21 players in the new-look squad – nine in and 12 out.
He has been tasked with improving the style of play while getting results.
There is no European football to help him give games to the squad, his new striker has been out injured for half the season so far.
West Ham have looked vulnerable defensively and toothless in attack. But there have been glimpses of progress in the passing and possession stats.
The performance at Liverpool was encouraging for an hour before that pathetic collapse. And the second half a Brentford suggested the Spaniard can get a reaction from his players.
Where Lopetegui can’t hide from criticism, though, is his tactics and team selections.
West Ham are struggling for any continuity because the 57-year-old has changed the team almost every week.
He has named some questionable line-ups and subs, bringing off key players like Mohammed Kudus and Crysencio Summerville.
Lopetegui even subbed Guido Rodriguez during the first half in the disastrous defeat to Chelsea.
That game in particular has raised red flags among many.
West Ham looked completely unprepared and tactically naïve in that 3-0 defeat.
Some of the starting line-ups named by Lopetegui have baffled fans.
But it’s not just them confused by the teamsheets and tactics it seems.
New West Ham leak claims stars left shocked by Lopetegui
Because a new West Ham leak claims stars have been left shocked by something Lopetegui has been doing.
Dean Jones has shared information which will cause concern for owners and fans.
He says players have been caught off guard by last minute changes to line-ups and tactics.
Including that defeat to Chelsea where West Ham looked all at sea from the kick-off.
“It remains to be seen how quickly they (Kudus and Lopetegui) can put the moment behind them, but it is not the only example of Lopetegui surprising his players,” Jones said in an exclusive on Give Me Sport.
“It is understood he has also made late changes to the expected starting line-ups.
“In addition, sources have indicated that the recent decision to line up with a back three, with Edson Alvarez at the heart of it, also came as a surprise to the players late in the build-up towards the Chelsea clash last month, which they lost 3-0.”
It is those kind of reports that will raise concerns Lopetegui could lose his expensively-assembled dressing room.
But it’s surely far too soon for that, with the positive second half reaction proof that’s not the case.
Much is riding on the Ipswich game going into an international break.