There is a sense of deja vu at West Ham and it could prove fatal for manager Julen Lopetegui in the very near future.
Julen Lopetegui has been told in no uncertain terms he must spark West Ham into life.
The club’s hierarchy have repeatedly publicly backed the under fire Spaniard.
Usually managers only get one vote of confidence.
It says everything about how bad West Ham have been under Lopetegui so far that he’s already had several.
The latest came just yesterday when a spokesman for West Ham’s owners laid down the gauntlet to the manager by insisting they do not expect to see heavy defeats in the next two games.
With Newcastle away on a Monday night and title-chasing Arsenal at home the fixtures up next, that looks a very tough ask.
Awful performances and just three Premier League wins so far – two of them extremely fortunate – have left Lopetegui fighting to save his job.
West Ham were dreadful again in what was billed a ‘must win’ game against Everton last weekend.
The Hammers were jeered off at half-time and full-time.
Swathes of fans left the game long before the final whistle for the sixth time in 13 games under their 57-year-old head coach.
Lopetegui then returned home to Spain for a break. He reportedly did so in the ‘misguided’ belief his job as Hammers boss is safe for the foreseeable future.
What’s become clear is that Lopetegui has been given a stay of execution.
Major bust-up revelation at West Ham fatal for Lopetegui
Should the next two games go to form, the axe could swing.
With the pressure mounting, the blame game began before Lopetegui headed back to his home town.
The ex Wolves boss made very risky move.
Lopetegui shifted the blame onto the club’s technical director for the failure to implement his style of play.
Given Tim Steidten is in charge of the football operation at West Ham, those comments were telling.
And it seems the situation may be unravelling behind the scenes.
Because a major bust-up revelation at West Ham will be fatal for Lopetegui claims ex key man and it explains a notable absence.
Towards the end of his tenure, David Moyes fell out with Steidten.
The situation was so bad, Moyes banned the German from being around the first team at the training ground and on matchdays.
With Moyes out of the picture, Steidten had been front and centre at West Ham matches this season.
The technical director has an office right at the front of the club’s Rush Green training ground.
He has been seen travelling with the team, in the tunnel before kick-off, standing pitch-side and has even given interviews before matches.
If West Ham were flying under Lopetegui and the new signings starring, it probably wouldn’t be an issue.
Ex key man’s claim explains notable absence
But it has not gone down well with many West Ham fans who have criticised Steidten over it.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man has not been seen as much around matches lately, though.
Many have noted his absence in those situations with some accusing Steidten of hiding as things turn sour.
Now we may know the reason.
Top former West Ham scout Mick Brown left the club when Moyes departed in the summer.
Brown claims his contacts at the club told him relations between Lopetegui and Steidten are already tense.
And he believes that will only end one way for Lopetegui – like it did for Moyes.
Give Me Sport have picked up on Brown’s comments as he also claims Steidten has been made more powerful than the manager.
This certainly tallies with the fact Steidten has not been around the first team as much. Certainly not on match days.
Moyes was the last manager who took on Steidten.
And we all know how that ended.
It increasingly looks like Lopetegui needs an immediate upturn in performances and a shock result or two when the action resumes if he is to continue as West Ham’s manager.
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