A Sky Sports expert has joined West Ham fans in voicing frustration at Julen Lopetegui’s treatment of one particular new star.
Julen Lopetegui was not West Ham’s first choice to succeed David Moyes.
Indeed the Hammers were not Lopetegui’s first choice either.
The Spaniard looked set to join AC Milan after holding talks over many months.
But a protest from Milan’s Ultras put paid to that arrangement and West Ham moved in.
Having impressed Hammers majority owner David Sullivan and technical director Tim Steidten, Lopetegui also won over many supporters sceptical he was the right man to take charge.
His ambitious declarations about making a ‘big noise’ with West Ham was followed by a stellar window.
The board backed Lopetegui and Steidten’s overhaul by spending £155m on nine signings.
Supporters have been craving something fresh and new after four-and-a-half years under Moyes.
Moyes did a superb job of course. But fans had grown tired of his risk averse style by the end.
Expert puzzled by Lopetegui’s treatment of Fullkrug
That was highlighted by Moyes not signing a replacement striker for Gianluca Scamacca when he was sold last summer.
As a result, finally replacing the Italian was one of West Ham’s biggest priorities in the summer.
That man was Niclas Fullkrug, who arrived in a £23.5m deal from Borussia Dortmund.
The big German has found himself on the bench for the first three Premier League games.
Fullkrug made it clear he hasn’t come to West Ham to play back-up to Michail Antonio.
The 31-year-old Germany international missed the draw with Fulham on Saturday.
So it’s unclear whether Fullkrug would finally have got his first Premier League start.
Supporters will be fully expecting that if Fullkrug is fit for this weekend’s clash with Chelsea.
The club have provided Hammers News with an update on Fullkrug’s chances of facing the Blues.
Steidten was the man behind the deal having worked with Fullkrug at Werder Bremen.
Sky Sports analyst questions ‘strange’ Fullkrug situation
If West Ham fans have been a touch bemused by some of their new manager’s selection decisions thus far, they’re not alone.
A Sky Sports expert has admitted he’s puzzled by Lopetegui’s treatment of the new West Ham star.
What Dougie Critchley doesn’t know about European football probably isn’t worth knowing.
The Sky Sports football expert and analyst is one of the brightest brains around on the modern game.
And Critchley took to X to express his confusion over the Fullkrug situation, saying he finds it ‘strange’.
“Has Lopetegui explained why he hasn’t really used Füllkrug so far this season?” Critchley said.
“It seems strange…
“You’ve got a striker coming off a 15-goal season for Borussia Dortmund, who has scored 14 in 22 for Germany and yet you start Antonio every game?!
“Need to get him up to speed.”
If Fullkrug is fit to face Chelsea this weekend, he will be under huge pressure to start Fullkrug.
West Ham have had the second fewest shots on target in the Premier League so far this season.
That has to change if the Hammers have designs of qualifying for Europe.
So bringing a proven goalscorer like Fullkrug into the team is surely a no-brainer.
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