October 19, 2024: The Day West Ham United Hit Self-Destruct
West Ham United’s 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on October 19, 2024, will likely be remembered as the day the club’s season went into freefall. Mohammed Kudus’ unexpected red card for shoving both Micky van de Ven and Pape Matar Sarr in the face, combined with glaring defensive vulnerabilities and a motionless Julen Lopetegui on the sideline, highlighted the club’s deep-rooted problems.
After eight league games, West Ham’s identity remains elusive. Head coach Lopetegui has yet to establish a system that allows the attacking trio of Kudus, Jarrod Bowen, and Michail Antonio to consistently shine. Defensively, they have been shaky, despite the summer acquisitions of Maximilian Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, which totaled £55 million ($71.7 million). The slow introduction of Crysencio Summerville into the starting XI no longer seems justified. Meanwhile, Lucas Paqueta’s performances have declined, and he has become increasingly careless in possession.
This new season feels eerily reminiscent of past failures. Since August, West Ham has only secured one victory, collecting just five points in their last six matches.
Despite these struggles, Lopetegui still has the full backing of the board. However, the pressure on him is mounting with each disappointing result. Vice-chair Karren Brady kept her true feelings hidden behind sunglasses while watching from the directors’ box at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Pre-match, David Sullivan’s red Rolls-Royce briefly stalled in traffic on Tottenham High Road, and in hindsight, a return home might have been a more fitting course of action for the co-owner. The West Ham faithful were quick to show their displeasure, with some fans leaving as early as the 65th minute. In reality, Tottenham could have inflicted even more damage.
The win over newly promoted Ipswich Town before the international break had been seen as a potential turning point for West Ham. Fans approached the London derby against Tottenham with a renewed sense of optimism, but the crushing defeat has further dimmed their hopes.
Three goals conceded in eight minutes after the halftime interval deepened the sense of dread that has become familiar to West Ham fans. Unfortunately, it was all too predictable, following similar collapses in recent defeats to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and Chelsea in the league.
West Ham’s season is slipping away, and unless drastic changes are made, the weeks ahead could get even more difficult.
| Team | Date | Goalscorer | Minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 21 | Palmer | 47 | |
| September 25 | Jota | 49 | |
| September 25 | Salah | 74 | |
| September 25 | Gakpo | 90, 90+3 | |
| October 19 | Bissouma | 52 | |
| October 19 | Areola (OG) | 55 | |
| October 19 | Son | 60 |
Kudus opened the scoring, but the joy was short-lived as he was sent off soon after — his first red card since November 2019. To make matters worse, the Ghanaian international now faces a minimum three-match suspension, ruling him out of crucial fixtures against Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, and Everton.
As he walked off the pitch and past Julen Lopetegui and his coaching staff, Kudus, typically known for his calm demeanor, had clearly lost his composure. There is little room for sympathy given the nature of his actions.
This marks the second time in a month that Kudus’ discipline has been called into question. In the 1-1 draw against Brentford, he and Lopetegui had a heated exchange when Kudus was substituted at halftime, further highlighting the growing tension between the player and his manager.
“We (Lopetegui and Kudus) are going to talk,” said the head coach after the Tottenham loss. “Not today. It’s not the day to talk, but he will be aware he can improve his actions in these moments because it is not good for him, the club or the team.”
Tim Steidten, the club’s technical director, has been widely praised for his recruitment efforts, but his decisions now deserve closer scrutiny.
The club invested £27 million in Niclas Fullkrug, a 31-year-old forward from Borussia Dortmund. However, Fullkrug has been sidelined with a calf injury and has only managed 63 minutes of league action. Meanwhile, Luis Guilherme, the £25 million acquisition from Palmeiras, has played just once, clocking in a mere four minutes. That’s a combined £52 million tied up in talent that has hardly featured. Midfielder Guido Rodriguez is still adjusting to the demands of Premier League football, and Carlos Soler’s contributions have been limited to brief substitute appearances.
After the match, Julen Lopetegui apologized to fans and assured them that performances will improve, asking for patience and to withhold judgment until May. While his words may sound reassuring, it’s hard to ignore the reality that actions speak louder than words.
“The message is we are sure we will have better moments,” Lopetegui said. “The Premier League is very long and we knew we had a hard start. But we are going to improve. I am sure about this.
“Today we are very frustrated and so sorry for them (the fans) above all. We are going to work very hard for the next challenge.
“We have to do better. Maybe I have to improve, too, my translation with my players. The first half was interesting. We did good things. We scored and had chances to score more. After 2-1, the worst thing for me is not being able to keep the mentality. You are losing 2-1 but you have a lot of time in front of you to draw or to win the match. That’s why we have to improve one important step — to handle these bad moments in another way.”
Attention turns to West Ham’s upcoming home game against Manchester United.
Lopetegui and Erik ten Hag find themselves in embattled positions. Whenever a manager is under pressure, there comes a point when they are no longer capable of redirecting the lurching turbulence. Lopetegui will hope he is not subject to such a fate, but failure to turn around the slow start to the season may cost him his job.
(Top photo: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
