West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is under scrutiny following his performance in the team’s emphatic 4-1 defeat by Tottenham on Saturday.
Although West Ham took the lead through Mohammed Kudus, the Hammers were unable to maintain control of the game, conceding three goals in an eight minute period during the second half.
Tony Cottee questions Alphonse Areola’s form
Former West Ham striker Tony Cottee has expressed concern over Alphonse Areola’s recent performances, particularly his distribution and dominance in the penalty area.
talking with talkSPORTCottee highlighted that while Areola is a capable shot, there appears to be a lack of confidence in the Frenchman which could be affecting West Ham’s defensive stability.
The expert said:
“I have to admit that at the moment the goalkeeper does not fill me with confidence. He is a good shooter, but his distribution, his command of the area, I think there seems to be a lot of hesitation in front of him.”
Areola’s struggles were most evident during Tottenham’s third goal. His poor distribution led to a quick Spurs counter. After Son’s initial shot was saved, the ball deflected off Jean-Clair Todibo before bouncing off Areola, leading to an own goal that further cemented West Ham’s collapse.
Despite these recent struggles, Areola has enjoyed some memorable moments at West Ham since joining on loan from PSG in 2021, before making the move permanent in 2022.
He played a vital role in the Hammers’ Europa League journey in the 2021-22 season and helped secure the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2023.
Julen Lopetegui under pressure after a bad start
New manager Julen Lopetegui has made the worst possible start to his tenure at West Ham. The club backed him substantially in the transfer window, with the Hammers among the busiest clubs in the market, spending over £100m to strengthen the squad.
However, they have only won twice in the league so far, losing 4 and drawing 2, as they sit 15th in the table.
As pressure mounts on Lopetegui, talks have begun over a managerial change, with several managers linked with the job.
Among them is Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who has been Darren Bent proposed to take on the job.
The former Real Madrid manager really needs to turn the season around quickly before the club’s owners lose patience. He may no longer have the full support of club members, with a recent report suggesting that the the club’s technical director, Tim Steidten, was against his appointment from the beginning.
