- West Ham were booed during a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea on Saturday
- Julen Lopetegui has been criticised for their form since replacing David Moyes
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! , available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui is adamant his side’s results will improve but insists they remain a work in progress under him.
The Hammers were booed off at the London Stadium after Saturday’s dour 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, a club-record third successive home loss at the start of a league season.
Lopetegui, 58, now has just one win in his first five league games since taking over as manager from David Moyes in the summer.
Up next is a tricky trip to Anfield for a League Cup third round clash with Liverpool, where the Spaniard has hinted he will still rotate his team despite the need for a confidence-boosting victory.
‘All of them (the players) have the possibility to play but I repeat we have to balance the team tomorrow,’ he said.
Julen Lopetegui believes that the results will soon start to come for his West Ham side
The Hammers have won just one of their first five league games under the Spanish manager
West Ham face a trip to holders Liverpool in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday
‘For sure there are going to be changes but we have to try to take advantage of all our squad but always thinking the team we are going to put out will be ready to compete at Anfield for a very tough task.
‘We are going to play against the current champions of the competition and we’re going to play at Anfield. We face all the competitions with the intention of doing our best and to go as far as possible in the competition. It’s not an easy task, but we go there with this ambition.’
Victory at Anfield would go a long way to ease the growing pressure which is beginning to mount on Lopetegui from some sections of the club’s fanbase.
The manner in which West Ham gifted victory to Chelsea was particularly concerning, with Lopetegui taking unequivocal blame for their poor performance.
He said: ‘Mistakes are part of football because we take decisions and the decisions sometimes work better, sometimes worse. I am sure the team is going to compete better and the results we want are going to arrive.’
Lopetegui also insists he will have to be patient with the likes of Carlos Soler and Jean-Clair Todibo, summer signings who have found their minutes limited so far.
Summer signings Jean-Clair Todibo (left) and Carlos Soler (right) have struggled for minutes
Striker Niclas Fullkrug has returned to training following the achilles injury he picked up on international duty with Germany and could be part of the squad that travels to Liverpool.
‘It’s true we have a lot of players, players who have never played in the Premier League,’ said Lopetegui. ‘They have to adapt as soon as possible and we have to help them. That’s why we are a team in construction.
‘It’s true that he (Fullkrug) hasn’t had continuity because when he started feeling better he had a little injury with the German national team. It’s a pity because he was very close to start playing with us.
‘Right now, we have to evaluate him, see how he is to play any minutes or not. He’s going to bring us his experience and help us to be a stronger team.’
