A miserable week for the Spaniard almost got worse, moments after striker rolled a shot narrowly wide of the Brentford goal.
West Ham could once again not find the winner as they drew 1-1 with Brentford following an almost immediate goal from Bryan Mbeumo and a second-half equaliser from Tomas Soucek.
On a day on which all eyes are on a flailing Julen Lopetegui the Irons suffered the worst state imaginable with Bees star Mbeumo scoring within a minute of the whistle. Despite the goal’s immediacy, however, it somehow felt as if it was inevitable. It was an exceptional strike from the Brentford star but that does not detract from the Irons’ own errors with the build-up to the goal being avoidable.
After such a poor defensive campaign in 2023/24, Lopetegui’s primary transfer aim was to improve the back line. However, for the opening 20 minutes, it felt as if little had changed with West Ham in complete disarray, looking startled and unorganised whenever the home side were making a break.
The Irons would not be without their opportunities, however, with Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus doing their utmost to provide an equaliser. But, as they often found themselves without any help, the first 45 minutes ended with the Irons walking off to a chorus of boos.
But how quickly fans can turn with those boos changing to cheers after Tomas Soucek found an equaliser shortly after the restart. In similar fashion to the Irons’ style of choice, it was a scrappy and perfunctory goal – but a goal it was.
Luckily for the fans, the desperation to find a winner created a far more end-to-end second half than what had been witnessed in the first. Brentford fans will feel aggrieved not to have been awarded an added time penalty as they produced a mighty onslaught onto the Irons’ defence and, in spite of an exceptionally nail-biting last ten minutes for the away fans, the game would ended with just one point apiece as Lopetegui’s future hangs in the balance.
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