After the final matchday of the last Premier League season, West Ham found themselves at the ninth position in the league table. Despite a promising start, they only managed to finish ninth, which was disappointing for the Hammers who couldn't qualify for European football. The West Ham fans were left unconvinced by David Moyes' style of play, leading to his departure from the club. Moyes, known for his defensive approach, couldn’t quite get the best out of a squad that had star players like Jarrod Bowen, Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez.
The Hammers signed former Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui, who led Sevilla to the UEFA Europa League title. Unlike Moyes, Lopetegui wanted to make more signings to improve the squad. In this summer transfer window, the club has signed eight new players including the likes of star players like Niclas Fullkrug, Jean-Clair Todibo and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. This influx of talent aligns with Lopetegui’s ambition of having two quality players in every position, ensuring competition and depth throughout the squad.
Former West Ham manager David Moyes analyses West Ham's transfer window
However, Lopetegui’s approach is a huge contrast to Moyes, who recently shared his thoughts on West Ham’s new signings. Speaking about West Ham's transfer window, Moyes said,
"When you think back over time, as football managers we never really wanted to bring in eight players. You didn’t want your squad changing so much. Bigger squads means more players not playing, so it means more players unhappy, who want to play or move on."David Moyes
Moyes admitted that he wouldn’t have brought in so many players, as he prefers working with a smaller, squad throughout the season. Recently, former West Ham player Dean Ashton also said that after eight new signings, the Hammers should perform well this season.
Although, Julen Lopetegui's West Ham started their Premier League season with a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa, they put up an improved performance with better possession and passing stats than Aston Villa. Now, they face Crystal Palace in an away fixture aiming to take the three points from the second match.