The telltale signs of a lack of confidence were everywhere. Strikers resort to shots and fail to create the necessary space. Midfielders play it safe with passes backwards and sideways. Defenders and goalkeepers throw the ball long in a clear and overly cautious interpretation of press resistance. The players played with a fear that matched their managers’ fragile position.

Now one point behind Manchester United and just two points behind Newcastle and TottenhamIs Lopetegui possibly facing a crisis? Which crisis? Keep that in mind, but there was a massive, underwhelming element to this victory with its goals, thanks to some terrible defense and a flash of brilliance from their captain. It could very well be him Lose the current sack race against Gary O’Neilbut this wasn’t an appearance to silence his critics.

It felt like an average performance under David Moyes and although wins are wins after being told his predecessor had lost his job in search of The West Ham Way, the Spaniard ultimately needs to ensure his side are better Plays football and we have no confidence in him being able to do that. His dismissal remains in place.

The opener was the biggest goal between West Ham and Wolves imaginable. The home side had already had nine corners before they scored, and if you hadn’t seen how much nonsense was scored before Tomas Soucek’s header, given both Wolves’ terrible records, you would have wondered why they didn’t score two or three goals beforehand had defending set pieces and the ridiculous way they tried to defend them.

No Wolves player got off the ground before 5ft 7in. Joao Gomes’ pathetic and pointless bunny hop bounced onto the line as the ball flew over his head. Soucek – bloody Soucek – the guy who has scored more goals from corners since he arrived in the Premier League (12) than anyone else from Arsenal’s Gabriel (15), went about four meters to the left as the ball flew towards the back post before sending the ball over the defenders and into the far corner, meaning Wolves have already conceded 15 set-piece goals this season.

We have to assume that O’Neil took over the role of Standard coach himself after the club sent away designated Standard coach Jack Wilson over two months ago, and if not then he is equally responsible for it So sending such targets will ultimately cost him his job.

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You might think, considering that this was about the difference between one point and no point, and that’s why we’re talking about the end of his time at Wolves and not the fact that he barely managed a club in This sweet, sweet underworld is mentioned. Without such vile defense from corners and free kicks they would be mid-table, he would be concentrating solely on the training ground.

Maybe it was, but this is just as damning. Because point a) of what we have in mind was a wonderfully colorful powerpoint on “Defending Set Pieces Against West Ham” and “Keep An Eye On That Big Czech Guy” was a major oversight.

And such a shame because the Wolves played some nice stuff here, as they usually do. Their goal consisted of a precise diagonal from Sam Johnstone, a lovely touch from Goncalo Guedes, a great cross from Rayan Air-Nouri and an excellent first-time finish from Matt Doherty, who shot in from his full-back position.

It was an open goal from the training pitch, and it was further evidence of O’Neil’s clear quality in organizing his team to attack, with Gomes having a very good time in the first half after a lovely, flowing move that led to the draw Presentable chance wasted West Ham attack them on one side of the pitch before quickly changing the point of attack.

They have scored 23 goals this season, more or as many as 11 of the teams above them in the Premier League, but they have conceded seven more than anyone else, and while watching them it’s easy to see why Not scoring goals One problem, it’s easier to see what it’s like to concede goals.

This will be hard for O’Neil to take, partly because of what looked like a fairly obvious foul on Santiago Bueno in the build-up to Jarrod Bowen’s goal, and because it was a standout moment of quality from a single team that had been up to Not producing many or any of them at this stage, just moments after Wolves had equalized and had the momentum. It was a beautiful finish in the far corner from Bowen.

There is also no doubt that the situation is difficult. As O’Neil eagerly pointed out after the game, they have sold £200 million worth of players since his arrival at the club. Ruben Neves, Matheus Nunes, Max Kilman and Pedro Neto are big players to miss. But he can’t keep beating the drum. His squad is not five points worse than Leicester’s.

“We have to find a way not to concede goals like today,” he said after the game, before quickly adding: “Hopefully the January transfer window can help us.” But one man we keep hearing about is a excellent coach who shows that through his team’s attacking football he should be able to organize the admittedly subpar defenders in order not to constantly embarrass himself at set pieces. It’s Tomas again, damn Soucek.

There are four games left until January, which at current odds means four more goals conceded from set pieces, and wishing for those away games feels like a dangerous state of mind for a manager under pressure.