“I have to admit” – Former West Ham player criticizes Hammers star for recent poor form

West Ham took an early lead through Mohammed Kudus, but the team failed to maintain control and conceded three goals in the second half, all within an eight-minute span, resulting in a disappointing defeat.

Tony Cottee, a former West Ham striker, has voiced concerns over the recent form of goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, particularly criticizing his distribution and command of the penalty area.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Cottee acknowledged Areola’s skill as a shot-stopper but noted a lack of confidence that seems to be impacting West Ham’s defensive stability.

Cottee stated, “At the moment, the goalkeeper doesn’t fill me with any confidence.

He is a good shot-stopper, but his distribution and command of the penalty area leave much to be desired. There seems to be hesitancy from those in front of him.”

Areola’s struggles were most evident during Tottenham’s third goal, where his poor distribution led to a Spurs counterattack.

Though he saved the initial shot from Son, the ball deflected off Jean-Clair Todibo and then back off Areola, resulting in an unfortunate own goal that compounded West Ham’s collapse.

Despite recent setbacks, Areola has had notable moments at West Ham.

After initially joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and making the move permanent in 2022, he played a crucial role in the club’s Europa League campaign during the 2021-22 season.

Areola also helped the team win the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2023.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on new West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui following a poor start to his tenure.

The club heavily backed Lopetegui in the transfer window, spending over £100 million to strengthen the squad, making West Ham one of the busiest clubs in the market.

However, the results have been underwhelming, with the team winning only two of their league matches, losing four, and drawing two. West Ham currently sits 15th in the table.

With Lopetegui under increasing scrutiny, discussions about a managerial change have begun.

Among those linked to the job is Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who has been suggested as a potential replacement by Darren Bent.

Lopetegui, a former Real Madrid manager, urgently needs to turn things around before the club’s owners lose patience.

Additionally, a recent report indicates that West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, was opposed to Lopetegui’s appointment from the beginning, suggesting internal divisions may also beat play.