Jamie Carragher did not hold back his criticism of the way West Ham United is being managed, following their lackluster performance in the London derby against Brentford on Monday night. The former Liverpool defender was candid in his assessment, labeling the club’s management as ‘shocking’ during his analysis on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
The Hammers have struggled to claim victory against any London rivals on their home turf this season. Their Premier League campaign has been marred by heavy losses, including a 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, a 3-0 loss to Tottenham, and a 2-0 setback against Arsenal. These results have left fans disillusioned and increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction.
Despite having new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm, West Ham seems far from finding their rhythm. Their performance against Brentford was uninspiring, as they failed to secure their first win under Santo’s leadership. The 90-minute match was anything but thrilling, further dampening the spirits of their supporters.
Discontent among fans is palpable, as evidenced by many leaving the London Stadium early, missing Brentford’s second goal. This premature exit reflects a growing frustration with the team’s current state and management.
Carragher pointed out that this fan frustration is indicative of deeper issues within the club, particularly with the ownership group led by chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady. He emphasized that the club’s ongoing struggles are not new, noting that West Ham has been ‘shocking’ for some time now.
West Ham lost yet another London derby this season against Brentford on Monday evening
Fans vented their frustrations at the club’s board after a challenging start to the campaign
‘Shocking,’ the former Liverpool star said of the Hammers on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. ‘And (they’ve) been shocking for a while.
‘It feels an awful long time since they won that European trophy under David Moyes.
‘And there’s a reason why supporters’ reactions, not just to this ownership, but at other clubs – and sometimes when you’re not associated to that club and you’re on the outside and looking in, you sometimes think, “what are you complaining about”, sometimes we question supporters.
‘When supporters go against the club and they go against their ownership, a lot of the time it’s a last resort. And very rarely do supporters of those clubs get it wrong. They know exactly what is going on at this football club, and it’s not down to managers.
‘The ownership at West Ham is completely different to the club that’s just battered them on their own patch,’ Carragher continued, citing Brentford’s ability to rise above a number of high-profile departures – including star man Bryan Mbeumo and manager Thomas Frank – ahead of the season.
‘It’s almost like a throwback in how (West Ham) go about transfers. Serving at the top end of that club, they’ve been there a few years, they won a trophy under David Moyes, I get that.
‘But it doesn’t feel a modern way of doing things and I think that’s where that frustration comes from in the support.
‘They look at other clubs that are not a patch on West Ham – and that’s not being disrespectful to Brentford and Brighton, we look at those two as forward-thinking modern football clubs the way they run themselves – West Ham are a far bigger club than those I’ve mentioned.
Jamie Carragher was keen to stress how supporters likely had the measure of their board
Scores of fan abandoned the London Stadium after guessing there was no hope of a comeback
Chairman Daniel Sullivan was in attendance in east London as he watched his side crumble
‘But they way they’re run right now means that they can’t actually compete with them on the pitch.’
The club’s board have previously sought to address the schism between the hierarchy and their fans earlier in the season, sharing a lengthy statement which attempted to highlight where investments had been made, and stressed their continued intention to challenge for trophies.
Carragher also pointed out how he believes the West Ham squad’s athleticism is well below the standard required in the English top flight, questioning whether they might be the slowest team in the Premier League.
Highlighting the importance of physicality and pace at the top of the game, Carragher added: ‘what I’ve seen over the 12 months, I can’t think of a less athletic team I’ve seen for a very long time in this Premier League. It’s one of the slowest teams I’ve seen in Premier League football.
‘You look at that first goal, and it feels like it’s a throwback to 40, 50 years ago, when everyone had all the time in the world and all that space.’
West Ham will now regroup and hope to recover their form on the road, when they head to Elland Road to face Leeds on Friday evening.
