BAD NEWS for West Ham as Lopetegui Faces THREE NEW Defensive Nightmares Ahead of Liecester Clash and with This Another Loss Could be Knocking Already….

West Ham Crisis Deepens as Lopetegui Faces Defensive Nightmare Ahead of Leicester Clash

West Ham United’s precarious situation has taken a turn for the worse, with manager Julen Lopetegui facing a defensive crisis ahead of the crucial Premier League encounter against Leicester City on Tuesday.

The Hammers’ prospects of securing a much-needed victory have been severely compromised by the uncertainty surrounding the availability of three key centre-backs. Jean-Clair Todibo, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and youngster Kaelan Casey are all doubts for the game, leaving Lopetegui with a daunting task.

Todibo’s participation is uncertain due to a persistent stomach issue, which forced his withdrawal during the defeat to Arsenal. Lopetegui expressed caution regarding the Frenchman’s availability, stating, “We had a little problem with [Jean-Clair] Todibo in the last match… He started having the problem in Newcastle. And he has that same problem. I think it’s not very [severe], but let’s see. We don’t know exactly if he’s going to be available or not.”

Compounding West Ham’s woes, Mavropanos and Casey are also struggling with a virus, which caused them to miss the Arsenal defeat. The official team news preview confirmed, “Defenders Dinos Mavropanos and Kaelan Casey missed Saturday’s Premier League defeat against Arsenal because of a virus.”

With Max Kilman potentially being the only available centre-back, Lopetegui may be forced to deploy Edson Alvarez in an unfamiliar role. Alvarez has experience playing at centre-back for Ajax and Mexico, but it remains to be seen whether he can adapt seamlessly to this position.

Alternatively, Lopetegui could opt for a makeshift defensive setup, utilizing Alvarez and Aaron Cresswell on either side of Kilman, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson operating as wingbacks. However, this untested configuration would undoubtedly increase the risk of defensive vulnerabilities being exposed.

As West Ham prepare to face Leicester, the pressure on Lopetegui continues to intensify. The Hammers’ owners have emphasized the importance of securing victories in the next two games, and a defeat against the Foxes could have severe consequences for the under-fire manager.