TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor did not hold back in his criticism of West Ham following their 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday evening.

The Hammers were humiliated by the Premier League leaders and Agbonlahor was particularly damning in his assessment of Konstantinos Mavropanos’s performance:

“Liverpool were very good, but West Ham were woeful. If you’re going to play five at the back, and a couple of defensive midfielders in front, you should be making it harder for Liverpool to score goals and create chances.”

“I just can’t get my head around it. I just don’t know who’s coaching these defenders – Mavropanos? Deary, deary, deary me. Oof.”

Should Mavropanos be starting for West Ham?

Many fans have questioned head coach Julen Lopetegui’s decision to pick the former Arsenal player ahead of Jean-Clair Todibo.

There has been a lot of speculation that the manager has had a falling out with Todibo but the decision not to pick him from the start against Liverpool was believed to be due to an injury.

Even so, Mavropanos’s performances have not been up to the standard required and many feel that Hammers will need to go into the transfer market next month to bring in another centre-half.

Steidten’s recruitment has simply not been good enough

The fact that the team is playing so poorly is not only down to Lopetegui but also due to some very bad recruitment.

Mavropanos was signed by technical director Tim Steidten and his form this season shows that he is clearly not up to the level required to play in the Premier League.

That accusation can be levelled at several other signings that Steidten has made over the past couple of years. Along with the manager, the German’s position at the club should come under pressure too.

Find out who is in West Ham’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here