As West Ham fans, we were thrilled this summer with the arrival of ten new players. The excitement was palpable, with new signings constantly being announced. However, not all of the new players have made an immediate impact, especially those who are new to the Premier League.
In a previous article, I expressed frustration over the absence of Jean-Clair Todibo in the team. I questioned why he wasn’t being given a chance, especially after some less than stellar performances from other defenders. However, Todibo has now revealed that his fitness was not up to par, and he was working hard to get himself ready for the demands of the Premier League.
Todibo admitted that he is currently only at 80% fitness and is still striving to improve. Despite this, he has already proven himself as a key player in the team’s defense. His partnership with Max Kilman is showing promise, and there is still room for improvement.
With Todibo nearing full fitness, there is potential for West Ham to become even stronger. Clean sheets and more points could be on the horizon. It would have been easy for Lopetegui to rush Todibo into the team, but he made the right decision to prioritize the player’s fitness and long-term performance over immediate results.
Overall, Lopetegui’s decision to hold Todibo back until he was fully ready has been validated by the player’s own admission of his current fitness level. This bodes well for West Ham’s future prospects in the season ahead.