The Championship kicked off this weekend with West Ham’s first foray into the second division in fourteen years. Nuno named a brave starting eleven in view of the lack of experience within his midfield: Edson Alvarez being held back pending negotiations to sell meant academy graduates Mohamadou Kanté and Lewis Orford were his chosen pairing.
The duo looked mostly solid for the first half, Kanté taking a yellow card for the team to hold back a Burnley break as the home side were reduced to counter attacking football in a largely quiet stadium. After West Ham’s first goal their possession stats were up to 66% – the rare Hammers wobbles in the first half were largely of their own making after losing possession with their full backs pushed high up the pitch.
For a first-time outing together, the pair performed creditably and were the major positive from a game that the Hammers should have won comfortably. Kante’s brilliant assist for Solomon’s debut goal makes it two in two weeks for the young midfielder who looks very much at home at this level.
Lewis Orford – competent and quietly impressive debut alongside Kante
West Ham’s pivotal moment came at half time, after a comfortable first ’45, when hardworking Pablo (who’d at least pressed and kept his opponents on the back foot) was substituted for James Ward Prowse, oddly turning up as a right sided midfielder and Bowen playing up front. Mistake by Nuno. West Ham lost momentum with hardly a shot coming in the second half. No changes as the Irons were battered with Nuno’s change simply inviting their hitherto weak opponents onto them.
Don’t blame Scarles for ‘that’ challenge, youngsters will all make mistakes, that’s how they get better. Diving in to concede a penalty was a big un-necesary error but hopefully he will learn. The dropped points are on Nuno for a bad tactical change at half time and a failure to react as warning after warning of impending danger came and went unanswered.
However, one look at the bench tells me West Ham need reinforcements. The squad simply is not good enough -but neither are those two centre backs who were back to the bad old days of their Mavropanic and Kilman nervy, fail to close down, fail-to-get-in-a-challenge worst.
Somebody have a word with Axel Disasi’s agent. And fast.
Nuno needs to be dragged in and explain what’s going on to let a 2-0 lead slip. Things need to change at once, players need to be instructed once that whistle goes you get out there and put in 100% for the entirety of the game. No sitting back if you can’t hack it you will be substituted.
The only ‘New Era’ worth talking about is the tablets that you could crush to double your half o!
Pablo came off injured apparently. Not sure why Alvarez is being held back – shouldn’t the same apply to Diouf? And if Diouf is available he should probably start. Anyway, we looked toothless up front. This might turn out to be a good away point.
Scarles cost us the game, not Nuno. We were not playing great, but were 2-0 up and cruising.
Good and bad. He also cleared off the line which would have been a certain goal.
The only fingers being pointed should be in the eye of Nuno! 50000 + mugged off yet again!!
Martin your spot on Nuno hasnt learnt and thats worrying Hes playing the same 2 c backs that put us in so much trouble the best part of last season WHY 2 goal conceded in the opening fixture is not a good sign
‘That’ challenge is a no-no in the area. He’s not that naiive. He’s been at the club since he was about 2. I wouldn’t make that challenge over Hackney Marshes so why should a supreme athlete do it? And Diouf looked like he didn’t give a fook when he came on. NES should have moved KWP over to LB and played Veltman at RB from around 60 mins as Scarles was targeted, and will continue to be targeted from hereon in.
Martin I dont think Scarles is good enough and wont learn Last season he got done by Salah and was dropped Cant see any improvement in him
Martin you are always blaming the centre backs. If we replaced them with a world class pair we would still struggle if the rest of the team all drop deeper and deeper thereby inviting constant pressure. Today was just like many games last season and just like England against Argentina in the World Cup. Time to get rid of Nuno not the players
This article just about sums everything up perfectly, Martin – bang on the knuckle 👍
and for my liking, Nuno gets far too many things wrong with tactics and substitutions.
First game in Championship and the old failings have surfaced already.
Scarles needs to be back up to an experienced full back a season or 2 not a starter.
I can’t believe how everyone was happy nuno stayed his tactics and substitutions got us relegated. We should have been going for a new young forward thinking manager. Instead we got moyes mark 2