Under fire Nuno Espírito Santo has a couple of games coming up that are in, in effect, must-win if West Ham are to get back on track with their promotion push and keep up with league leaders Middlesborough.
Next weekend the Irons travel north west to take on Blackburn Rovers after a Wednesday night trip in three days’ time to Cardiff City’s home for a crucial encounter under the lights.
Names are already being thrown around was possible successors should Nuno falter in the last two games heading into the two week international break.
Lose both ties that lie ahead and the Portuguese will surely be given his marching orders by West Ham’s board, who are reluctant to part ways with their chosen manager but cannot be immune to the dissatisfaction being voiced from just about every quarter following yesterday’s dèbacle.
Walker Peters is unlikely to make Wednesday night’s game but opponents Cardiff face much greater challenges
Right on time, however, there’s some good news for Nuno: Wednesday’s opponents are in something of a major injury crisis, as revealed by walesonline today:
“Cardiff City squad decimated as eight players could miss West Ham amid crisis:
Cardiff City’s injury crisis has deepened ahead of West Ham’s visit, with Brian Barry-Murphy facing mounting selection headaches and fresh concerns”
The Bluebirds’ defensive choices look particularly bleak, with Will Fish suffering a hamstring injury and Perry Ng also struggling, whilst Alex Robertson with an Achilles problem and Krystian Bielik are both expected to be absent.
Other players confirmed unavailable include Gabriel Osho due to suspension, as well as Dylan Lawlor and Calum Chambers, who are both sidelined through injury.
West Ham, conversely, might just escape with Kyle Walker Peters the only absentee – if Dinos Mavropanos continues his near miraculous recovery from last weekend’s knee injury.
Which might just give West Ham the edge they need to go and grab three points and put the horrors of the last week – and the uncertainty over Nuno’s future – behind them.
Losing again doesn’t bear thinking about.
What does it take to realise that Nuno is not good enough to manage WHU, I am strictly speaking in his tactics to every game his selection of players positions
By now he should have at least 15 players that he should be selecting ev r ry match day
As a manager his he is simply not good enough
What will Nunos excuse be if whu lose?
Wounded animals are most dangerous.
Can anybody be convinced that if Cardiff have all 11 first teamers missing we could be guaranteed 3 points , im not convinced
I would ordinarily have been thinking Cardiff to be nigh on certain three points, but we’re so fragile and it’s difficult to pick the worst from Taty, Pablo and Piroe, Soucek couldn’t do worse at least he can finish and would put himself about.
Nuno cannot be exonerated either, his decisions seem to lose more games than they win, I’m more and more in the Gonzo frame of mind of will he ever come good so get rid of him now as we cannot afford to be in the Championship next season.
There’s a malaise that’s been about since the final days of Moyes, it’s becoming serious now as we must start a revival.