West Ham United’s loss yesterday doesn’t feel any less humbling the morning after, with a chance for fans and players to reflect: Early on in the season it may be, but the manner in which the team conceded two soft goals still leaves a bitter taste for the 60,000 who turned up hoping for, and deserving, better.
The only good thing about the chaotic schedule of this division is that the games come thick and fast so there’s an opportunity to improve away at Southampton on Tuesday night in the Carling Cup.
Debutant Arne Engels must have wondered what he’s walked into: The 22 year old looked anonymous on his first outing as did most of his team mates. Celtic fan site celticshorts.com wasted no time in putting the boot in:
“The EFL’s most expensive signing of all time played the entire 90 minutes, but failed to impress as his new club failed miserably in a game that they were overwhelming favourites to win.
Engels had a West Ham debut to forget but, unlike many of the starting XI, he will get better
And now Arne Engels is already feeling the heat as numerous Hammers supporters took to social media to slam the 22 years olds performance, although he wasn’t the only one to have their finger pointed at them.“
True enough. However, unlike several of his team mates, Engels will improve. Until West Ham fix the keystone cops centre back pairing at West Ham, no amount spent on strikers, midfielders or wingers will stop the goals going in at the wrong end. I’d have like to have seen Kilman or Mavropanos on camera after the game (instead of Bowen and Nuno) trying to explain away those two goals gifted to Charlton.
Eight days remain before the transfer window closes. West Ham need a plan B for their defence or else what we saw yesterday will be replicated again and again, despite Nuno’s apologies or Bowen’s determination to do better.
Maybe get on the blower to Manchester City and beg the loan of a couple of young centre backs for the season? They couldn’t really do any worse.
Patience with Nuno is already wearing thin: 60,000 supporters will vote with their feet soon enough if they’re forced to witness more of this kind of performance which has been served up all too often in Nuno’s nine months at the club.
West ham site but looking at other teams we’re not alone.
De Zerbi, Spurs minus £400m new signings beaten by Brentford.
Carrick, Man Utd players unfit and need more signings.
Glasner, Forest no togetherness and don’t have any magic buttons to push.
Kilman is a no go area and Nuno now using him as a stop gap unfortunately affecting Mavro.
Needs more experienced partner Potter did great job getting rid of experienced players.
Nuno now doing exactly same with academy players Potts had championship experience.
Love him or hate him Alvarez has the grit needed in championship and plays c/bk.
Another one Nuno can’t wait to get out of the door.
Southampton are rated much higher than Charlton (Harwood-Bellis will make sure we don’t score).
Soucek in last year give him captain’s arm band when he comes back from injury his desire will shine.
All players are going to have off days but they need to be occasional not every week.
NES & Julian Lopetegui have something in common. They were both former goalkeepers with a natural defensive mindset and bringing this culture into their managerial careers, which has shown in todays modern game. is not likely to bring success. Todays successful modern managers have generally been former outfield players with a “feel” of how the game is actually playing out, and employ tactics and game plans accordingly. So perhaps this is why we employed 2 managers recently, with their playing careers based on last-lines of defence.
NES & Julian Lopetegui have something in common. They were both former goalkeepers with a natural defensive mindset and bringing this culture into their managerial careers, which has shown in todays modern game. is not likely to bring success. Todays successful modern managers have generally been former outfield players with a “feel” of how the game is actually playing out, and employ tactics and game plans accordingly. So perhaps this is why we employed 2 managers recently, with their playing careers based on last-lines of defence.
Hang on Leicester we are coming , West Ham are a club in DECLINE….
I’m not a fan but I feel sorry for NES, because he made a big commitment to WHU after relegation When Paco came in the uptick was noticeable but rather than learn from this, NES did not keep him and has gone back to mistakes of his own making. It’s sad to see.
Long story short, think NES should try to implement a quick passing game through midfield. With Orford, Engels, Kante (though a bit clumsy) & Divine Mukasa this is their natural game and no problem for forwards Solomon, Taty & Bowen.
The team play too slowly, taking too many touches, no give-and-go when this is how the game is played nowadays.
NES should not insist on 4-2-4 but switch to 4-3-3 with our talent in midfield. Also it seems to suit our team and work better. I like 4-2-4 it is adventurous, pressing high but Taty & Piroe do not press high also you need very experienced midfielders. Too much to expect Kante & Orford/Engles to do this every single game over such a long season + teams will suss it out and know how to counter. Also midfielders are quickly worn out as so much covering to do. Use 4-2-4 as a tactical switch – surprise the opponent.
We need to move the ball quickly, with some one touch play. We have the right players in midfield and attack for this type of game.
NES should play more to the strengths of his players, especially as apart from maybe 3 of them, our players are not world beaters and he is asking too much of them. Play consistently to the strengths of our players.
I am concerned at the lack of enthusiasm on the pitch when times are hard, or it is not going well. Seems the players are disillusioned, not buying in.
I think players are told to not to stray and keep team shape way too much. Need more variety with wingers switching, Taty switching with Piroe/Pablo making it hard for opposing CBs.
Should make Dinos captain instead of Bowen, he carried a big weight last season. Time for him to rest from these responosibilities even if he does not want to. Also, he does not intervene or motivate on a pitch – just not in keeping with his character.
The CB pairing that NES insists on using has never clicked, carrying on from last season – this is too long to keep making the same error. At some stage you know you have to change. Out of Dinos, Golambeckis, Casey or a new recruit you have to find a CB pairing that works because they complement each other with practice, trust and time. All good CB pairings in football work this way – we all know this.
Need to sort out LB & RB – Scarles & KWP are not always convincing. Perhaps the 4-2-4 shape means they are too exposed (Just my theory) but on the other hand might leave them freer to go forwards. Either way, give them more protection, or have players better able to cope.
Obviously I am not a manager, but these changes are what I think everyone can see. Lots of quick changes to this team are very possible right away.
NES knows his squad, can see the results he must know change is needed.
NES committed to WHU so I sincerely wish him luck, but he really needs to act because you also earn your luck.
How many fans can really say they were pleased when appointed Numo ?
He lasted just a few months at Spurs as the fans wouldn’t put up with his football .
His West Ham team has never had any identity and he just comes over as having no identity too !
Eddie Howe is an absolute must .
We are where we are with too many mediocre defensive msnsgers over too many years !
However , I have no faith in DK . Staveley yes !!
We desperately need Howe but I don’t think he would come under DK ….. Staveley 100 per cent ! They are close – official
Welcome to the Championship!! Too many games reflect and move on… its not all about spending big ,Charlton deserved the points they turned up and played well as a unit working for each other…talk of sacking a manager after two games is madness
It’s not 2 games! He’s had since 27 September 2025 to get his act together. And unfortunately for us fans he still has Nu No Clue what to do and Nu No Ideas.
HOWE NOW brown cow!
This is not sacking Nuno after 2 matches, he shouldn’t have been rehired for what he did last season
The three at top of my list are :
3… playing players out of position
2… going defensive to protect a lead whem time after time it proved the wrong choice
And at the very top
1… Sending out a defensive team against an out of form Newcastle when we HAD to get 3 points
This isn’t about sacking Nuno for what he’s done this season, he should never have been reappointed
One other reason he should be sacked, Nuno is not a manager of men, one argument and very expensive highly paid players are sent to the Sin bin, never to be seen again
I’m not saying players like Tobido, are manageable, however, when it happens to more than lne player, the common fault is Nuno
It will be cheaper to sack the man, if the next manager can get a tune out of Tobido
I would trade losing to Southampton and Watford for Nuno being sacked
Should our penalty have been retaken as a Charlton player was about 5 yards from the penalty spot when the kick was taken. I think enough has been said about the match already
Nuno will be lucky to last until October at this rate. No excuses he is now assembling the team he wanted and we are getting worse, doesn’t seem to be able to get the players fired up and that’s he main job!
Might want to think about how many changes the starting line up has had since the end of last season. How many games have many of the team had together? One, two?
Martin the awful thing about this is weve known how badly these pair are together for the last 2 years yet the manager hasn’t done anything to change it Now that’s the crime and very worrying
We all feared what would happen when Paco didnt stay on as Asst Manager and now we know. Nuno on his own simply isn’t good enough, on paper our team was far better but was woeful. I cant see manager lasting through September, too much at stake
Martin
There you go leading the pile on Engels yesterday. Do you really think you are helping the player or the club. He was making his debut for a manager whose tactics are questionable and in a new league. I watched him closely and thought although on the periphery of the game showed enough to suggest he is going to become and important player for us. I would suggest you look at his statistics for yesterday. I would suspect his pass completion rate would be quite high.
Maybe Mavrapanos is not good enough, and disasi was making him look good. Maybe Kilman just can’t play any more, mentally he is done. Or maybe they just need a few games to click together. Either way a couple of Craig Dawson, James Collins types are needed.
West Ham players are targets, every other player wants to show them they are no better than them. Premiership players do not make good championship players.
Slamming Engels on his first game days after signing is just utter nonsense. Everyone knows it takes new players a few games to bed in, get to know their teammates. Sometimes (no all the time) I despair of all these online pundits who want to jump on everything and complain for the sake of content filler. Try and be a bit more understanding.
Fair enough, Ray. But how many games does it take a manager to know what he’s doing, what position his players are good in, how and when to park the bus (hint, never when you have Kilman and Mav playing together) and when it’s time to resign (not re-sign!) from his job because he has Nu No Idea what he’s doing?
building a team for the championship.
no clever loans as yet, no signings with any pace, Nuno will go and we’ll be left with a team of bang average players and stuck in this league unless someone at the top changes direction.
Already relieved I can’t make the wolves game. never said that in 45 years of being a season ticket.
So what if 60 thousand fans vote with their feet the board already have the money in the bank from season ticket sales that they conned out of people….the entire board need to go they are as gutless and directionless as Nuno and the Squad are.
I think that Veltman will get a lot more game time this season
Very disappointing – a bit reminiscent of our 1-3 loss to Leicester that was the beginning of the end for J Lo
If Staveley takes control I think that Nuno is gone
I was at the game yesterday and could not understand several things, especially why Piroe was playing BEHIND Taty not in front of him & also why Taty took the pen not Bowen, it’s madness. Bowen is a great player but he’s not Skipper material IMO. We looked better when the awful Kanté was hooked for Orford but the damage was done. Kilman & Mav both need dropping for the next game even a couple of youth team CBs will surely do a better job. Nuno out BTW I don’t rate him at all his tactics are bizarre to say the least.
agree 100% about the CB’s being dropped. Would rather see Golambeckis and Casey start on Tuesday.
Ludicrous comments. It was like a youth club out there.
Mav needs an old fashioned CB beside him to make him look good. Kilman needs dropping off a cliff.
But to suggest throwing in my academy players in this league is total suicide. We need a few 30s somethings who can get us out of this with some thunder and guts who are prepared to put their body on the line.
I was at the game yesterday and one of the things that was obvious is that Bowen is not captain material (I don’t know who is). He was not in the game enough and unfortunately the Charlton defender had his measure most of the time. As for the penalty, that encapsulates why he is not captain material. He is the captain though and with a point at stake should have took command and told Taty he was taking the penalty. Taty was never going to score that penalty while he has a hole in his backside and that was the opinion of everyone around me.
Mavropanos & Kilman they can’t play together,you need a fighter who shouts and steady the defence and holds accountable both left& right flank as its a mess.
Bowen is not giving his best see his body language both as a player &captain.
Captain needs to address issues on the pitch and of it,in my eyes its not being done .
I was in Prague that’s the Bowen I want to see,you could see the buzz in him,something is not right.
The team needs to fight for one another I m not seeing that.
Wake up from your dreams players this division is no joke.
He’s nearly 30 mate unfortunately time waits for no one.
A decent manager would’ve spotted this and moved him inside and bought someone younger to play out on the wing. That said a decent manager would know who their no 9 and 10 should be but hey I’ve not go my FIFA badges…
Unfortunately this is WH.
Yes, Jimbo. Jamie Vardy is nowhere near 30. Get him in now.