West Ham are a side in danger of believing their own hype that they’re the best, biggest team in the division. The reality is that they’re currently going nowhere fast under Nuno.
I can’t bring myself to watch the post-match interviews after that, with the excuses, the clichés. If Nuno had any cojones he’d hold his hand up and walk away after the last two weeks in which the performances have been somewhat familiar – every bit as bad as anything which Graham Potter served up.
In truth, until the last frantic 15 minutes, West Ham looked a basket-case in waiting.
The lack of fight, of a plan, of desire to put their heads in harm’s way for the cause were my defining memories from that shocker this afternoon.
The lack of fight: As West Ham’s penalty taker Taty stepped up in the 92nd minute, only new signing Joel Piroe faced down the predictable Charlton attempts to put Castellanos off his spot kick. Bowen – invisible. The rest – nowhere. Difficult not to criticise West Ham’s amiable but passive skipper.
The lack of a plan: Where to start. Why was Taty taking the penalty anyway, with two regular spot-kick takers and Bowen standing passively by? Why did Nuno’s side wait to go two goals down before starting to play attacking football? It was as if they expected to be granted goals simply by virtue of the size of the club and hadn’t actually worked out a plan to take the game to Charlton.
And the lack of desire: Charlton’s s first goal was created because neither of West Ham’s centre back duo were prepared to stick their head in harms way and clear the ball, meekly allowing it to bounce in a way that Craig Dawson – or Axel Disasi, for that matter, would never have countenanced.
Mavropanos’ ineptitude in giving away possession for the second goal reeked of ‘arrogance’ (as Geo on Hammers Chat ranted) and West Ham’s dreadful duo at the back were found out again, hopelessly.
There were good points, of course – more, sadly than the solitary league point which West Ham now possess after two games. Along with 60,000+ fans at the London stadium this afternoon, I suspect I was not the only one thinking that I can’t bear to watch another season like this.
It’s the hope that kills, and we’ve spent two months starting to get just a little hope back, that things really would be different- until being slapped around the chops with a brutal claret and blue wet-fish of reality. Am I over reacting? Tell me, please. It really doesn’t feel like it since Nuno’s had ten months and the best he can come up with is.. ‘that’.
It would be great if the insincerity of the club could be challenged. They push out the message that no players need to be sold and that the likes of Bowen have been persuaded to stay based on the retention of the best players. Subsequent to this the proceed to dismantle the squad by numerous sales.
As a result we have a squad that can’t produce a team that shows togetherness and we are left suffering the ineptitude of the performances of the past two weeks.
Does anyone else feel we just get spun tales?
A continuation of last season if nuno loses the next 5 or 6 games who of the board can pull the trigger. they must improve they cannot carry on like that
A continuation of last season if nuno loses the next 5 or 6 games who of the board can pull the trigger. they must improve they cannot carry on like
I don’t know why you are surprised at the result that’s all we got from Nuno last season. Whoever decided to keep him as coach needs their head read after leading us literally down the garden path to the Championship. I shouldn’t worry though I am sure Nuno will get us out of league one at the first time of trying.
NUNO MUST GO NOW!!
Tactics! Side to side, most passes side or backwards, NO PACE and again devoid of ideas on how to break down a team that nearly got relegated last season!
Look folks NUNO is NOT going to change, he thinks this is going to work and 100% it’s not! I said after 14 games last season we’d be relegated and I guarantee if NUNO is still manager on game 12 we will NOT recover to get promoted!
Bring in Eddie HOWE NOW!!
I don’t understand why this is a surprise to some?
The same losers who took us down are losing again?
No fight no desire? One only has to look at last season.
Including the manager. I didnt agree with sullivan on much but getting rid of the failed nuno is one i did.
The new players looked the most up for it. Tells its own story.
I don’t understand why this is a surprise to some?
The same losers who took us down are losing again?
No fight no desire? One only has to look at last season.
Including the manager. I didnt agree with sullivan on much but getting rid of the failed nuno is one i did.
The new players looked the most up for it. Tells its own story.
Why did we buy a number nine and play him as a number ten ?
He’s a finisher, we have Solomon and Bowen to provide chances, surely it’s Taty who plays deeper.
We look nothing like promotion candidates,
Nuno clueless. Big boys of Bowen, Mav and Tatty all clueless. Scarles clueless. Today we were embarrassed in our own back yard by a bang average Championship side who showed a little fight whilst we showed none. Zero leadership. Need to get some quality and experience in before it is too late because this lot are like the board – Rudderless.
Diouf and Magassa next out? They’re no worse or less committed than the lot I watched today.
I don’t want to makes things worse but ex academy players Marshall, Mubama and Appiah-Forssen all scored today
We had 78% possession and 25 shots, Nuno can’t suddenly appear on the pitch and complete the move. To point the finger at the manager right now is totally wrong. Scarles, Mav and Kwp were awful in defence and should issue an apology pretty quick, because there problem is in there head. Our captain flattered to deceive and surprisingly didn’t fancy the penalty. Tatty showed his true colours by trying to cheat the ref and everyone else who saw the embarrassment. I say get rid of him now, not a fighter just a pretty boy cheat. The manager selects his best, chooses the tactics, passes on the info, if the players selected switch off and get uptight after about 30 seconds it’s in their heads, they are not entitled to have a good game.
Spot on with every point. There was a grim familiarity about today that has me very worried.
Nothing seems to have changed from last season and no lessons learnt.
It’s going to be a long campaign if things continue as they did today. The only consolation is the spuds lost 3-0
I do not usually get on the manager out bandwagon this early but it is obvious to everyone Nuno is clueless here.Nothing has changed from last season.Terrible defence.no pace,the list is endless.We need a manager who knows what he is doing.No Malick Diouf in the squad today so it looks like he is leaving too,and why the hell did Bowen not take that penalty?.I really give up.
Eddie Howe yuk. You want someone who can bring this lot up, not bring them up in a few years time. Sean Dyche and no other.
No over reaction …no fight , no plan and a manager that is equally gutless!!
Yes Nuno is too stubborn to learn from his mistakes and change his style of boring defending and hit them on the break football. Kresinsky should admit he made a mistake in keeping Nuno on and try and persuade Eddie Howe to take over. Failure to take immediate action will doom us to years outside the Premier League.
You are not overreacting. Time now for this to change.
I see a midtable finish with this manager where is the desire and hunger in this team
For me we turned up after being 2-0 down
The manager has a kit to answer for as well as the board
Personal think we are in more financial trouble then they are admitting why sell posts ridiculous
Look at our bench today
Only thing big about this club is the fans its certainly not the owners
Like Ted Lasso said, it’s not the hope that kills you, it’s the lack of hope. This side desperately lack belief, I believe they are good enough to be champions, but this manager is not getting anything like the best out of them.
Think back, he has been here since October… Can you remember a game where West Ham have played well for the full 90 minutes?
Nuno needs performances AND results fast or we should change him for someone capable of getting this squad to deliver on its potential. Brutal as that is, West Ham can not have ANY passengers whoever they are.
Absolute dog dirt. And had the joy of listening to the Charlton fans singing most of the way home.
Bullied and outfought. Please please can people stop banging on about throwing in more academy players. It was like a youth club today and god bless them but we need some more hard men in that team as what happened against Portsmouth and today will keep happening.
Not knee jerk as this is a follow on from last season but Nuno needs to go. No identity or style of play, totally pedestrian.
It’s going to be a long season
Spot on can’t bear it anymore.50000 conned fans.joke
Very depressing – I fear that Taty and Mavro don’t really want to be at WHU for a season in the championship but if they are still hammers when the transfer window closes then they will have to produce performances for their own futures as much as anything. We will need to see who is here then i.e. whether Magassa and Diouf leave or are still around. Sometimes having players who don’t want to play can be a negative
Eddie Howe anybody ?
Need a complete new defense and most of all new manager please before it’s to late
I’d prefer Craig Bellamy but suspect he knows better than to join this lot.
Does seem that we’re on course to be begging for a manager to fill-in by Christmas.
The more things change clearly the more they stay the same…
Yes Please.