West Ham’s 2–2 draw at Burnley delivered a familiar frustration: Nuno Espírito Santo retreating into his default philosophy of sitting deep and protecting a lead, a tactic that has failed repeatedly and cost the club dearly last season, 20 points West Ham threw away from winning positions!
Yet in response his words post game were “We need to get better. We have many things to improve, and for sure we will improve.”
Another eyebrow‑raiser was Burnley boss Nicky Hayden happily starting Zian Flemming, a player expected to leave Turf Moor, with Leeds United reportedly interested. It certainly paid off, as the attacking midfielder scored two goals. Nuno had the same option and chose not to use it, causing a squad selection circus.
Alvarez- held back with ‘a knock’
Despite rumours claiming Edson Alvarez and Soungoutou Magassa were missing due to a “knock” and returning from injury, other players who were fit and available and most importantly on the payroll didn’t make the squad: Niclas Füllkrug, Aaron Wan‑Bissaka, Jean‑Clair Todibo, and Maxwel Cornet.
Unless it’s pure arrogance, how do players put themselves in the shop window if they aren’t playing?
El Hadji Malick Diouf made the bench largely because Nuno could barely assemble a matchday group.
The situation borders on absurd when Arne Engels was still playing for Celtic mid‑transfer talks with West Ham. By the end of the window, the club could see up to sixteen departures. Only four signings have arrived, all effectively funded by outgoing transfers. It’s a squad shrinking faster than anyone thought, yet expected to be able to handle the huge 46 game workload.
Should Daniel Křetínský, as expected, be confirmed as the club’s largest shareholder, he will inevitably point to the boardroom battle with Amanda Staveley as the reason a crucial loan was delayed or prevented, a loan that might have unlocked desperately needed transfer funds.
The refusal to meet AZ Alkmaar’s valuation of Troy Parrott already signals the club’s limited ambition in the market. If the squad struggles, that decision will be held up as a glaring miscalculation.
Yet the hierarchy appear to be gambling on a top‑eight finish, even though only the top two guarantee automatic promotion. It’s a high‑risk strategy with a squad that’s thinning by the week.
According to some reports, Jarrod Bowen can leave for just £15m next summer if West Ham fail to reach the Premier League. The club would be forced to sell simply to clear wages, a staggering scenario for a player of his calibre.
For now, bookmakers and rival clubs still label West Ham as title contenders. But none of that accounts for the scale of the squad depletion, something many fans overlooked as we rushed to renew our season tickets.
It’s too soon for full‑blown criticism, but plenty of supporters will already be asking questions, such as-are there really limited transfer funds, is Nuno making a point to the Board that he needs players, and was the bulk of transfer fees received used for financing the debt? The latter is clearly sensible, yet with a large exodus and a further 45 league games, the team needs some players – and that will require funding!
numo made way too many mistakes last season and got us relegated because of it .
Yes Eddie Howe all day
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I’m getting sick of this. It’s serious. Those 2 points today could cost us automatic promotion. We had the game won. Just like England at the world cup, if it’s working stick with it. Will Nuno ever learn?
Yet in response his words post game were “We need to get better. We have many things to improve, and for sure we will improve.”
I’m sure he says this pretty much after most games
Other after match quotes from Nuno: “I think we did better in the first half” and “It’s all about defending when you don’t have the ball” which show both his perceptive genius and his ground level understanding of the game. The classic though was “It is a learning process”.
Oh’ how we all wish it was, but sadly Nuno learns absolutely nothing. The mess this club is in is entirely down to its management team from Kretinsky down. Yes, it is pure arrogance on Nuno’s part that he refuses to play his best team because he is too big to put the club first and manage his own pathetic shortcomings differently.
I can’t get my head around why he made the half time change, we were bossing the game after a shaky start (as usual)
Pablo felt his calf according to Nuno, so he had to take him off.
I understand what you are saying, though I believe we have the players to win this league. I’m not convinced we have the right coach or the right football intelect and I hate myself in saying it, because I think Nuno is a first class man.
However, after conceding against Portsmouth to an identical goal, why do none of our player stand on the edge of our box to defend a corner in case it bobbles out? Isnt that a basic? Why do we never leave a player on the half way line so if we clear long we have pressure applied to their defence immediately, rather than the ball being allowed to come straight back?
Why don’t we tell Taty (or whoever plays as striker) to stay as a striker and stay central? The idea being to prevent the CBs on the other team stroking the ball around the back to find their wingers. It stinks of “what do you know about football, this is modern day tactics.?” but they don’t work, and the absolute basics that could help us control a game are just not being applied.
I feel like we could have Messi and Haaland in our team and somehow we’d make them look average because of our setup.
I don’t know where they go from here. One game in and I’m sure we will find our way, albeit Nuno is causing me to really doubt that positivity.
Completely agree with you.Nuno either finds a positive approach or he needs to be replaced.
Eddie Howe is out there What you waiting for W Ham do it before it’s to late TO MANY MISTAKES BY NUNO AND THE SAD THING IS HE KEEPS REPEATING THEM We may not get relegated but we certainly wont get promoted under him
Totally with you Mick.