Nuno Espírito Santo’s confirmation prior to Tuesday night’s game that Pablo Felipe had picked up an injury has dealt a significant blow to West Ham’s attacking options. With the striker sidelined and no reported return date, the Hammers suddenly find themselves worryingly light up front at a crucial stage of the season.
As we exclusively confirmed earlier today Pablo won’t be available for selection this weekend for the FA Cup game against Burton Albion.
The situation is made more complicated by the fact that both Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Marshall are currently out on loan, leaving Nuno with only Callum Wilson and Taty Castellanos as his recognised senior strikers. Despite Jarrod Bowen’s past success in a central role, Nuno has shown a clear reluctance to deploy him there, preferring to keep the winger in his natural wide position.
Limited Options as Pressure Mounts
Behind the senior pair, Daniel Cummings and Josh Landers are available as emergency options, but neither is ready for Premier League football. Cummings, a summer arrival from Celtic, has endured his own injury issues since joining the club and has managed only a handful of appearances for the under-21s.
Pablo Felipe’s setback is particularly frustrating. He suffered a thigh injury in December while at Gil Vicente, shortly before completing his move to West Ham. Although his previous injury issues have typically been short-term, the recurrence raises understandable concerns—especially for a club with a long and painful history of signing strikers who struggle to stay fit.
For now, West Ham will have to push forward with a thin strike force and hope that Pablo’s recovery is swift. With the fixture list tightening and goals at a premium, Nuno Espírito Santo faces a delicate balancing act in the weeks ahead.
Good job we kept Wilson after all, but we should also have retained Marshall. Perhaps Cummings will get a run out at Burton
At the time Pablo was introduced at Turf Moor, both (the highly rated by Nuno) Adama Traore and Walker-Peters were still on the bench (until the 92nd minute), so can somebody please ask “a trusted source” Why? Obviously, there was a very good strategic reason.