Nuno Espirito Santo has failed to make the impact that was expected of him at West Ham United, so far at least.
West Ham are firmly entrenched in the Premier League relegation zone, with Nuno Espirito Santo‘s men currently sitting four points adrift of safety.
There is, of course, still plenty of time for the Hammers boss to turn things around.
We are only halfway through the season and a couple of wins during our next few games would completely change the atmosphere at the London Stadium.
Who do you think will be West Ham’s FIRST signing of 2026? 🤑
Traore? El Karouani? Strand Larsen?
The good news is that West Ham are closing in on four new signings, with the likes of Adama Traore and Valentin Castellanos apparently Hammers-bound.
However, the worrying thing is that all of those players will have to hit the ground running if West Ham are to stand any chance whatsoever of avoiding the drop.
A poor run of results in January could see Nuno lose his job at West Ham.
We have some really winnable games on the horizon as well including matches against two of Nuno’s former clubs – Wolves and Nottingham Forest – and an FA Cup clash with Queens Park Rangers.
So now’s the time for the former Nottingham Forest, Tottenham and Wolves boss to make one really bold change.
Mohamadou Kante could save Nuno Espirito Santo at West Ham
Central midfield is definitely an area that still needs to be improved at the London Stadium in the January transfer window.
Guido Rodriguez could leave West Ham in January but perhaps Nuno’s solution to our lack of legs in the engine room could lie internally.
Mohamadou Kante has only played 15 minutes of Premier League football for the Hammers this season.
West Ham signed Kante for £715,000 from Paris FC in the summer of 2024.
Tim Steidten brought Kante to the London Stadium and despite West Ham fans ill-feeling towards the German, his signing of the 20-year-old may well end up being the most wonderful of parting gifts.
Kante is extremely highly-thought-of in his homeland and he possesses all of the attributes required to help get the Hammers out of the current mess we’re in.
The young Frenchman has power, pace and dynamism in abundance and West Ham are currently crying out for those attributes in the middle of the park.
Soungoutou Magassa has shown his quality fleetingly while Mateus Fernandes has been played in a variety of different positions since joining the Hammers from Southampton in the summer.
Kante’s main strengths are getting around the pitch, harrying and hassling his opponents and intercepting the ball.
Having someone like that in midfield would provide the Hammers with a much better platform from which to compete more consistently in the Premier League.
New-look West Ham with Mohamadou Kante in midfield
Nuno should consider switching to a central midfield pivot of Magassa and Kante, with Fernandes playing just in front of them in the number 10 role.
That way, Jarrod Bowen can operate in his natural right wing position, with either Crysencio Summerville or Lucas Paqueta out wide on the left.
Imagine if Nuno were to be sacked…😮
Who would you want West Ham to replace him with and why?
Nuno can then use an out-and-out striker through the middle, whether that be Callum Wilson or a potential new signing like Castellanos.
The West Ham manager’s main priority after bringing in some new signings should be getting the best out of his current crop of players by playing them in their correct positions.
No more square pegs in round holes.
Nuno has to find a better balance if West Ham are to make any kind of progress during the second half of the season.
We have to stop shipping goals for fun and that all starts with every single player contributing defensively.
Having Kante in the centre of midfield could completely turn the Hammers season around. Is Nuno brave enough to throw the 20-year-old in at the deep end, though?
The answer to that question remains to be seen.
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