Nuno Espirito Santo felt West Ham United’s collapse in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat by London rivals Chelsea was simply down to ‘bad’ defending, and an oh-so familiar failure to deal with crosses into the box.
The Hammers have now dropped 18 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season.
When you consider they have got only 20 to show from their 24 matches in total, you do not need a UEFA-A coaching license to realise where West Ham United’s weaknesses lie.
Even by their standards, though, this was quite the implosion.
How did you FEEL when Kilman replaced Pablo?! This TalkingPoints subscriber isn’t very happy 👇
It felt like it was coming….
Going defensive too early cost us! 😡
Jean-Clair Todibo epitomised a nightmare second-half at Stamford Bridge.
Sent off for grabbing Joao Pedro at the death, but also leaving Konstantinos Mavropanos exposed; the Brazil international ghosted in behind Mavropanos to slice in half the 2-0 lead given to the Hammers by Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville.
Nuno’s game-management has come under fire throughout his Hammers tenure. Expect familiar narratives to emerge when the post-match autopsy begins, then.
Nuno Espirito Santo frustrated by West Ham United collapse in Chelsea loss
While Liam Rosenior boldly swapped his entire left-side at the break – Aaron Wan-Bissaka had ‘ripped Chelsea apart’ until that moment – Nuno sacrificed the hard-working Pablo Felipe for the much-maligned Max Kilman.
Like against Bournemouth in November, Brighton in January and numerous other ‘what-could’ve-been?’ occasions, West Ham sacrificed the initiative and attempted to sit on a lead they would ultimately lose.
“A good first half, and a bad second half. We played really well [early on]. We controlled the ball and every time we went up, we created danger and scored,” Nuno, flatter than week-old Pepsi, told Sky Sports as the Hammers wasted the chance to cut the gap between themselves and Nottingham Forest to just two points.
“We played really well. We started well and that was the idea for the entire game, but it wasn’t enough.
“We need to defend, we need to do things properly, and keep the same ideas,” Nuno added when asked specifically to explain what he told his players in the dressing room at the interval. “Manage the momentum of the game.
“We knew that Chelsea would go and react, but we defended badly and we should have done better.
“I think we could have avoided [Pedro’s goal to spark the comeback], crosses into our box. Of course, they have numbers there, but we have the bodies to control it better.”
Max Kilman arrival coincided with Chelsea completing their comeback
It’s a painful one – but who was your MOTM vs Chelsea and why?!
We can keep our heads held high 👍
When quizzed on Kilman’s entrance, Nuno opted again to focus on the collective.
Though, considering how unpopular the former Wolves captain already is amongst the Hammers supporters, the fact he came on at 2-1 and saw Chelsea level through Marc Cucurella only three minutes later will give Kilman’s critics ammunition they really didn’t need.
Coincidence? Maybe. But most will not see it that way.
“[Defend like this] is not what we should have done,” Nuno sighs.
“We should have kept the same idea for the result. It was about trying to control; we were not able to do it through the wingers, to allow our full-backs to keep [operating] 1v1 defensively, and we have people in the box to control [the situation better].”
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