A lesser man than Nuno Espirito Santo might have singled out Ollie Scarles for his role in West Ham United’s heartbreaking loss against Premier League opponents Fulham at the London Stadium.
The Hammers’ head coach, though, is a more mature, tactile operator than most.
Even when the going gets tough, and a daunting survival fight starts to twist into a relegation deathmarch, Nuno Espirito Santo tends to stray clear of pinning the blame on individual errors.
He refused to comment when Ollie Scarles endured a torturous afternoon up against Manchester City and Rayan Cherki on the other side of Christmas.
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Nuno was ‘worried’, yes, but about the injury which forced the left-back off. Not about the standard of his performance.
Or, at least, this was the public message. A united front at West Ham United.
So when it was put to the manager that Ollie Scarles had all-but gifted Fulham their 85th minute winner in East London, those in the press room familiar with Nuno’s way of doing things would have predicted his response.
Nuno Espirito Santo throws his weight behind West Ham United’s Ollie Scarles
As a loose ball fell in the home penalty area, Scarles slashed at his attempted clearance. Harry Wilson could barely believe his luck, lobbing a cross onto the head of a grateful Raul Jimenez.
The Mexico international planted a firm header past a helpless Alphonse Areola.
A boyhood West Ham fanatic and an academy graduate, reigning Young Player of the Year Scarles could not help but hold back the tears as he lifted his shirt over his face. A picture of pure devastation.
Nuno, though, was never going to add to the youngster’s misery.
“We all make mistakes,” he said. “It’s not about individuals. It’s about how can we react as a team when we have an important game in two days.”
Tony Gale questions Nuno’s Callum Wilson benching against Fulham
Nuno has certainly made his fair share of ‘mistakes’ since taking over in September.
Upton Park icon Tony Gale questioned the Hammers boss and his team selection once again here. Particularly with regards to Callum Wilson’s continued role on the bench.
Wilson made an immediate impact when he finally entered proceedings just shy of the hour mark, but leaving him out of the XI only serves to deny West Ham any sort of a physical outlet while also forcing Jarrod Bowen or Lucas Paqueta into ill-fitting roles.
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“[Wilson is helping to generate] chances that they were not getting in the first half,” Gale said during Peacock’s live coverage, his confusion mirroring that of countless fans on the London Stadium terraces.
“Why is he not on the pitch [from the start]?”
“I feel sorry for young Ollie Scarles. He’s come back into the team after an injury [he suffered in October], and he looks off the pace at the moment,” Gale added after Jimenez broke the deadlock late on “Sad for Ollie Scarles, a good young player coming through the academy.
“He’s just got to big himself up now.”
If this was already a make-or-break period, West Ham now probably have to win all of their next three matches – against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest – if they are to keep any lingering hopes of a 2007-style Great Escape alive.
“They’ve got to win the next three,” Gale argues.
“They were looking good [when introducing] Wilson. They created a few chances but [Fulham were] more clinical in front of goal. One chance with Jimenez and a great pick out.
“I’ve got to say, when you need someone to pick out a ball, it’s Harry Wilson.”
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