No one could accuse Nuno Espirito Santo of not thinking outside the box at West Ham United, with Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo the latest to be the subject of a selection experiment.
After successive defeats by Leeds and Brentford, Nuno was facing questions in the West Ham dugout for the first time.
Even Pep Guardiola, the arch revolutionist, may have looked at his team sheet with an arched eyebrow as Ollie Scarles and Aaron Wan-Bissaka started on what many would deem the ‘wrong’ flank.
Inverted wingers are one thing – Jarrod Bowen has made a career out of being West Ham United’s answer to Arjen Robben – but inverted full-backs? A novel idea, indeed. But also an experiment which threatened to blow up in Nuno Espirito Santo’s face, as the Hammers stumbled into their worst league start in 52 years.
The relief was almost audible, then, when Nuno reverted to a more traditional line-up before West Ham beat Newcastle at the London Stadium last weekend.
Callum Wilson was back up front, Freddie Potts started alongside Mateus Fernandes, Wan-Bissaka was back in the right and El Hadji Malick Diouf returned to his typical left-back role.
Yet, as the game got underway, it became apparent that there was still one more experiment Nuno was keen to try. Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo swapped positions. The former moving from right to left, and the latter from left to right.
Nuno Espirito Santo explains Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo change at West Ham United
Now, in an era where centre-halves tend to be valued as much for their passing range as for their defensive qualities, most managers prefer to use a left-footer on the left of their central defence, with a natural right footer on the right.
The idea, of course, is to ensure both can play out from the back on their favoured foot.
Nuno, though, seems happy enough to sacrifice Kilman and Todibo’s ball-playing talents in pursuit of some rare clean sheets.
Jacob Murphy’s fourth minute opener ensured that West Ham have kept only one sheet all season.
But after goalkeeper Alphonse Areola praised West Ham’s togetherness and a new-found resilience – Kilman and Todibo both produced easily their best performances of the season – Nuno indicated that he is unlikely to change a winning formula when Burnley travel to the capital on Saturday.
“[It is not the case that this] was only the problem. Switching the players and we solve the problem. It’s not [the case],” Nuno says.
“[Swapping Kilman and Todibo around] is just a detail we think can help our game defensively. We are going to try and do it.”
Kilman must ensure West Ham don’t need to sign Alexsandro from Lille
Todibo exceeded Virgil van Dijk’s Premier League average of nine clearances a game – the best in the division – when completing a colossal 16 against Newcastle. And, while a source at the club informs Hammers News that West Ham have no plans to sell Max Kilman amid links with Crystal Palace, the much-maligned £40 million man issued a timely riposte to his own critics.
“It is not only realising that we have to improve players, but [also about finding out]; ‘Are they versatile enough to give us different things in different positions?,” Nuno adds, offering an insight into why he trialled the likes of Scarles and Wan-Bissaka in less familiar positions too.
“We had it with Max. We don’t know if its going to be repeated this weekend. Moving forward, we don’t know. But it is something we look at, what is best for the player and the team.”
Kilman in particular is under real pressure to prove his Newcastle display is not a false dawn. Hammers News can confirm that West Ham held discussions about signing Alexsandro, the Brazil international and another left-footed central defender, from Lille in January.
Nuno, though, cares little about the transfer window right now. His focus is on drawing the Hammers level with Burnley in the Premier League table.
Nuno says West Ham must forget about Newcastle and focus on Burnley
After their first home win in eight months, could two come around in the space of a week? Insert London bus pun here.
“It’s going to be a new game. Let’s forget about [Newcastle],” the head coach says. “What was proven against Newcastle was that the team gave this and the fans gave a lot. We have to give more so the fans can give more.
“It was amazing. The London Stadium, it was beautiful to be there. We did something really nice, but we need [the fans] again.”
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 16 |  LeedsLeeds | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 17 | -8 | 11 |
| 17 |  BurnleyBurnley | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 10 |
| 18 |  West HamWest Ham | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 21 | -11 | 7 |
| 19 |  Nottingham ForestNottingham Forest | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 19 | -12 | 6 |
| 20 |  WolvesWolves | 10 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 22 | -15 | 2 |
Hammers News can confirm that sporting director Mark Noble admires the work of Scott Parker at Turf Moor. Parker, a former West Ham skipper, was one of a number of potential alternatives had Nuno rejected a speedy return to management last month.
“[Burnley will be] a totally different match. A totally different team. Burnley with Scott will be hard. We’ve been watching how good they have been.
“The table now is not a reference for us. We know we are in a bad position in the table. Let’s not think about the table. Let’s think about our game. If the team improves their game, then we can think about the table.
“There are not ‘ifs’ in our head. We must compete. Saturday, we have another challenge ahead of us. We are going to face a very good team. We have to be switched on and compete really well.
“If Newcastle is our standard, we [still] have to improve.”
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