Our fourth manager in less than two years. A failed attempt to evolve. Millions spent on trying to play a certain way. And here we are. At our lowest ebb as a club for a long time.
A shambles from top to bottom, sending out messages of despair that would put the communications officer of the Titanic to shame. Welcome to West Ham United 2025. The circus is back and this time it’s the clowns who are dictating the calamity. Pennywise in nature, rather than pennywise in nature.There is already an overwhelming sense of inevitability that this year’s campaign is destined to end in relegation. Latest incumbent of the managerial position, Nuno Espírito Santo, seemed to fully jump on board the clown car Monday.
A bizarre team selection, setup and substitutions seemed to exacerbate the doom and gloom to another level. As far as making impressions on your first game at our new home, it seemed he took a boycott by a large number of fans, as an opportunity to blood some usually behind closed-door experiments to a larger audience.
Full backs on the wrong flank, a revert to a snail-paced midfield, featuring bit parts and square pegs. Whilst up front why utilise a proven Premier League striker when you can utilise creative midfielders in completely inappropriate positions?
After two games of looking more solid at the back, an unwelcome return to the ineptitude and chaos has dogged our attempts to look like a professional football team all season. Substitutions to address the starting mess did little other than to bewilder. Ripped asunder for 45 minutes.
A rejig of the back line was partially understandable, but a three-man bodge job and going to a back five, which we do not do well? Then failing to adjust the midfield and forward lines to any great means. Well, the outcome was predictable - and here we are, still awaiting a first home win since February.
The approximation outlay of around £120million, plus last season’s £130million spent in a bid to play a style that is more fluid, has only resulted in us being more expensive and fluid only in terms of conceding.
Of course this isn’t Nuno’s making, but if the line-up selected on Monday was the pick of what he’s being seeing in training, then we’re in an even worse state than previously envisaged.
We are paying for the mismanagement and short termism from the top. Where in order to save a quid or two we have spivs and chancers doing the work of qualified professionals. From a footballing point of view, we have employed a decent man with a decent record, but are not allowing him to employ who he wants to help him.
I have absolutely nothing against promoting our back room staff to higher positions, they deserve a chance. However, if it this policy is due to financial restrictions rather than the manager's choice, it is completely wrong and potentially damages the great work they have done nurturing Academy talent.
If we cannot utilise players such as Callum Wilson because his contract dictates he has to be paid more than his basic wage, it is wrong. If we are showcasing Andy Irving and Guido Rodriguez to put them in the shop window, rather than give the more youthful and pacey options of Freddie Potts and Soungoutou Magassa a fair chance then its wrong.
If off the pitch, we have invested more on the vice chair's appearance than the fan experience, It is wrong. Everything about this club currently is second rate, incompetent and, quite frankly, scary.
New manager, same problems. Same mistakes, same clowns running the show. Only this time it is into the floor with relegation offering no easy, get out due to the move negating any home advantage. What’s Fleetwood like in winter?
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