West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo faced the music after his team suffered a disheartening 3-0 defeat to Wolves at Molineux. The loss marked another tough day for his squad, who were unable to capitalize on a chance to gain ground in the standings following Nottingham Forest’s earlier defeat to Aston Villa.
The home side, seeking their first win of the season, overwhelmed West Ham, who fell victim to an array of mistakes and a lack of intensity. Following the match, Nuno openly criticized his team’s performance, calling it “poor” and “embarrassing.”
“Nobody anticipated such a lackluster display from us. Today’s showing was truly disappointing,” he shared with the BBC.
“I wish I could provide answers [for the poor showing]. Now is the time for us to reflect. Are we doing everything we can? Do we fully realize the gravity of our situation? We need to figure out how we can turn this around.”
Nuno did not shy away from addressing the first half, labeling it “embarrassing,” and he apologized to the dedicated fans who made the journey to support the team. “This is not representative of what we aim to demonstrate,” he added.
This lack of performance raises further questions about Nuno’s future, especially given that he was appointed only in September. Results since his arrival have not indicated an upward trajectory for the club.
As the January transfer window approaches, Nuno hinted at possible changes, citing “problems” within the squad. “We’re in a complicated situation. The club is working on it, but that doesn’t absolve our first-half mistakes, or the lack of effort we displayed. It was simply unacceptable.”
The looming match against Nottingham Forest presents a critical opportunity for West Ham to forge a path towards improvement. “It will be a challenging game, but the focus now has to be on reacting, transforming, and becoming better.”
On the other end, Wolves’ manager Rob Edwards has reason to be optimistic. After securing four points this week, he acknowledged the challenges of survival but expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. “We’re making strides and that was evident today. It’s a step forward, and it’s rewarding to see it lead to a win.”
“All our efforts paid off. The lads have given their all. Credit goes to them, and especially to our supporters—today’s performance was for them.”
“Football is often tense, but in the final moments, I allowed myself a chance to truly enjoy what we’ve achieved.”
