West Ham banter 8

30 Aug 2026 15:09:08
Most fans were agreed that last season that team would not of even been good enough to get promotion from the Championship. So I find it a bit confusing that now with a weaker squad and less quality some people think we have a god given right to be ripping this league up. With the re build required on the pitch and the finances to be sorted off it, I will be happy with a mid table finish to give it a right good go next season.

Expectations need to be realistic with the manager. I am starting to see green shoots of recovery especially in regards to the development of the youth, which is the only way forward for a club that never seems to buy the so called finished product well.

30 Aug 2026 16:10:36
I think what happens in the next 3 days will direct our season.

On the whole, I think we can be quite positive about this window.

A lot of troublemakers and players with bad attitudes offloaded, and young players being brought in and brought through.

I'd still like marauding full backs and a creative midfielder, and maybe a cb and a tall keeper.



I think we can easily beat Wolves, but I just don't think that Nuno knows yet which is his best 11. I also think we need a change of captain, and finally, Bowen needs to learn to go wide instead of cutting in on his left foot all the time, which is very predictable.

30 Aug 2026 16:46:06
Mac3: "I just don't think that Nuno knows yet which is his best 11."
Are you serious? After, what is it now, how many games he's been in charge? 42? I give up.

30 Aug 2026 18:41:51
If we don't go up this year, Boleynboy Bowen, Mavro, Taty will definitely leave next summer, and will be irreplaceable as funds won't be there. I don't actually think our squad is bad for the Championship. I do, however, think the manager is awful. I think a decent manager would get a lot more out of this set of players.

30 Aug 2026 18:41:57
I understand what you're saying, Tin, honestly, but the way he keeps changing formation and how he is using players at his disposal only suggests he still doesn't know who to play where!

I keep reading we are targeting wingers and forwards when we all know we need full backs who can provide width and a cb that can actually defend.

And you have to agree, Tin, above all, we need a midfielder who can open these teams up that just want to sit in and catch us on counter.

30 Aug 2026 19:06:09
Yes, we need a creative midfielder, a decent centre back, a different goalie and a goal scorer, but most of all we desperately need a coach who knows what he's doing!

30 Aug 2026 19:25:44
We are a team set up to attack. Defensively, we are vulnerable. Surely, Nuno realises this?
The Championship this season is weaker than most years; therefore, we should be putting teams like Burnley, Charlton and Watford to the sword.
Unfortunately, I think Wolves and Southampton will be up there, having seen the teams playing.

30 Aug 2026 20:16:11
Best 11.

I still don't know what type of football Nuno is trying to play.

31 Aug 2026 08:48:01
Sorry, but I have no idea how anyone can be happy with recruitment. Sell Potts for 10mil and Earthy for 600k, both very experienced in the Champ, and buy Engles for 22mil+. Spend 12mil on an unknown Norwegian youngster when we have Ajala, and neglect to buy someone to replace Kilman, a LB and a playmaker, is criminal.

Now we are after a striker from 2nd division in France. We need at least 1, if not 2, CB's and a LB to survive. No idea why Nuno is giving the nod for wingers and strikers when he plays such negative football.

30 Aug 2026 10:38:34
To be honest I can’t even be bothered to comment. All I would say is we need an experienced CB, LB and a playmaker in 2 days. Can’t see it happening. Don’t understand buying a winger from a very inferior league when Nelson was available on a free, giving us funds to buy a LB or CB with that money. Madness.

30 Aug 2026 12:29:03
Kilman cost £40 million, Mav cost £17 million. Price isn't everything. Yes we need at least 1 CB and a LB. I don't rate the midget GK. Orford needs to start, as regards a midfielder, can we get an upgrade on Potts for £10 million or less?

30 Aug 2026 16:01:54
Agreed, I'd like to see another keeper. Nick Pope was rumoured at one point.

30 Aug 2026 09:35:49
If we had held on to our lead at Burnley and beat Charlton at home then I think we might’ve settled for a draw away at Watford but because we need that first win it’s making everyone frustrated, but to have just one shot on target yesterday was appalling.

30 Aug 2026 08:18:20
Nuno’s league record since he joined us without Paco assisting him, W2 D7 L10. ?

30 Aug 2026 08:33:44
And this is the manager some think will guide us back to the Premiership? Come on. He needs to go yesterday.

30 Aug 2026 09:44:49
I never wanted him in the first place. He was never right for us, and yet again was the 'safe' option. He should have gone last season after we lost to Forest, then again at the end of the season. He's a complete charleton that somehow people think is a great manager.

Personally, I think we have a good squad that should be able to get promoted, but they've all forgotten how to play football. Get rid of Nuno, give us a proper coach, and give the fans a brand of football we can get behind, not this boring tepid rubbish.

30 Aug 2026 09:49:28
Well said, Robbo. Couldn't agree more.

30 Aug 2026 10:02:11
We had a defensive manager in Moyes who had the team playing boring football. We got shot of him, and replaced him with a useless coach who couldn't speak English and was a looney. Then we replaced him with the disaster that was Potter.

Not learning from our mistakes, we then took on the next clueless manager in Nuno. Even though he got us relegated, we rewarded him by keeping him on. When are we going to learn, and when are we going to appoint a coach who plays entertaining football?

30 Aug 2026 10:17:11
What we need is an attack-minded coach who is willing to develop and bring on our youth players. We also need a board, which will appoint a director of football and which is prepared to back him with a sufficient budget to rebuild a squad capable of regaining our rightful place in the Premiership and playing entertaining football. Don't hold your breath.

30 Aug 2026 11:01:08
I personally would like to see them go for McKenna. He has a proven track record working with young players, because that is where our future has to be. I totally understand we have to sign a few older players to try to get us out the Championship, but we have bought too many older players, and if we only rely on them, and ignore our youth, we will come straight back down again. The last few games, numerous youth players have been given a chance, and none of them have embarrassed themselves, and in Golumbekis, Orford Mukasa and Ajala, outshone their senior comparisons.

I've said it a few times before, but have been quietly shot down with the fatherly advice that they are nowhere ready yet.

This is all wishful thinking because we have a man at the helm whose main priority was to keep Nuno, as he would do a great job in the Championship. Please. ?

30 Aug 2026 11:25:37
I'm in total agreement with you guys. Nuno has to go, but we will just make the same mistakes that we did last year.

The problem is that we will then probably appoint someone like Potter all over again, and just repeat the cycle.

McKenna is the man we need, and fast.

30 Aug 2026 12:45:35
Not only is Nuno clueless, he's scared of his own shadow. Can you imagine him dealing with the likes of Billy Bonds or Paolo Di Canio? ?

30 Aug 2026 13:04:03
I agree, Tin, but that is also reflective. I don't want to bash Bowen, as he has shown some dedication and generally always gives his all. But his lack of strong leadership on the field is also hampering us. I think the fellas you mentioned would be getting the manager to change the style, formation, etc., along with being stronger on who takes penalties.

30 Aug 2026 14:20:43
Nuno would isolate Bonds or Di Canio, make them get the train on their own and not pick them, and force them out. He wouldn't have the balls or personality to deal with them.

Hammer, I said last season that we had a squad full of losers, and that hasn't changed.

There are no characters in that squad, no mavericks, no one who will get the game by the scruff of the neck, no one who will shout and organise the defences, just a bunch of boring personalities that don't want to rock the boat.

30 Aug 2026 16:48:45
And let's face it, Bowen is not a patch on the player he once was.

30 Aug 2026 19:29:03
Kieran McKenna is the man they need. It would be a step-up from Ipswich, although he may want the season off - like Howe. I thought Gary O'Neil may have been a good fit, and Parker has got three teams up from the Championship.

30 Aug 2026 20:08:07
I appreciate that McKenna said he wants to take time out, but in all honesty I think it's a bluff. I think he is a really good manager, but will be limited at Ipswich, and I feel they may end up in a relegation battle again.
By doing this, he is also putting himself in the shop window, and a project like West Ham would be ideal to test his abilities.

I think he is good, but like everyone, he does have a similar issue to Nuno and other managers we have, in that he only has one way of playing, and there is no plan B. But at least his plan A is attack. I just don't know if the people at the top of the club have the foresight to go for someone like him. We live in hope.

29 Aug 2026 20:40:59
19th in the league? Even Southampton who had -4 points are above us already

This is Bs.

29 Aug 2026 20:28:48
Sacked in the morning chants already speaks volumes how the fans are feeling.

2 points from 3 games, not good.

Whether it be Nuno, the players, formation or whatever it may be, this can't carry on for much longer for sure.



3 very winnable games where we daydream through games. Bowen is shadow of his former self. Taty doesn't care and the defence simply can't defend.

Question is, how long will the board let this continue?

29 Aug 2026 21:32:12
I would say it is almost obviously the manager and coach. But some of the players are looking suspect. I saw the keeper got lobbed again whilst being literally on his goal-line. He can't keep playing him.

29 Aug 2026 21:40:51
We also have the proof of how bad the first result against Burnley was. Rather than being one of the division's top teams, they are actually behind us in the league.
The board won't do anything until it's too late.

He's probably been given the Sullivan 3 match lifeline. It was Daniel Kretinsky's masterstroke to give Nuno a massive vote of confidence, whilst ending last season so disastrously. So I think he is almost as much to blame as Nuno.

29 Aug 2026 16:52:32
When is Nuno going to learn that playing us is a cup final for these teams ffs!!

29 Aug 2026 17:28:15
Phill, I said about 2 months ago we will face low blocks week after week in this division and need creativity, and so it is playing out. Having said that, we were better today than we were last week. It would be nice at some point if we played the wingers and whipped some balls into the box.

29 Aug 2026 18:07:45
Yeah, no width to pull teams apart. Veltman, awesome. Bowen, not so good.

29 Aug 2026 18:16:23
Ajala must count himself unlucky to not get on after scoring twice midweek.

29 Aug 2026 18:29:38
I don't get why he changes a winning formula all the time.

Wolves will beat us and be 8 points clear.

29 Aug 2026 14:16:06
Orford should be starting ahead of Engels and Kante. Neither, I think, are very good at getting the ball from the defence and dictating play the way Orford can.

Harsh but at least he's started Mukasa.

29 Aug 2026 15:54:22
Orford should be on. Not a great first half.

29 Aug 2026 15:57:35
Yep, Orford miles better than Kante on the ball. He can read the game like Rice did for us.

29 Aug 2026 16:55:24
Too slow, no urgency, floating balls into the box. Think it'll be bread and butter for Championship teams.

Looked better when we pressed high and forced mistakes, but it didn't happen enough.

29 Aug 2026 18:08:42
Nuno has had his time and is not learning.

29 Aug 2026 21:29:14
He'd had his time when he failed to save us from relegation. Bloody useless.

29 Aug 2026 14:10:44
The line up looks good today. Although I said this last week. The only difference I would have done is play Orford instead of Kante.

29 Aug 2026 07:55:55
Morning all. Is it a bit too early to describe today’s game as pivotal? Whilst I have been very vocal in calling for Nuno to pack his bags, the Southampton performance and result does give hope.


Will he have the sense to see that this is the way forward and pick 3 or 4 of that team and employ similar tactics or will he just revert to the tried and tested and failed Nuno-ball low block system?

29 Aug 2026 11:52:31
He needs to stick with the formation and stop going back to 4-4-2.

29 Aug 2026 11:52:34
Agreed, if we don’t win, the wheels could really come off with Bowen, as his promo bono would be at risk.

We have to hope and pray the share ownership gets resolved. Like all companies, especially football clubs, trouble and instability at the top means the whole firm doesn’t perform.



Sulli is still pulling strings, so let’s get a clear owner in charge, as the K-Man still only has his c. 30% and nothing has actually changed since the board room clear out, apart from the fact we are now good at selling players for decent fees.

COYI. ⚒️ ⚒️ ⚒️

29 Aug 2026 12:31:10
I'm not keen on DK, but another decent thing that has happened since he has taken a more prominent figurehead role is that our targets or actual purchases are not highlighted and announced to the world before they arrive. Other than that, nothing new.

29 Aug 2026 14:26:34
Orford and Piroe dropped.

29 Aug 2026 15:43:14
Oh yeah, I didn't notice Piroe. Orford should be playing, possibly Piroe too.

29 Aug 2026 15:55:30
Again, Nuno doesn't know how to stick with winning formula, get rid ffs.