Manager Nuno Espirito Santo apologized after West Ham lost 3-0 to Wolves, describing the result as “embarrassing” and admitting he had never felt worse on a football pitch.
West Ham, who had played against a team without a win in the Premier League all season, were three points down before half-time and had no intention of fighting their way back into the game.
West Ham were unable to force Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa into a single save, handing their opponents their first clean sheet of the season and extending their winless streak to nine games. West Ham are now four points from safety as pressure mounts on Nuno.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Wolves and West Ham
“I have to apologize to the fans, I have to apologize,” he said. “I have to apologize to the fans and the fans who came on the trip today. It was embarrassing. There’s not much I can say other than I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Because what I showed today wasn’t good enough.”
Nuno added: “We needed more from our players. The way we started and the way we performed were very poor. I don’t remember a day when I felt so bad on a football pitch like today, so it was embarrassing.”
When asked to elaborate on what his players failed to do, Nuno explained: “Many things went wrong, a mistake and not being able to react to that mistake, making a mistake and then another mistake, not being able to control it over and over again, not being able to create dangerous situations.”
“I don’t think we got a single shot on goal, so that says a lot.”
xG match timeline shows West Ham beat bottom club Wolves at Molineux
Nottingham Forest, the team just above West Ham in the Premier League table, visit the London Stadium on Tuesday night. I have things to do, but I don’t have much time to do them.
“Right now it’s about recovery. A quick change of direction. It’s not just about physical recovery, but above all about dealing with the situation and making it clear among ourselves that we need more today,” Nuno added.
“I’m especially sad to say this, but what we saw from our players today was not good enough.”
West Ham United players react after conceding third goal against Wolves
Can West Ham turn things around?
Nuno Espirito Santo and West Ham are in big trouble after losing 3-0 to Wolves at Molineux
The Irons were substituted by new signing Pablo, signed from Portuguese club Gil Vicente, but did not feature at Molineux. Tati Castellanos is also rumored to be heading for an imminent move as West Ham look to turn things around.
But Nuno knows it will mean little if his existing players don’t perform better than they did against Wolves.
“I think it’s not just about the players that are coming up, but the players that are here as well, we need to make a deal that we can develop ourselves and that they can join us and be a better team, a team that can compete much better than we are today.”
Mr Merce and Mr Redknapp deliver harsh verdicts
Paul Merson and Jamie Redknapp have made harsh assessments of West Ham and their chances of survival after the disastrous 3-0 defeat to Wolves.
Manager Merson said, “I don’t know (West Ham will get out of trouble).”
“In the games against Fulham, Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest, I thought, “If I get 10 points in this game, we have a chance.” After three games, we have one point. I think they were demoted.
“If we go to the Championship, they’re going to have a new team. We’ll have to give it a try. It’s a must-win game (against Forest on Tuesday) because the games after this are not going to be kind at all.
“It’s Nuno’s second win after 15 games. Was it the right change? It’s easy in hindsight, but I’d say no. They’re scared at home. The fans have paid good money to watch this team, so they need to see more. I think Tuesday’s cup final is a must.”
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Paul Merson has reacted to West Ham’s 3-0 defeat to Wolves, saying he believes they will be relegated from the Premier League and that they have “no chance” of surviving relegation.
Redknapp said of the situation: “It’s hopeless. The fans have had enough. There’s just not enough.”
“I can only imagine what the dressing room is like now, but somehow they have to come together because it looks like we are facing relegation.
“It was difficult for Graham Potter, but Nuno hasn’t been as effective as we’d like. They conceded goals, goals from set pieces.”
“Jarod Bowen said mid-week that it’s the first time he’s ever seen his team compete and it’s pretty awful. When you’re in this predicament you have to fight as hard as you can and this side doesn’t.
“Some players may think they are too good in this situation, but that is not the case.
“If they do incredibly well in the transfer market, they might have a chance. Things can change quickly, but things are not going well with this team. They have to find something, but it’s dangerous for the club if they drop out when they’re on a big salary. It’s a big dilemma, but they have to try something.”
West Ham’s dire statistics
West Ham are currently without a win in their last nine Premier League games (D4 L5), their longest run since the last nine games of the 2010-11 season when they were relegated. Nuno became the first manager in Premier League history to lose to the bottom-starting team of the day at two different clubs in the same season (also 3-0 against Nottingham Forest and West Ham in August). West Ham have conceded 41 goals in the Premier League this season, the most since. 20 games (44) in a top-flight campaign since the 1965-66 season. West Ham have conceded more goals in the first five minutes of a game than any other team in the Premier League this season (four games).
Analysis: A miserable day for West Ham
There was so much pessimism among supporters that every club must have feared for some time that they would be the one to beat Wolves for the first time. It seems fitting that it was West Ham. A team playing with even less confidence than the clubs at the bottom of the table.
The Timberwolves have led in just three of their last 19 games this season, never leading by more than one point, and failed to win any of them. West Ham’s attempts to go three down at half-time showed just how miserable they were, unable to win duels or trackrunners. terrible.
The away fans started shouting about their relegation early on. They participated in songs that mocked their team. Homegrown player Max Kilman was also booed. It was Wolves fans who sang Nuno’s name, not them. There were jeers at both halftime and fulltime.
The lack of meaningful response after the interval was almost abysmal. Wolves had also not kept a clean sheet, but West Ham failed to force Sa to make a save. They were asked to play catch-up in the second half, but they didn’t have anything offensively.
Unlike Wolves, West Ham have time to regain their Premier League status. But that game at Forest’s home is now even more important. Lose it and you’re seven points away from safety. To stop it, the atmosphere needs to change rapidly.
