Ashley Cole shares what Nuno Espirito Santo must do at West Ham as anger grows
Nuno Espirito Santo already has a few problems that he needs to fix at West Ham.
Mainly, West Ham have an ongoing striker debacle, with Niclas Fullkrug injured and Callum Wilson nowhere near reliable enough.
There could be another problem on the horizon at the London Stadium, with rumours of Lucas Paqueta’s West Ham exit circulating once more.
Nuno wants to change the culture at West Ham, and his first two games in charge of the Hammers have seen a change in playstyle.
However, former England international Ashley Cole has voiced his concerns.
Ashley Cole warns Nuno Espirito Santo to play ‘aggressive’
Graham Potter was sacked as West Ham boss earlier this season, a decision that was in he making for a long time, as he had lost the trust of Hammers fans.
Potter’s playstyle was scrutinised for being too possession-based with no penetrative instincts, but Nuno now looks to deploy an organised deep defensive shape that breaks on the counter.
- Nuno has played a 4-1-4-1 variation in games vs Arsenal and Everton
- Jarrod Bowen’s goal vs Everton came via a fast break
- David Moyes played a similar style at West Ham
Former left-back Cole has sent a message to Nuno on how he should play as West Ham boss, while speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football.
“Mid-low block, counter-attack, is that going to suit the West Ham fans?” he said.
“I would be aggressive, I would get the fans off their seats, I would show that we are not afraid of any teams.
“Respect certain teams, of course, you’re not going to try to win the ball back high up against a Manchester City, because you understand they’ll play through you.”
So, will Nuno actually see success with his current playstyle or will he need to switch things up in the future?
Nuno’s playstyle suits West Ham and their players
West Ham still have some key players that were used by David Moyes, particularly Jarrod Bowen and Paqueta, who benefited in a side that played fast transitional football.
Malick Diouf has already impressed undo Nuno, and looks to be a key outlet on the break for the new head coach, as other players also seem to suit the new system more.
Nuno will be hopeful that he has some funds to spend come January to buy extra reinforcements that can fit his playstyle and bring West Ham success.
Nottingham Forest gained European football with the same philosophy under Nuno, and he will most certainly look to replicate the same at E20.
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