Nuno’s Hammers Show Fight at Everton – But the No 9 Issue Can’t Be Ignored

Nuno Espirito Santo’s first night in the West Ham dugout brought a gritty 1-1 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a point earned the hard way and a glimpse of a game plan with teeth. Michael Keane’s opener could’ve sunk the Irons, but Jarrod Bowen – the reliable heartbeat of this side – bent in a lovely equaliser to send the travelling support home with belief that the new era has legs.

The selection shock that wasn’t the real story

Plenty of chat will orbit James Ward-Prowse’s omission, a bold call from Nuno after the midfielder’s regular run under Graham Potter. But the sharper talking point was up top: Niclas Fullkrug’s place as the starting centre-forward is looking increasingly difficult to justify.

Fullkrug’s night: numbers that don’t move the needle

Let’s be fair: Fullkrug grafted. He looked to link play and pressed in patches. But against a rugged Everton pairing of James Tarkowski and Keane, the German simply didn’t impose himself. The dashboard tells its own tale – 89 minutes, 37 touches, expected goals at 0.24, two efforts (one on target), pass accuracy 68%, and three key passes. Useful? At times. Decisive? Not nearly enough. Only Crysencio Summerville posted a higher xG for West Ham at 0.42, and he looked the more likely to make something happen when he drove at people.

Patterns that can’t be ignored

This wasn’t an isolated off-night. Fullkrug arrived from Borussia Dortmund for around £27m after 15 in 46 there, yet has just three goals in 22 league appearances for West Ham. For a side fighting to steer clear of danger, your No 9 can’t be a nearly man. When crosses flash through the six-yard box and centre-halves are allowed to head their zones unchallenged, pressure builds elsewhere on the pitch, and the whole structure creaks.

What Nuno needs from his focal point

In this set-up, the centre-forward has to pin defenders, win first contacts, and give Bowen and Summerville something to play off. Too often, Tarkowski and Keane were comfortable – not bullied, not turned, not forced into errors. Jordan Pickford had one proper save to make from Fullkrug. That’s not enough for a team trying to climb the table.

The Callum Wilson solution

Enter Callum Wilson. Yes, he’s 33, but that extra year on Fullkrug is offset by Premier League know-how in the penalty area. We’re talking 89 top-flight goals and one already in his first five West Ham outings. Wilson’s movement across the line, his knack for separating from markers, and his cold-blooded finishing on first contact are exactly what this side needs when territory is hard-won and chances are at a premium.

Nuno must be ruthless: drop Fullkrug and start Wilson against Arsenal — West Ham’s season may depend on it.

Fans see it, too

The away end didn’t mince words. The consensus? Fullkrug’s size isn’t translating into presence. If you can’t hold it up and you’re not dominating in the air, you’ve got to hurt teams with movement and snap finishes. Right now, he’s not delivering that final punch.

Arsenal on deck and no time to dither

Arsenal next is a stern examination, but it’s also the kind of test that rewards brave selection. Get Wilson on the shoulder, keep Bowen and Summerville buzzing around second balls, and make the Gunners feel every duel. The margins at the bottom are brutal; one clinical finish can turn a month’s mood.

If you’re weighing form, fixtures, and the run-in like a pro, you’ll already be scanning the best betting sites for the latest prices. But forget the markets for a second – the eye test is screaming for a change at centre-forward.

Bottom line

There were green shoots in Nuno’s debut: structure, belief, and a response to adversity. Now comes the decisive stroke. Back the striker who lives off half-chances and makes centre-halves twitch. Wilson in, Fullkrug to the bench. It’s the pragmatic call for points now, not promises later.