Alan Shearer Criticizes West Ham After Disappointing Wolves Loss
West Ham United delivered a performance that many will struggle to remember, and it has been described as an “embarrassing defeat.”
Alan Shearer has been critical of West Ham following their 3-0 loss to Wolves on Saturday. The Hammers were already in a precarious position, sitting four points above the relegation zone heading into the match. While every game in the Premier League is a challenge, this one was crucial for West Ham, who needed a win to keep their survival hopes alive.
Wolves, who had gone 19 games without a victory at the start of the season, managed to secure a convincing 3-0 win against West Ham. It was a shocking display from the Hammers, especially considering they were up against a team that had struggled to find form. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, known for their disciplined approach, looked far more composed than West Ham did on the day.
Shearer was not shy in his criticism, stating: “West Ham were awful. I don’t like using the word, but they were pathetic. They offered nothing. Players pulling out of challenges, not throwing themselves at the ball, it was as bad as I've seen from any team.”
Santo himself admitted that his team’s performance was “embarrassing.” He said: “It was embarrassing. Today was the worst performance that we have had. I don't recall one day that I felt so bad on a football pitch. It's not about my future. It's about how can we get out of this situation, how can we improve and get the results that make us climb the table. This is what we are concerned about.”
He added: “I need to see the best of them (the players). We all need to see the best out of them. Individually and as a team, we need to see them not making the mistakes that they are making. We need to see effort, we need to see reaction, we need to see character, we need to see many things.”
Can West Ham Stay Up?
West Ham remain four points behind Nottingham Forest, who also lost on Saturday. However, their path to safety looks increasingly difficult. The Hammers are seven points behind Leeds United, the next highest team above Forest. Leeds, under Marcelo Bielsa, have been performing strongly and could pull further away from the relegation battle.
Forest, under Sean Dyche, look like a more stable outfit. If West Ham cannot close the gap on Forest, they may struggle to drag any other teams into the bottom three unless one of the teams above suffers a collapse. Despite the challenges, Santo remains optimistic.
“There are still lots of points [to play for],” he said. “There's a lot of football to be played, [but] it's about realising that we cannot repeat these kinds of performances. We must do much better. It was not good enough, it was poor, it was a lack of effort that really is concerning.”
Looking Ahead
As the season continues, West Ham will need to regroup and find a way to turn their fortunes around. With key matches coming up, the pressure will only increase on the players and management to deliver results.
The club is also reportedly looking to strengthen their squad, with reports suggesting they are close to signing a £25m star known for a famous “rabona assist.” This move could provide a much-needed boost to the team’s morale and performance.
