WEST HAM sleepwalked into trouble and are now running headfirst towards relegation.
A dismal four points from their first nine games under two different managers means they will end the weekend bottom of the Premier League table should Wolves win at home to Burnley.
The Hammers have faced relegation on more than one occasion since their promotion in 2012.
But never has the threat felt quite so real with so few signs of hope.
SunSport analyses where things have gone so wrong for a club who lifted a European trophy only two years ago…
NUNO SELECTIONS
Almost all of West Ham’s many and varying problems pre-date the appointment of Nuno last month, but the Portuguese has certainly not helped things over the past week.
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After an encouraging point away at Everton, against former Hammers boss David Moyes, and a frustrating but hardly unexpected defeat to Arsenal – things have gone dramatically downhill.
Following an international break to work with his new squad, Nuno sparked surprise not only within the fanbase but for the squad and club staff with his team selection against Brentford.
Ollie Scarles was played out of position and a midfield of Tomas Soucek and Andy Iriving, making a full home debut, was alarming.
A Brentford analyst in the stands noted to his colleagues on the touchline: “They are so open.”
Nuno did not learn from his mistake, starting Scarles, Soucek and Irving at Leeds.
That was jettisoned after 25 minutes when Scarles was replaced by Callum Wilson, finally getting his first minutes under Nuno.
SET PIECE STRUGGLES
West Ham’s nine goals conceded from corners in as many games is triple that of any other Premier League side.
Nuno earmarked the weakness as his biggest concern when arriving but has been powerless to stop the rot.
Central defenders Max Kilman, a £40million recruit, and Jean-Clair Todibo (£35m), do not look worth £10m between them at the moment.
They are not helped by a rickety midfield in front of them but neither look combative or confident when defending as it stands.
Igor Julio was recruited late in the window but has played just a single minute and does not look the answer to their struggles.
As appears the case across the team, West Ham’s defenders are incapable of performing the most basic of tasks.
CONFUSING RECRUITMENT
West Ham’s most glaring issue in recent years has been their haphazard recruitment.
A muddle of players signed at great expense by three different managers and two now departed recruitment chiefs.
The Hammers have spent huge funds to find themselves with a lopsided squad lacking pace, athleticism and creativity.
They are stuck with players, such as Niclas Fullkrug, they will struggle to sell and marquee signings making no impact.
To add to that, each managerial appointment which has been made since Moyes’ departure has, so far, made the team worse.
Interviews are now taking place to find a new head of recruitment to replace Kyle Macaulay, who was appointed to support Graham Potter and replaced Tim Steidten, the wasteful German sporting director who was banned from the training ground by two separate managers.
SOFT SQUAD
An issue successive managers have noted, ever since the retirement of Mark Noble and the departure of Declan Rice, is a vacuum of leadership.
Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers captain, leads by shining example on the pitch – the only player showing even an ounce of their talent so far this season.
But he is not a natural dressing room leader and the squad lack a figure to dig them out of their current pit.
There is little trust within the group and Nuno has made his concerns over mentality and anxiety clear.
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Losing Aaron Cresswell has not helped while the new manager abandoning James Ward-Prowse, a popular figure at the training ground if not with all supporters, has also hurt team spirit.
One leader added in January will not fix all of West Ham’s woes, but it would be a start.
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