West Ham's Dressing Room Turning on Nuno as Morale Plummets Following Wolves Humiliation

The mood at London Stadium has turned decidedly grim. Nuno Espirito Santo, who arrived as a replacement for Graham Potter in late September, is haemorrhaging support within his own dressing room as West Ham's season spirals further into crisis.

The Portuguese manager has managed just two victories from fifteen matches since taking the reins. That dismal record came into sharp focus on Saturday when his side suffered a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Wolves—a result made all the more painful by the fact that the visitors occupy the Premier League's basement. The Hammers remain mired in the relegation zone, four points adrift of safety.

In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Nuno offered a public mea culpa to the travelling supporters. "Nobody expected us to play so bad," he told BBC Sport. "A real poor performance today." He singled out the opening forty-five minutes for particular criticism, describing it as "embarrassing" and acknowledging the need for serious reflection about what had gone wrong.

The manager attempted to contextualise the performance, pointing to ongoing recruitment difficulties. "It is a complex situation," he explained. "The club is working on that situation. We have problems in terms of squad and options but that is not a justification for what we did in the first half – the mistakes we made, the lack of effort… it was very bad. It was about mistakes we made over and over again that was really poor."

With the transfer window open, Nuno suggested that fresh faces might help turn the tide. "Nottingham Forest will be a tough game but now is about reacting and transforming and improving," he added.

Behind closed doors, however, the picture is considerably bleaker. According to reports, the atmosphere at the training ground and in the squad has deteriorated noticeably. Sources close to the situation describe Nuno as increasingly distant and uncommunicative with his players on a day-to-day basis. His tactical approach and team selections have drawn frustration, with some questioning his methods during training sessions.

The isolation appears to extend to individual relationships. Nuno has barely engaged with certain squad members since his arrival, leaving some players feeling sidelined. Others have found themselves deployed in unfamiliar positions, further fuelling discontent. When West Ham found themselves staring at a 3-0 deficit at half-time against Wolves, Nuno offered little in the way of motivational intervention—hardly the kind of leadership one might expect at such a critical juncture.

The board, meanwhile, remains reluctant to wield the axe for a second time this season. Having already dispensed with Potter's services, the Hammers hierarchy appears committed to giving Nuno a genuine opportunity, particularly given the investment they've already made in the transfer market at his behest. That continued backing, according to those monitoring the situation, suggests the club is unlikely to make any immediate managerial changes.

Yet with morale slipping and communication lines seemingly fractured, time may be running out for the 51-year-old to repair relationships within his squad and salvage what remains of West Ham's campaign.