West Ham stars ‘should be ashamed’ as ‘upsetting’ Ollie Scarles footage emerges
West Ham star Ollie Scarles was visibly distraught following his error against Fulham, and the absence of senior heads taking responsibility is a major concern.
That is according to former West Ham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected at his previous clubs, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side is lacking leadership and passion.
West Ham lost 1-0 to Fulham last time out, with Scarles missing a clearance in the buildup, and post-game footage showed him crying and apologising to the fans.
No senior player approached the 20-year-old to offer him reassurance or support, or took responsibility for their poor results, and instead allowed him to bare the brunt of the cricticism.
The Hammers are 18th in the Premier League table, five points from safety and very much in a relegation battle, but the lack of players stepping up is becoming a problem.
West Ham lack leadership as Nuno Espirito Santo’s concerns grow
Brown told Football Insider on 21 December that Nuno is facing major problems at West Ham due to their inability to grind out wins and points from strong positions.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience working closely alongside elite-level managers including Sir Alex Ferguson for over a decade at Man United, insisted the lack of leadership in the side is an even bigger issue for the manager.
“West Ham are lacking leaders in the squad,” he told Football Insider.
“That’s a big part of the problems they have had, and a big concern for the manager because nobody is showing him that they can stand up and be counted on.
“The video of the young lad, Scarles, at full-time was upsetting, because he’s made a mistake and it’s clearly something he feels responsible for.
“But none of those senior players made any effort to console him or to take responsibility and draw the criticism away from him, they should be ashamed.
“Dare I say some of those were happy for it to have been him who made the mistake rather than them, because they’ve made plenty in recent weeks as well.
“It’s a major concern for West Ham, not having players who are willing to step up at times light this, because this is when you need those type of players.”
Lucas Paqueta slammed as January transfer plans revealed
Among the senior players who have failed to step up during this tough run is Lucas Paqueta, whose performances have led to growing frustrations.
Brown told Football Insider on 28 December that West Ham could let Paqueta leave as he is not doing enough to help the team out of their bad spell.
This comes after Football Insider revealed on 2 December that Paqueta could leave West Ham with a number of clubs keeping a close eye on his situation.
Despite Paqueta’s potential departure, the Hammers remain determined to strengthen their squad in the mid-season window to aid their battle against relegation.
Brown told Football Insider on 14 December that West Ham are working to identify strikers who could bolster their options up front ahead of the January window.
For more West Ham and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.