West Ham United are embroiled in a relegation scrap until May, but a tactical rethink could be key to keeping them in the Premier League, says Hammers legend Tony Gale.
The former defender, who played almost 400 games for the club, believes experienced striker Callum Wilson is one of the key men to get the survival bid underway at Leeds United tomorrow.
The 33-year-old, who pockets £50,000-per-week before bonuses, was left out of Monday’s dire 2-0 home defeat by Brentford and has only been handed one start since signing on a free transfer in the summer.
Gale Calls for Wilson to be Made First-Choice Striker
Callum Wilson celebrates after scoring for West Ham United
New West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo could also consider switching formation to play with two strikers as part of a tactical rethink with the team in desperate need of a lift.
Gale, 65, was at London Stadium on Monday to witness his old club’s self-destruction at the hands of a Brentford side which had only won one away game all season before kick-off.
He said: “They are fighting to stay up between now and May, and it’s going to be really close all the way because of the poor start.
“Nuno has got to pick a centre forward. Lucas Paqueta is not a centre forward, neither is Jarrod Bowen nor Crysencio Summerville. Nuno must pick a centre forward - Callum Wilson.”
“There is pace in the team with Bowen and Summerville and good passing in Paqueta, but they need to be played to their strengths. They should also be allowed to express themselves and roam free while he tightens things up at the back.
“If he goes with Wilson as a centre forward, then perhaps he can employ Callum Marshall and play two up front, but the lad is too young to lead the line. Wilson has vast experience and will be able to shoulder the burden of being the main man up top.
“If he wants to play with Wilson up front, he must revert to a back five and then have Callum Marshall playing alongside him, because at his young age he needs a lot of support.”
Former Nottingham Forest boss Nuno glimpsed first hand what West Ham are capable of when his team was trounced 3-0 at home by them back in August.
It was the Portuguese’s last game in charge of the Tricky Trees before getting the sack. It also proved a false dawn for West Ham as they failed to capitalise on the big win.
Gale said: “The alternative to a back five is to play a back four with Wilson on his own up front, similar to what Nuno saw when we beat Forest 3-0 earlier this season.
“Wilson came on for Niclas Fullkrug. West Ham’s formation against Forest was his clue. That should be his blueprint.
“But they really need a return to basics. And all the effort they put in will be repaid 100 per cent by the fans because that’s all they want.”
Nuno Should Not Turn to Marshall in Relegation Scrap
Callum Marshall during a pre-match warm-up with West Ham United
Nuno opted to bring on rookie Marshall against Brentford earlier this week instead of Wilson, who has 89 Premier League goals from 244 games in the top flight.
Hammers academy graduate Marshall is yet to rack up an hour from two matches even though he shows lots of promise.
Gale said: “I hate saying it, but it’s not the time to be blooding youngsters. West Ham need leadership. It’s a huge responsibility for those players but that’s what needs to be done.
“They need a big regroup and to realise that they are in a dogfight now. There’s no two ways about it because of the form of the three promoted clubs. The players need to assume responsibility because it is easy to blame everybody else. They need to man up and fight for every single point.”
“It’s team meetings, organisation, establishing a pattern of play and sticking to it. The other night I couldn’t work out what they were trying to do. They looked a bit muddled. The manager has only just walked in the door and seen what he has got to work with. He now needs to find one or two leaders.
“At Leeds, the crowd is great. The fans will be on them. It’s Friday night too, a much different atmosphere to a Saturday evening, and that will make it even more nerve-wracking. They have to hope that Leeds get at them too much as a result and the three forwards can use their speed and cause problems on the counter.
“What West Ham have to do is not crack during that 10-15 minutes of pressure they know they are going to get. They have got to handle the pressure.
“There is no doubt about it, Leeds is a six-pointer, even though it seems daft saying it so early in the season. West Ham can’t afford to lose against the promoted sides, but they have already done that at Sunderland on the opening day of the season.
“After Leeds, they are at home to Burnley soon after. These are the crunch games for the players and the manager. If the fans see some fight in the team they will respond accordingly. The fans always respond even if it does seem like they are always moaning.
“Jarrod Bowen is the key player for me. He is the best player at the club and has the engine and the effort to change things. He is capable of playing in a top four team so should be good enough to lead West Ham.”
Hammers Must Dip into Market for January Signings
West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo
Nuno placed Brazilian playmaker Paqueta up front against Brentford as a ‘false nine’. Bowen has played there for West Ham too.
The new boss has not been helped by yet another injury to unlucky Fullkrug, the Germany dynamo who was supposed to be the answer to the club’s scoring problems but has yet to play consistently because of differing issues. The latest is a knee problem picked up on international duty earlier this month, and he will be sidelined for some time.
West Ham’s owners have invested record amounts in the squad in recent seasons, but the transfer policy is being called into question because of poor results.
The Hammers find themselves second from bottom in the Premier League, with only four points from eight games, and already three points from safety.
Gale, who played every league game for West Ham’s record-breaking team in 1985/86, which finished third in the old First Division, said: “They also have to make signings in January.
“They have to get a centre forward, but they must also ensure they are not adrift by January because that will make it even harder to get players to come and if they do, they will have to pay more to get players to come and join a team staring at the abyss.”
Nuno is renowned as a defence first coach and has work to do sorting out the wobbles at the back, with West Ham already on minus 12 goal difference - the worst of the entire 20-team Premier League.
Centre-back Max Kilman is the key defender, but he has just been robbed of his back four partner Konstantinos Mavropanos, who got injured on Monday.
Gale said: “I see a good player in Kilman. He needs his confidence restored and that will come week by week if they establish a pattern of play, a formation and stick to it, and it works.”
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 23/10/2025