He would never admit publicly, of course, but one wonders how Nuno Espirito Santo would feel about swapping West Ham United’s central defensive options for those at Daniel Farke’s disposal in the Leeds dugout.
With seven defeats from nine games in all competitions, and having conceded 21 goals in that time, Nuno inherited a backline at rock bottom following the sacking of Graham Potter a month ago.
After watching him fail to cut out a long ball over the top in the build up to Brentford’s well-deserved opener on Monday night, Jamie Carragher labelled Max Kilman a shadow of the once-reliable defender Nuno worked with a Wolves. Jean-Clair Todibo has fared little better.
But after Nuno confirmed Konstantinos Mavropanos’ unavailability at Elland Road, the West Ham United boss seemingly has little choice but to hope and pray that Todibo and Kilman can find some semblance of form.
Either that, or throw Igor Julio in for his first Premier League start since Brighton thrashed Tottenham Hotspur in May.
Tonight’s opponents, Leeds United, have conceded five fewer goals than the Hammers in 2025/26. Joe Rodon remains the load-bearing pillar at the heart of Daniel Farke’s usually pretty solid defence.
Five years after West Ham reportedly hoped to bring Rodon to East London with a bid of £15 million, this fire-breathing Welsh dragon of a defender is certain to relish the chance to showcase his superiority over the error-prone, confidence-shorn centre-backs stumbling around in claret and blue.
Joe Rodon scores during Leeds United v Bournemouth - Premier League
Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
David Moyes wanted Leeds’ Joe Rodon at West Ham United
According to reports, David Moyes wanted Rodon at West Ham when he was at Swansea City in 2020.
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As far as typical Moyes centre-backs go, Rodon ticks more boxes than most. From Sylvain Distin to James Tarkowski, Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson, the now-Everton boss loves working with physically imposing defenders capable of dominating their own penalty areas.
Rodon is certainly that. He averages 6.1 clearances per game in the Premier League. Thus, putting him ahead of Gabriel Magalhaes, Matthijs de Ligt and Ibrahima Konate.
But, in a Leeds team which dominated 61 per cent of the possession en route to the Championship title, Rodon also became integral to Farke’s attacking gameplan with his piercing, line-breaking passes into midfield.
Daniel Farke calls Rodon a ‘perfect modern defender’
A vocal presence on and off the pitch too – Rodon’s tendency to lead by example is also something clearly missing from West Ham’s own backline – Farke deserves so much credit for helping complete the 28-year-old’s evolution into one of the most complete, well-rounded centre-halves in England.
“What I like about him is that he has an old-school attitude, but he is a perfect role model of a modern defender as well. Because he is quick and good on the ball, and you can defend with him on the high line,” Farke said during a campaign in which Leeds secured promotion with a haul of 100 points.
“He also has good body language and leadership, and it is also a topic we have worked on a bit since the beginning of the season. He has grown more and more into this role and he leads from the backline.
“I am pretty pleased that we have him. It was the same 30 years ago and it will be the same in 20 years; the first thing you have to do as a defender is defend really properly.”
In 14 goals for club and country this season, too, Rodon has scored three goals.
Up against a West Ham side for whom crosses and set-pieces have become their footballing Kryptonite – Nuno accepts the Hammers have ‘big problems’ in this department – it would come as relatively little surprise to see the 6ft 4ins giant put his formidable frame to good use in both boxes in Friday’s 8pm kick-off.