West Ham’s FA Cup quarter final has finally hove into view after a seemingly interminable wait for the last international break of the season to conclude. The Hammers’ side now hastily reassembles with some players – Mateus Fernandes and Aaron Wan Bissaka in particular – enduring long jet lagged journeys back after late kick offs that surely impact their ability to turn out as starters on Sunday.
The question that Nuno has been toying with – and no doubt, will avoid answering if a journalist is sufficiently robust to even ask it at West Ham’s pre-game presser – is straightforward :
What are you prioritising, Nuno? Appearing in an FA Cup semi final – or Premier League Survival?
It is pretty much an ‘either / or’ decision: The Hammers have one of the smaller squads in the Premier League and will likely have to rotate if Nuno decides the Premier League is top priority. I’m sure the West Ham United board would have their own opinion, with the financial meltdown of relegation far outweighing any ‘feel good factor’ of a cup semi final or even a final appearance.
Nuno Espirito Santo-Press Conference
This is one time Nuno’s press conference may actually be worth watching: Friday afternoon 3rd April at 1325
So what’s it to be, Nuno? rotate for the FA Cup and use squad players like Traore, Wilson, Magassa, Kanté, Scarles ,Walker Peters and – gasp – Max Kilman in front of Alphonse Areola?
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Crysencio Summerville’s fitness of course is the enigma: Only Nuno knows if he’s fit enough and worth risking with a semi final place up for grabs. If the flying Dutchman aggravates his calf injury then Nuno will be slated: However, if West Ham lose with no Summerville then again, Nuno will have to face huge criticism.
For what it’s worth, for me it’d be the strongest XI and no rotation: Winning is a habit and the feel-good factor of turning over Leeds could propel the Hammers forwards to survival in a surge of momentum. But only Nuno gets to make that call.