Nuno admits fans were 'let down' after Charlton defeat

West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo said his team let down their supporters after a 2-1 home defeat to Charlton Athletic, a result that leaves the Hammers with one point from their opening two Championship matches.

"It's West Ham, the pressure is every day. It's a big club. You just see our fans – there were 62,000 people in the stands and we let them down. This is the more disappointing feeling," Nuno said, as quoted by BBC Sport. "The crowd is for us and we let them down today. We were not able to do what they deserved, which was to win."

The defeat followed a draw in West Ham's opening game against Burnley, leaving the team in the lower half of the table with just one point from six available. The club may be among the favourites for promotion, but early results have raised questions about the manager's future, with Nuno having failed to keep West Ham in the Premier League last season when they were fighting relegation.

Match details: defensive errors prove costly

Charlton took the lead in the seventh minute when Lloyd Jones scored after West Ham allowed a long throw-in to bounce inside their penalty area. After the break, Tyreece Campbell doubled the lead when Konstantinos Mavropanos was dispossessed near his own penalty area.

Despite trailing, West Ham controlled the match, holding more than 77% possession and finishing with an expected goals total of 2.96 to Charlton's 0.57. They also missed a penalty, which would have earned a point late on.

Nuno acknowledged the team's lack of accuracy in front of goal and the need for better defending. "We created a lot of situations but we weren't accurate enough in the boxes," he said. "We have to defend much better. We had a lot of possession and tried to break them down, which is not easy."

He added: "We were still able to create a lot of situations that we should - and will, for sure in the future - finish better. This season, it's clear that we're going to be protagonists and will have more of the ball. We [will work on] combinations in the final third and in one-on-ones, creating situations that can allow us to score."

Pundit calls for improvements in mentality and personnel

Former player turned pundit Aaron McLean, writing in his BBC Sport column, was scathing about West Ham's start, saying they have hit "rock bottom" in the Championship.

"I look at West Ham and think last season they were relegated because they weren't good enough. They have come into the Championship, they almost need to hit rock bottom," McLean wrote. "Today was a real test against an established Championship team who will fight for every ball. I know West Ham missed a penalty to get a point, but if you are West Ham at home in front of 62,000, you shouldn't need a penalty to try to salvage something."

McLean called for "huge improvements in the mentality and maybe the personnel if West Ham hope to have a good season." His comments reflect wider concerns about the squad, which lost key players like Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka over the summer, though they retained Jarrod Bowen.

Looking ahead

West Ham have little time to regroup. Their next match is a Carabao Cup tie against Southampton on Tuesday, followed by league fixtures against unbeaten duo Watford and Wolves.

Nuno struck a defiant tone despite the setback, emphasising the need to stick with the process. "We're going to repeat, repeat, repeat - but keep the belief in the process. We're going to get together and bounce back," he said.

Whether that faith will be rewarded remains to be seen, but the early signs have left fans and pundits alike concerned about the club's trajectory.