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If there is one glimmer of positivity that can be gleaned from West Ham United’s FA Cup exit, it’s that hypothetical scenarios like the one put to Joe Cole by namesake Carlton can now go by the wayside.
Would you take relegation if it meant securing FA Cup glory? Joe Cole certainly would.
Perhaps this is his Chelsea past taking; the by-product of a fierce winning mentality honed under serial silverware-hoarder Jose Mourinho. Either way, Cole was disappointed to see Nuno Espirito Santo make what he felt were more changes than necessary as West Ham United missed the chance to end their 20-year exile from the semi-finals.
What would you sacrifice for FA Cup GLORY?
Surely not your Premier League status…
Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham United XI was heavily dictated by injuries vs Leeds
In Nuno’s defence, the Hammers were missing Crysencio Summerville, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Callum Wilson and Jean-Clair Todibo for fitness reasons.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has only now returned from that Congolese conga-line, following their World Cup qualification.
Still, West Ham missed Tomas Soucek’s presence as Leeds strolled into a first-half lead. Nuno was forced to rely on debutant Finlay Herrick when Alphonse Areola was forced off meanwhile; usual number one Mads Hermansen not even among the substitutes.
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“The only thing I would criticise with Nuno is – and it’s hard because I don’t know the situation with Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, was Summerville ready? – I think he picked a team that looked like it was slightly edging towards [prioritising] the Premier League,” Joe Cole argues.
“And I just think he underestimated [the game].
“I think he would have sat there when the atmosphere was kicking off at the start, how up for it the West Ham fans were, and how important the FA Cup was… I think he could have picked a stronger side from the start.
“Those boys might never win anything! I would prefer to win the FA Cup and go down.” [The allure of] a day out at Wembley, I think [Nuno] underestimated that. I think it’s a poor decision.”
The Hammers have a score to settle… ⚒️ v 🐺
What do YOU want to see in Friday’s six-pointer?
Carlton Cole says Premier League survival is more important than the FA Cup
Carlton Cole, who joined the Hammers only weeks after Alan Pardew suffered Cardiff heartbreak against a Steven Gerrard-inspired Liverpool in 2006, was a bit more forgiving.
Nuno did still hand starts to Axel Disasi, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Mateus Fernandes, Jarrod Bowen and Taty Castellanos. Five players likely to feature from the off in Friday’s relegation six-pointer at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Is there an argument that, besides Soucek and Hermansen, Nuno selected the strongest XI available to him in the circumstances?
“Where do you find the biting point for your strongest team while saving your legs for the charge to stay up in the league?” Carlton Cole asks in response.
“It’s too much money [to lose by being relegated].”
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Nuno confirmed that Wan-Bissaka is available again. Summerville was spotted training at Rush Green in midweek, while Disasi, Todibo and Mavropanos should be fit to start.
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