Nuno Espirito Santo admitted that the team's defense has problems and that they must demonstrate stronger defensive capabilities in the future.

West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo stated that the team paid the price for defensive errors in the English League Cup, ultimately losing 2-3 at home to Fulham at the London Stadium and being eliminated in the next round. Against this Premier League team, West Ham United displayed considerable competitiveness, twice falling behind before equalizing, and maintaining their chances of advancing until the end of the first half.  

Morato and Pablo Felipe both scored their first goals for West Ham United, helping the team equalize against Rodrigo Munez and Cesar Palacios respectively, briefly rekindling West Ham's hopes of advancing to the round of 16. However, Oscar Bob scored a crucial goal in the second half, ultimately securing the victory for Fulham.  

Nuno Espirito Santo admitted that West Ham United's three goals against Fulham exposed defensive weaknesses, stating that the team must demonstrate stronger defensive capabilities and resilience in future matches. Despite the eventual defeat, West Ham United created chances in the final stages of the game and at one point had a chance to force a penalty shootout.  

After the match, Nuno Espirito Santo said: "I am very sad because considering the team's training, the players' performance in the game, and the effort they put in, it is truly disappointing to end up losing. It is a very painful result. The fans once again gave us incredible support, and we had hoped to give them another happy and celebratory night."  

"Overall, we made some mistakes in the game, and our opponents capitalized on those opportunities and punished us. However, we also had a lot to commend us; our players stepped up in crucial moments and performed well."  

“We had hoped to continue in this tournament and go as far as possible, but now we must quickly adjust our mindset and not let ourselves dwell on the defeat for too long. We created many good opportunities and had some good scoring chances during the match, but we need to be more composed when facing those opportunities.”  

“I have nothing to complain about, because the team has consistently been able to score. Our attacking runs are gradually becoming more systematic, the players are cooperating better and better, and the overall attack is becoming more fluid. However, we still paid the price for our own mistakes, which is a problem that must be seriously analyzed and resolved.”  

"Judging from the way we conceded the goals, there are still many areas where the team needs to improve. But as I said before, we originally hoped to go further in the cup competition, and now we must quickly adjust our form and refocus on the upcoming matches. We don't have time to dwell on the defeat; the next week will be crucial and significant for the team."  

"The most important task now is to recover our physical condition as soon as possible and be fully prepared for Saturday's game. We know how important this game is for the fans and the team itself. At the same time, it is also the last game before the international break, so we must step up and do our best to win."  

Image source: Internet/West Ham United official website