West Ham United began their Championship campaign with a point that felt, to most of their supporters, like a defeat. A 2-2 draw at Turf Moor on Sunday, in which they let a two-goal lead slip and conceded an equaliser in the 92nd minute, set the tone for a long and turbulent season if the fan reaction is anything to judge by.

A familiar pattern at the worst possible time

Goals from Max Kilman and Manor Solomon had put West Ham in apparent control. Then, in the second half, Burnley pegged them back and, in stoppage time, completed the comeback. It was the kind of result that reopens wounds rather than closes them, and the supporters who contacted BBC Sport were in no mood for diplomatic language.

"Same old, same old," wrote one fan, Roger. "This should have been in the bag with 15 minutes to go. Poor substitutions and there you go. Underwhelming." Another, Mark, echoed the sentiment: "Same old West Ham, same old issues. Dropping too deep when trying to close out a game but we don't have the players capable of defending a lead."

Nuno in the firing line

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo bore the brunt of the criticism. Several supporters drew a direct line between the tactical approach they witnessed at Turf Moor and the one that contributed to relegation from the top flight last season.

"We played a typical Nuno game against Burnley," wrote Rod. "We got relegated playing this brand of football, why can't Nuno see that sitting back inviting pressure does not work?" John C was more blunt still: "Pathetic game mismanagement by Nuno who continues where he left off last season. Owners must start a replacement search now."

The criticism centred on what fans described as a habit of retreating into a defensive posture when holding a lead, rather than pressing for a third goal. William put it plainly: "West Ham looked wide open to the counter attack and if we don't solve this weakness there will be no promotion. When we took off attackers we sat back and gave Burnley the advantage."

Defensive fragility and the Kilman question

There was also pointed commentary about the defence. Kilman, signed for a reported fee of around £40m, was singled out by at least one supporter who argued that the club should accept the outlay as a sunk cost and plan accordingly. Others noted that a young player, identified only as Scarles in the fan correspondence, had performed well up until conceding a penalty.

"Same old shaky defence," wrote Graham. "There won't be many clean sheets while Kilman is there. Let's face the fact that £40m was a huge mistake, write it off and move on." Martin added that a new centre-back was "desperately required" or "it will be a long season with no outcome."

What it means for both clubs

From Burnley's perspective, a comeback point at home on the opening day is a reasonable start. Coming from two goals down to draw shows a resilience that Scott Parker will be keen to build on as they push for a return to the top flight themselves.

For West Ham, the concern is structural rather than simply about one dropped result. They arrived in the Championship this season carrying the weight of a relegated squad, a manager whose methods attracted heavy criticism last term, and supporter expectations that have not been recalibrated to second-tier reality. A draw at Turf Moor is not a disaster. But the manner of it, and the speed with which familiar grievances have resurfaced, suggests the club faces questions that a single pre-season has not answered.

One supporter, Hazel, tried to find some balance: "West Ham were great in the first half but appeared to lose their way in the latter stages of the second half. They failed to keep the pressure on Burnley by retreating back into their own half." It was, perhaps, the most measured verdict on offer. But measured verdicts were in short supply among the Hammers faithful on Sunday evening.

Frequently asked

What was the score in Burnley vs West Ham?
The Championship match at Turf Moor ended 2-2. West Ham led 2-0 through goals from Max Kilman and Manor Solomon before Burnley equalised in the 92nd minute.
Who scored for West Ham against Burnley?
Max Kilman and Manor Solomon scored for West Ham, giving them a 2-0 lead before Burnley fought back to draw level.
Are West Ham in the Championship this season?
Yes. West Ham United are playing in the Championship this season following their relegation from the top flight.