With Glenn Roeder thus far frustrated in his time consuming efforts to bring in at least one central defender in, now that Stuart Pearce and Igor Stimac are no longer on the books, Nigel's wish is that when the defensive unit is reshuffled it will stick together.
"We had a lot of changes at the back, which is probably one of the most important places to try and keep a settled team," he says.
"The midfield and forwards can possibly change a bit but at the back players want to get to know each other very well and what positions they will be in.
"There were a lot of players in and out at the back last year and we never really got a settled unit - and I think that showed.
"It just didn't work for us last season defensively and we were giving away silly goals, which we don't want to do this season.
"I think it is a big season because after two good seasons in the league the last one was more disappointing.
"We need to be back in the top half of that league very quickly next season and build on that.
"If you look at last season I think we could probably have stopped maybe 15-20 goals that we could have avoided were it not for bad play or individual errors.
"If you take that out then the season looks a lot different, but it carried on all the way through.
"The silly thing was our away form wasn't that bad but at home it was poor - which is what let us down.
"At one stage we were up in the top three or four teams in the league away but at home we were in the bottom three, which was surprising, and made me feel sorry for the fans.
"For them to come and see you week in week out and not see you win, especially when they are paying good money, is hard - and frustrating for us."
But he insists that it wasn't all negative as far as he was concerned - far from it.
Indeed, he clearly relishes the new lease of life he got at Upton Park following his move from Arsenal.
"Obviously beating Manchester United in the FA Cup was a highlight and it was also nice beating Leeds away which we hadn't done for a long time," he reflects.
"But to me just playing in every game was special because when you get to my age you appreciate each game more and more, whereas when you are younger you just think your career will never come to an end.
"When you get older you realise it might be your last game so you try to remember them all."
As for the upcoming campaign?
"We've got the potential to do well, but we'll have to wait and see," he responds.
"Predictions are hard: I thought we'd finish top six or top eight last season and was completely wrong, so I won't be making any more predictions for now!"