Category: Match

West Ham v Burnley Preview: Ninety Minutes of Clarety At The Bottom Of The Table

A pivotal test for West Ham as Burnley visit the London Stadium for a basement Premier League clash. Can they build on last week’s win over Newcastle or is it back to the drawing board for Nuno?

Last weekend’s victory against Newcastle was as spirited on the pitch as it was surprising for fans. Joy and disbelief at last brought a smile to supporter’s faces; and put a spring in their step. A shaft of sunlight breaking through the London Stadium gloom as a run of four successive home defeats was put to an end.

Who knew that energy, commitment and determination from the players might energise the crowd and create a positive, noisy atmosphere in the stadium? No-one is ever going to be roaring on a string of needless sideways and backward passes. If you want supporters to be the 12th man, then give them something to shout about. Something that gets them off their seats – other than to avoid the crowds in the half-time bar or Stratford Underground.

What must be remembered amidst the euphoria of victory now that the dust has settled is that this was just one game. Just as winning at Nottingham Forest in August turned into a false dawn, it would be foolish to declare a corner turned until consistency in approach, spirit and performance levels has been demonstrated.

A safe return to the calmer waters of mid-table obscurity will not be assured without resolution to the striker debacle – as early as possible – in the January transfer window. Until then, the jaws of relegation will be an ominous threat to the Hammer’s survival.

Team selection should for today’s game should be a no-brainer. If it is not the same eleven who started last week, then something is seriously wrong. Only the insanity of a coach with psychotic delusions of tactical genius would seek to make personnel changes following the rare display of cohesion in the Newcastle game. Surely, Nuno has learned his lesson from the six valuable points recklessly sacrificed to Brentford and Leeds.

On the other hand, a touch more adventure on the bench would be a welcome change. But with Callum Marshall, George Earthy, Preston Fearon, Ezra Mayers and Mohamadou Kante all turning out in the U21’s 3-0 defeat of Liverpool last night, this may be wishful thinking. Stocking the bench with four defensive midfield players and with no place for a striker severely limits the game changing options available.

Today’s fixture sees another early season six pointer with the visit of newly promoted Burnley. The Clarets sit one place above West Ham with three more points on the board. To date, they have recorded victories at home to Sunderland and Leeds, and away at Wolves.

In football’s golden age of bobble hats, wooden rattles, terraces, slide tackles, muddy pitches, magic sponges, maximum wages and Brylcreem, Burnley were one of the country’s leading sides. A 1960’s version of Brighton built upon community, continuity, scouting and player development. They won the First Division in 1959/60, reached the European Cup quarter-finals in 1960/61 and were runners-up in both the league and FA Cup the season after.

However, the 1970s saw a steady decline. They were relegated to the third tier in 1980, to the fourth tier in 1985 and in 1987 only avoided dropping into the Conference on the final day of the season. For all West Ham’s many failings, they are one of just eight clubs never to have fallen below the top two tiers since joining the league – yet!

Today, Burnley FC, like an increasing proportion of the Premier League, has American owners – the same group also owns Espanyol in Spain – who will be aiming to consolidate the club’s position in the topflight following a yo-yo series of promotions and relegations. It will be a huge achievement if they manage to pull it off with a relatively inexperienced squad.

Although few of the Burnley team are household names, their manager (Scott Parker) and captain (Josh Cullen) need no introduction to West Ham fans.

Parker had four excellent seasons in a West Ham shirt at an individual level. He was a three-times ‘Hammer Of The Year’ and even managed to win the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award during the Avram Grant relegation season.

He has had a chequered career since turning to management, winning promotions at Fulham, Bournemouth and Burnley but never being able to sustain the momentum in the top tier. It is a paradox of football management when up-and-coming coaches defy expectations to win promotion but then carry the can for failing to bridge the financial gap that the Premier League represents. Burnley’s previous manager Vincent Kompany provides a fascinating contrast, however. Described as naïve, stubborn and inexperienced during a hopeless 24-point relegation season at Turf Moor, he now boasts a 75%-win ratio since landing on his feet at Bayern Munich.

Cullen is a former West Ham academy product who was never able to make it at his boyhood club. With less than ten league minutes to his name across three substitute appearances, Cullen was eventually transferred to Anderlecht before settling at Burnley in the summer of 2022.

For those enamoured with football stats (other than the ones that really matter) the conclusion might be that the visitors are a very poor side. The lowest xG, fewest shots, most saves, highest xG against, lowest pass completion and lowest possession. Yet they are second only to Tottenham in terms of goals scored to shots on target and have outscored West Ham 12 to nine this season. Defensively, they feature towards the top end on blocking shots, interceptions and clearances.

This will present a very different challenge for West Ham than the Newcastle game. While the Magpies were poor on the day, the game remained open as they focused on attack whenever possible – they simply didn’t do it at all well. Burnley, by contrast, will look to defend in numbers, maintain a compact shape and seek opportunities to counterattack at pace along the flanks.

Breaking down organised walls of defensive resistance has not been a core West Ham competency of late. Do we have the guile, inspiration and ruthlessness to carve openings and take the few chances that come our way? The West Ham creative juices need to be in full and effective flow for a change. This is the kind of game where the first goal will prove critical to the complexion of the match and the way it develops.

It goes without saying that a second successive home win in seven days – ahead of yet another dull international break – would be a massive bonus. Show us what you can do, boys. COYI!     

Nuno Re-Discovers His Selection Mojo As West Ham Come Together For A Rare London Stadium Victory

Now you gotta believe us, we’re gonna finish seventeenth! A fresh outbreak of optimism resonates around the London Stadium as the Hammers see off the disappointing challenge of Newcastle United.

Well, that went better than expected, didn’t it?

When I first learned yesterday’s match was scheduled for a Sunday afternoon, I had hoped it was because Newcastle would be returning from a gruelling trek to the easternmost reaches of Kazakhstan for a midweek Champions League fixture. Sadly, that was not the case. All they had needed to contend with was an EFL cup-tie with Tottenham in their latest Spursy iteration.

With West Ham having recorded just three home wins in the previous 12 months – and having lost all four at the London Stadium this season – it promised to be a tough afternoon at the London Stadium.

The good news was that Nuno Espirito Santo had kept away from any mind-bending psychoactive substances before making this week’s team selection. Delusions of left-field tactical brilliance were abandoned, and sanity was restored to the tactics board. A few personnel changes were in place but it was largely back to the basics that had promised much at Everton.

Despite having the strongest possible eleven on the pitch, the early omens were not good. No sooner had Jarrod Bowen’s fine 4th minute shot cannoned off the upright than the Hammers once again found themselves a goal down. Max Kilman stranded up-field, the defence stretched and Malick Diouf allowing Murphy too much room to rifle home. It was not the start we were hoping for.

In his excellent match preview, Richard likened West Ham’s season to a clapped-out Vauxhall Astra, coughing and spluttering its way along the motorway (as a one-time Astra owner, I was rather perturbed by his choice of model – just don’t mention his Singer Chamois!) Would this early reverse become another hard shoulder to cry on? Was yet another collapse on the cards? How the Hammers reacted might prove a pivotal test of character.

To their credit, the team reacted magnificently. Heads didn’t drop and confidence slowly grew. Who could have predicted that picking pacier players and deploying them in their correct positions would produce much-improved performances? Intensity, energy and desire replacing hesitancy, confusion and negativity. To return to the car analogy: pistons had been realigned, timing corrected, handling improved and the windscreen wipers no longer came on when indicating to turn right.

There were fine performances all over the pitch. Alphonse Areola assertive in his penalty area. The defence compact and solid with the usual gaping midfield hole in front of it removed – we might also doff our caps to Nuno for having the idea of the centre-backs swapping sides. The midfield was energetic, organised and committed. Freddie Potts rightly received the plaudits for the effective simplicity of his game, and the maturity of his first Premier League start, but Mateus Fernandes was also excellent – from crunching tackles to astute passing. And Lucas Paqueta has never played a better ninety minutes for West Ham, despite the frequent falling over being increasingly ignored by referees.

The front three demonstrated a refreshing degree of movement rarely seen at the London Stadium. Bowen and Crysencio Summerville were hungry, available and prepared to carry the ball forward, while Callum Wilson operated as a centre forward should in such a system. Occupying defenders and creating space as the focal point for attacks.

With Wilson unlikely to last the whole game, it was disappointing not to have a backup striker on the bench. The implication is that Nuno doesn’t fancy Callum Marshall. But was it really necessary for Tomas Soucek, Soungoutou Magassa, Andy Irving and Guido Rodriguez to take up four of the allocated spaces?

While the ends may have justified the means, Nuno’s substitutions had introduced an overdose of anxiety into the closing stages. The Hammers finishing the game with three full backs and three central defenders and most of the pace and potential out-balls withdrawn. Hopefully, this was a ‘needs must’ strategy rather than a sign of things to come.

We must say a few words about Big Tom as his half-hour supporting role was Soucek in a condensed nutshell. Getting a boot in the chest at one end when diving in where others fear to head. Then popping up at the other to bundle home the goal that settled our nerves. And in between? About as effective as one of those inflatable tube men you see outside car dealerships.

At face value, it is difficult to reconcile how a team can apparently transform from being a lazy bunch of mercenaries who simply don’t care one week, to becoming a committed, hard-working, cohesive unit the next. My personal view is that it comes down to belief in what you are being asked or instructed to do. Belief underpins individual performance, team dynamic and tactical execution. If you don’t have it, and the margins are paper thin in elite level sport, then your opponent will exploit it. Without belief you will not recover from setbacks like yesterday’s early goal.

So, no more square pegs and round holes and we might start to see upward momentum. And that should lead to fewer taunts about laziness and not caring. The catch though is the lack of quality in depth to cope with injuries and suspensions. We have a mid-table first eleven but a bottom six squad.   

It wouldn’t be a Premier League math without a sizeable proportion of the afternoon being taken up by extended VAR reviews. It is difficult to argue with the toenail precision that is now applied as the letter of offside calls rather than to the law’s original spirit. The penalty review, however, was far more perplexing.

The rationale for reversing the decision was based solely on the defender touching the ball before Bowen got to it. That he crashed recklessly into Bowen’s side at the same time apparently having no bearing on events. In any other European league, it is a definite penalty. Even if we choose to interpret the laws differently in England (let’s take back control) then why was the same criteria not applied to an identical incident when Potts was penalised for a tackle a matter of minutes later?

One of the money-making developments that I truly dislike in the modern game is the prevalence of change strips. It’s not a proper Barcodes team if they’re not wearing traditional black and white stripes. Taking the field decked out in Al-Shearwah Saudi Arabian green just isn’t right. According to AI, very few football teams wear green because it clashes with the grass. Sounds improbable but perhaps explains why Newcastle were so poor?    

The visitors fearsome and expensively assembled attacking threat never materialised. After the opening goal went in they posed few problems. Woltemade has earned a big reputation but on the day looked as clueless as the succession of failed strikers who have turned out for the Hammers over the years. And as Prince Vultan once asked: “Gordon’s Alive?” Even the Hammer’s long-running nemesis Harvey Barnes failed to make even the slightest impression.

I sense Eddie Howe has plateaued at Newcastle and will soon be known as Eddie Who. My two shillings has already been staked on Andoni Iraola becoming the Magpie’s boss by the start of next season.

Watching Howe complain about West Ham adopting his patented time-wasting tactics was most amusing. The cynicism has the hallmarks of a Nuno innovation who employed it routinely at Forest last season. The mysterious case of a goalkeeper with cramp in both legs is a first and was comical in the extreme. I wish Alphonse a speedy recovery.

A great win. Time now to build on the momentum. COYI!

Will West Ham be hammered again? Are the Magpies ready to nail down the points in the London Stadium?

If West Ham’s season were a car, it would be a clapped-out Vauxhall Astra, coughing and spluttering its way up the Premier League motorway, hazard lights blinking, and the “check engine light” glowing brighter than the London Stadium floodlights. The Hammers’ start has been so poor, even their own shadows seem reluctant to follow them onto the pitch.

West Ham’s recent form is like a leaky umbrella in a monsoon—utterly useless. Six defeats in their last eight, and the only thing falling faster than our league position is the optimism of our supporters. The new manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, is trying to plug holes in a ship that’s not just sinking but actively inviting water in for a swim.

Meanwhile, Newcastle arrive with the confidence of a magpie in a budgie cage. Yes, they’ve had their own wobbles, defensive injuries, and a few patchy results, but compared to West Ham, they look like a well-oiled machine. Eddie Howe’s men have enough firepower to make the Hammers’ backline quake like a jelly on a washing machine.

The Hammers have conceded more goals than any other team in the Premier League so far (20 in just 9 games) and have the worst goal difference (-13). We’ve found the net just 7 times (only Forest have scored fewer goals), and we’ve picked up just one point in the last six games (even Wolves have two!). Our defence facing Newcastle’s attack will be like a sandcastle facing the incoming tide. And woe betide even giving away corners. With nine goals conceded from set pieces (no other team has let in more than three) the danger begins every time the ball is placed in the quadrant by our corner flag.

Newcastle haven’t been a free scoring side themselves, only averaging one goal a game in their nine games; only the bottom three (including ourselves) have scored fewer. But on the other hand they are mean defensively; only conceding eight (only four teams have conceded fewer goals).

Just wait until you see the team sheet! Some of Nuno’s team selections look like they were picked by spinning a wheel of fortune to pick the player and then throwing two dice to decide on the position. He never did manage to throw nine. Nuno is trying a new style of tactical innovation that is hard to comprehend. He tried it once and it didn’t work. So what was the solution? That’s right – try it again. So as we prepare to face Newcastle keep an eye on the line-up. We can probably expect a performance that’s less ‘101 Greatest Hits’ and more ‘Now That’s What I Call Confusing 101’!

Up front with Nuno the false nine is all the rage. This is a striker who doesn’t actually play as a striker but instead wanders around like a lost roadie looking for the stage door. The opposition centre backs get the cigars out while they are left marking empty space, while the false nine is busy dropping deep because that is where he really wants to play. Effectively it’s like playing without a striker at all. It’s like Phil Collins playing ‘In The Air Tonight’ without his drum kit.  

Who came up with the idea of inverted full backs? Is this a Nuno invention or do other teams do it? Why play Scarles at right back? I don’t think he’s played there before and if he has, it doesn’t look like he has. And at the same time why play Wan Bissaka or Walker-Peters at left back which is Scarles natural position. They can play there if necessary but surely they are both better suited to the right back role? And when this inversion doesn’t work why not try it again? Unbelievable Jeff. Ollie Scarles shoulder injury will probably ensure that Nuno doesn’t try this one for a third time.

If West Ham manage to win, and I’d love it just love it (insert Kevin Keegan voice) if we can beat them and pull off the shock of our season. But it would be as surprising as finding a twenty pound note in an old coat pocket. More likely, Newcastle will leave London with three points and we will be left searching for positives like a miner with a broken torch. Although football managers always do manage to find positives even after being defeated.

Come on you irons! Surprise me.

A West Ham Winter of Discontent, Nuno Espirito’s Panto and Pussies in Boots

It’s more of the same for West Ham as they lose again at Leeds. Wacky team selections, soft goals conceded, a lack of heart, and the worst start to a season for 52 years.

The clocks have changed, the nights are drawing in, and the biting winds of winter whistle hauntingly around the vast, hollow, soulless stadium. Where the air had once been thick with excitement, noise and expectation there is now only silence, stillness and disappointment.

Discarded fast food containers dance aimlessly – chaotically – around the deserted concourse. A metaphor for the waste and negligence inflicted upon supporters for the past ten years or more. The giants of the footballing world who thrilled the crowds here with their Rabonas and Panenkas will become long forgotten memories. Replaced by the echoing shouts of Oxford United players as they fade into the night sky above the cardboard supporters sitting motionless in mothballed upper tiers.

 As a final East End ignominy. The prospect of Millwall taking the Hammers place in the Premier League.

***

There is an old joke that West Ham come down with the Christmas decorations. Should that happen again this season, we are in even more serious trouble than the meager return of 16 wins (and 66 points) from the 66 Premier League games between January 2024 and this weekend indicates.

It is, apparently, the worse start to a West Ham season since the 1973/74 season. If your memory goes back that far, the Hammers also had just four points from the opening nine games (four draws). They recorded their first win in match number 12 and were rock bottom of the table on Christmas Day. A Boxing Day win at Chelsea heralded the slightest of improvement and relegation was eventually avoided by a single point and goal difference (or was it goal average back then?) Billy Bonds was leading scorer with 13 goals, Manchester United were relegated, and West Ham went on to win the FA Cup the following year.

The farcical events that occur at West Ham can often be often painted as a pantomime. There’s Baron Hardup in the boardroom, more than our fair share of villains (Ince, Defoe, Lampard) over the years, and countless scenes of slapstick comedy defending to leave you rolling in the aisles. It is heart-warming, therefore, to learn that Nuno Espirito Panto is committed to maintaining this welcome club tradition.

“Nuno is going to use the same bonkers tactics and formation at Leeds that failed so miserably against Brentford.”

“Oh no he isn’t”

“OH YES HE DID”

“Look behind you, it’s only Wolves”

It is surely pure coincidence that three of Nuno’s clubs (past and present) are currently occupying all the three relegation places.

It is incomprehensible how someone who is paid millions to be an expert on these sorts of things could have analysed the Brentford game and concluded that what was needed was to try it again. Watch any Premier League match and all the other teams are stacked with fast, mobile, athletic players – especially in the heart of the midfield. What is our answer? Tomas Soucek and Andy Irving – with Guido Rodriguez in reserve.

For all his warrior-like commitment and occasional aerial dominance, Soucek has neither the pace, agility, control or passing ability to compete at this level. I had previously questioned why Irving hadn’t been given more opportunity. Well now he has, and unfortunately, he’s not the answer either.

As for the underlapping/ inverted full backs (call them what you will) this has proven to be as nonsensical an innovation as Lucas Paqueta as a False 9.

Based on the Everton performance, I had anticipated at least four points from the last two games. Why the need to change the setup so radically? And what a shambles to have to use most of your substitutions twice in one week simply to correct the mistakes of the original selection. Throwing away six points on the whims of smart-aleck experimentation in what should have been winnable games was the height of foolishness. Points are going to be at such a premium this season.  

One must wonder if Nuno is suffering from not having a trusted lieutenant and adviser by his side. Someone with the courage to ask the awkward question, “are you sure about this, boss?” whenever the latest tactical epiphany pops into his head. In true West Ham style, penny pinching prevented the coaching staff being included in the appointment package.

***

The attitude of the players has been rightly questioned by supporters. And from the sidelines there does appear to be an absence of fight, determination and leadership on the pitch. Heads drop far too quickly when the inevitable soft goals are conceded as they were at Leeds. What I can’t decide is whether this is down to individual character – are they ‘pussies’ who just don’t care? Or do the timid performances emanate from a lack of confidence and belief in the way they are being asked to play. We hear from the players after every defeat about “rolling up our sleeves” but will that really make an appreciable difference to performances?

The small margins involved in elite levels of sport are impossible to quantify. Any slight drop in standards, any sign of weaknessor apprehension will be ruthlessly exploited by well-prepared opponents. I watched the Sunderland win at Chelsea at the weekend, and it was an object lesson in how a team – largely assembled from the second level leagues of Europe with no player costing more than £27m – can compete with the rich clubs when they have athleticism, confidence and bravery on their side.

***

A sense of ‘resignation to our fate’ is gradually taking root in online fan discussions. Some are even ambivalent about the prospect of relegation despite the nightmare scenario that a half-empty London Stadium for the visit of Stevenage would present.   

I’ve yet to join the ‘relegation is a certainty’ camp although pinpointing three worse teams is not easy. Three from Wolves, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Burnley and Leeds look likley to be the probable candidates.

There is no obvious embarrassment of riches at West Ham. It is a squad assembled with no particular plan or purpose in mind. A lucky dip jigsaw where each of the pieces has been selected from a different puzzle. Centre backs chosen to play out from the back but who struggle with the basics of defending, a mishmash of full backs and wing backs, a surplus of midfield players but none capable of carrying the ball forward, wingers encouraged to pump crosses into the box without anyone in the middle to meet them. It is Nuno’s challenge to get them to fit together.

In theory it shouldn’t be impossible to find a core eleven from this highly paid bunch of internationals. One that will stick to the basics of 4-3-3 and can easily hold its own against the majority of lower table opposition. Don’t try anything daft and place the focus on the younger, fitter, pacier members of the squad. The immediate objective is to not lose touch by the opening of the January transfer window. Then be prepared to get business done quickly. At long last make a belated attempt to address the obvious striker and centre back deficiencies.

This may well be a pipe dream given previous experience with transfer windows. But surely even our board are not stupid enough to risk their asset value being cut in half by dropping into the Championship. In fact, the current precarious predicament may already have slashed the club’s market valuation. If there were hopes of a quick sale by the current owners these feel increasingly unlikely.

To what extent the club will be able to spend in January – either from a cash flow or PSR perspective – will be dependent on raising additional funds from player sales. Unfortunately, years of poor recruitment makes the list of saleable assets a very short one. It may entail unpalatable sacrifices. The 2025 accounts should be published before the window opens and the exact size of the hole the club is in will be revealed. What a mess! COYI!

After a poor performance against Brentford on Monday night, West Ham visit Leeds on Friday. Can they turn it around?

I was really hoping that the game against Brentford would be the turning point of our season. But my hopes were dashed with a performance that ranks amongst the worst I have seen in 67 years of following West Ham. How many variations have we seen to describe West Ham on Monday night? Dreadful, poor, abysmal, terrible, appalling, shocking, awful, dire, ghastly, bad, abominable, atrocious, grim, lousy, horrific, shameful, hammered. These are just some of those I have collected so far. No doubt you have seen others. Add your own.

Having grown up with strikers that hunted in pairs, for example Dick and Keeble, Hurst and Byrne, Robson and Cross, Cross and Goddard, McAvennie and Cottee, Morley and Allen, Defoe and Kanoute, Harewood and Sheringham, what did we have to offer up front on Monday night? Not even a lone striker such as Antonio for example. No, we had a ‘false 9’ in Paqueta who to me didn’t look too interested at even being on the pitch. We had an England number 9 sitting on the bench, albeit one past his best but surely he should have been called upon once we were down. But no, five substitutes and he wasn’t even used. When he came on for a cameo at Forest he looked decent enough didn’t he?

What else? We had last year’s Hammer of the Year (Wan Bissaka) sitting on the bench alongside perhaps the shining light and outstanding signing of the summer (Diouf). In their full back places we had Scarles playing at right back (was this the first time he’d ever played there? It looked like it) and Walker-Peters at left back (surely better on the right?). We don’t have a lot to choose from as centre backs but the combination of Kilman and Todibo were never likely to be a match for the strength of Thiago. All over the pitch Brentford looked stronger, more powerful, faster and more assured with the ball.

In midfield we had the pairing of Soucek and Irving. Between them they were no match for Henderson on his own let alone the others in the Brentford midfield. Where was Magassa? Wasn’t he the kind of player we signed to provide more energy in midfield? Bowen and Fernandes were way off their best and Summerville could perhaps have been more useful with a centre forward on the pitch.

Without dwelling too much on the statistics of the game they do tell a story. We were completely outplayed in every category—xG, shots (22-7), shots on target (7-1), touches in the opponent’s box (42-14), possession, passing accuracy, and many others. We were at home against Brentford, not a top half side.

So, after playing the final match of the last matchday we are first up on the next one when we travel to Leeds on Friday night. Previous fixtures have little significance as to what is likely to happen, but in those meetings Leeds have beaten us more than twice as many times as we’ve beaten them, but we’ve won four of the last six. And the last time we met them on a Friday night we beat them. But that’s clutching at straws!

After Monday night I am expecting very little. Leeds are slight odds on to win the game whereas we are little more than 3/1. Anyone who saw us on Monday night wouldn’t waste their money.

These are just some of the comments from Nuno’s press conference on Wednesday:

“When the game against Brentford finished, we need to take the frustration, commitment and motivation so that we can play better. This is the step we need to take. Individually we have to improve our players. We need to improve their fitness, tactical awareness – everything. Then, we concede a lot of set-pieces – too much – but we defend them pretty well. We are improving on that but we need to improve on not conceding. Some of them are easy situations we can solve. So we are working on that. It’s not only set-pieces or being compact. It’s about improving overall. We didn’t do enough offensively against Brentford. We need to have the freedom to attack. But it’s difficult to find that balance.”

Can we do all this before Friday night? I’m really hoping that we can be a lot better but there was little to suggest that will be the case. Things don’t look promising do they?

Hammers Are Bee-witched, Bothered and Bee-wildered in London Stadium Buzz Kill

Nuno’s winless run continues at West Ham as the Hammers pass on the opportunity to break their London Stadium losing streak. They remain forlornly anchored in the relegation places with the leagues worst goal difference.

The question has to be asked. What in the name of the holy spirit was Nuno thinking last night? I’d expected to see the back of the not as clever as he thinks he is school of coaching once Graham Potter departed. But here we are again – baffling team selections, incomprehensible formations, snail-paced midfielders, bizarre substitutions, and random square pegs failing to fit into assorted round holes. Two weeks on the training ground and this is what they come up with.

I suppose it’s just possible that underlapping full-backs and false 9’s can be useful tactical options in the cerebral coach’s toolkit. But relegation dogfights are not the right time and place for overthought grandiose experiments. Let’s get back to basics and keeping it simple in a way that everyone understands. Stick to the plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight.

If I was of a cynical disposition, I might recognise a repeating trend emerging here. A new boss has an encouraging start in a game he had little chance to prepare for, and then everything goes downhill afterwards. Recency bias always plays a part when making comparisons, but a very long memory is needed to remember a worse West Ham performance than what was served up yesterday. The only positive was that the deficit could have been far, far worse. And this against a team who had lost their manager and main strikers during the summer and were forecast to struggle under the fledgling leadership of a former set-piece coach. The difference in class and preparation was frightening.

It is, of course, still early days from Nuno. But he screwed up massively last night. It should have been the winnable game that finally put an end to a woeful run at the London Stadium. Four straight home defeats at the start of the season setting a new all-time record for the club. The anticipated breath of fresh air has yet to make any difference to the stench of decay and despair haunting the club for two years or more. Nuno must learn quickly from his mistakes to find a system (hopefully a traditional 4-3-) that adequately aligns with the strengths of those at his disposal. The alternative is remaining rooted in the relegation places and losing touch with those immediately above us. No surprise that the betting markets see West Ham as one of the firm favourites for the drop.

You don’t need to have watched too many recent West Ham games to realise that Lucas Paqueta is a waste of time and space as a False 9. That Tomas Soucek is far too slow and cumbersome to operate in the frenetic heart of midfield. Or that Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo lack the strength, determination and presence to form an effective central defensive partnership – especially against big, powerful opponents. Does something happen on the training ground that convinces the coaching staff differently?

In many ways the dreadful team selection was compounded by strange half-time substitutions. Being forced to make three changes at the interval is a clear admission that you got the original selection wrong. But why not give the full backs an opportunity to switch to their preferred sides, at least for 15 minutes or so? And why replace Mateus Fernandes rather than Soucek or Andy Irving? Although bringing on Dinos Mavropanos did kind of make sense – the once weakest link has (by default rather than excellence) suddenly become the most effective choice in central defence – did it really require a change of shape to accompany it?

While past goal scoring exploits can make a case for Soucek being included in the matchday squad, no such reasoning can be applied to Guido Rodriguez. There are far better, younger and agile alternatives available. That he replaced Soucek at the time when a goal was desperately needed was close to perverse.

The greatest puzzle, however, surrounds Nuno’s refusal to use Callum Wilson. In my mind, Wilson should have been the obvious choice to start the game as the club’s only senior striker. Failing that he should have been first in the frame as a half-time replacement; not left to stew on the bench. Is there something personal going on here? Or is it a cost saving measure related to his pay as you play contract? He may be only one fall, stretch or tackle away from a long term injury layoff but he is easily the best striking option at the club.

It is telling that having previously lost Toney, Mbeumo and Wissa, Brentford are still able to field a functioning striker in the shape of Igor Thiago. Why then have West Ham struggled to fill that position since forever? I heard at the weekend that after Nottingham Forest striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, was badly injured last season, he was placed in an induced coma for treatment. I wondered if the same had been happening in the Rush Green treatment room, only they forget to wake them up again afterwards.     

We now move on to another relegation six pointer at Elland Road on Friday night. A massive change of approach and attitude will be needed to come away with a point or more at one of the league’s most intimidating venues. Over to you, Nuno. COYI!

Can Nuno secure a second win over Brentford this season when the Bees visit West Ham in the Monday night match?

I have long been critical of the frequent international breaks which come thick and fast at the start of each football season as they disrupt the momentum after only a handful of Premier League matches. Traditionally three breaks occur in the months of September, October and November with just eleven games of the season having elapsed when the third one occurs. However in 2026 the two week October break will disappear as part of a move that will see the September one extended to three weeks which will add an additional week for domestic football in the calendar.

The game on Monday night when Brentford visit the London Stadium marks the end of the second international break in 2025-26 with only seven games played so far. It has been a terrible start to the season with just one win and one draw and five defeats. We have four points and sit in 19th place with the most goals conceded and the worst goal difference. And of course we have a new manager.

We are now two games into the Nuno Espirito Santo era and despite losing to Arsenal in which the team failed to register a shot on target, overall things seem relatively positive compared to how they seemed before he was appointed. And despite my previous comments regarding my dislike of the international breaks this early in the season perhaps this break has come at the perfect time for West Ham. We have already seen some signs of improvement in our performances since Nuno’s arrival but having two solid weeks to work with his players without the distraction of having to prepare for games has been vital in ensuring he gets his message across effectively.

Of course a number of key first team players have been away with their respective national teams, but at least the ‘non-internationals’ remaining behind will have had time with the new manager to work, learn and adapt to yet another new tactical approach. Additionally the fact that our game is the last one in this matchday as it is being played on Monday night gives the returning ‘internationals’ more time to recover and spend some time with the rest of the squad and especially Nuno to prepare for the game.

With fixtures against Brentford and Leeds United up next, we have an opportunity to start securing some much-needed points on the board and start climbing the Premier League table. Although no Premier League games are easy, these fixtures are more favourable than those coming up in November when we face Newcastle, Burnley, Bournemouth and Liverpool – even though three of these are at home. It’s about time our home record improved, because if it does not we could then be in serious trouble.

On the evidence of Nuno’s first two games alone, there is increased optimism that we may go into the next two with greater hopes than we had before his appointment. However failure to win either of them might lead to further panic and despair so soon after yet another managerial change. This is a pivotal period coming up. No wins out of these next two games and things will be beginning to look bleak for our prospects of continuing in the top flight. But success, or perhaps at least four points, would mean that we could perhaps start to look forward with renewed hope.

Brentford were promoted to the Premier League in the 2020-2021 season finishing third in the league and coming up via the play-offs together with Norwich and Watford who were automatically promoted. Unlike the other two (who are now languishing back in the Championship) Brentford have consolidated their place under Thomas Frank, one of the best managers around (in my opinion). As a result he moved on to Tottenham who have made a big improvement this season compared to last. It remains to be seen if Keith Andrews can do as well as Frank. Brentford have seven points from their opening seven fixtures with two wins (Manchester United & Aston Villa) and a draw against Chelsea. They sit in 16th but we can match their points tally if we can win. But even a win can’t take us out of the bottom three unless it is by four goals or more (unlikely!). Nevertheless it is important to start picking up points sooner rather than later if we want to avoid a gap forming ahead of the relegation zone.

In the four seasons since their promotion we have a poor record against them. Although we won an FA Cup tie on their ground we have only beaten them once in the league, drawing once, and losing six times. Our sole victory was a 4-2 win the season before last which included a Jarrod Bowen hat-trick. Our captain has scored five of the eight goals we’ve scored against them in those eight league games, but we have conceded fifteen.

Current form is against us, and recent history of games against Brentford is against us, but nonetheless bookmakers still make us favourites, albeit slight, to win the game. Perhaps they sense the improvement under our new manager, or perhaps it’s because Brentford haven’t picked up a single point away from home, losing 2-1 at Sunderland, 3-1 at Forest (with Nuno as the manager) and 3-1 at Fulham. Can Nuno secure a second win over Brentford this season?

There’s Nuno No No No Limits As West Ham Prepare For A Free Swing At Arsenal

A change of manager and change of atmosphere defined West Ham’s Monday night visit to Everton. Now the simple task of completing a hattrick of wins at the Emirates Stadium

Despite weeks of speculation the timing of last Saturday’s announcement that West Ham Manager Version 21 had already been installed came as a surprise to many of us. Just a few days after the club’s statement telling us how spectacularly well everything was going, it was decreed that Version 20 had just too many bugs in to fix. According to the release notes, the latest upgrade will provide greater stability and faster performance than the earlier two versions. The much-derided sideways possession mode has been fully deprecated and replaced by a pragmatic Ctrl-Alt-Defend shortcut.

Whether the new release turns out to be a real long-term upgrade in the eyes of supporters, and how long it can reliably perform on the club’s obsolete 20th century infrastructure is in the lap of the gods – or the holy spirit (espirito santo) in this instance.

The reason for caution is that we have all been here before. When Graham Potter was appointed ten long months ago there was a momentary optimism. Relief that we would no longer have to put up with the chaos that was Julien Lopetegui. We could understand what the coach was talking about, and a couple of encouraging performances suggested there was better to come. But then his ‘methods’ slowly started to take effect – and death by a thousand sideways passes took hold. The obstinance of playing a style of football that was unsuited to the players available – and which nobody in their right mind would willingly pay to watch – would be his ultimate downfall. With a growing portfolio of abysmal performances to defend, his persona at press conferences changed from deep thinking coach to prickly, beard stroking, waffler.

Potter’s failure will likely see him join the long list of ex West Ham managers whose time at the club was their last hurrah in topflight football. How can a pedestrian approach of possession for the sake of it football live alongside the frantic pace and intensity of the modern game? Maybe a new position as life coach at a wellness retreat is a better fit for his skillset.

Regardless of Potter’s shortcomings, his dismissal was handled with trademark insensitivity by the West Ham hierarchy. Allowed to continue with training and rolled out for the pre-match press briefing while Gladys in the club shop was furiously embroidering NES onto a fresh set of training tops. You can’t buy class like that!

The early signs from Nuno Espirto Santo were promising from Monday night’s game at Everton. He is confident and charismatic when interviewed, there was an immediate improvement in attacking intent, and he seems prepared to put trust in younger players. How refreshing that the average age of his team was a respectable 26.7 years – a good 3 years below that seen over recent seasons.

I think we all know what we can expect from Nuno. It will be a welcome return to the basics – buttons and knobs football rather than a temperamental touchscreen alternative. Out of possession it will be a mid to low block while in possession it will be vertical passing and quick transitions. Possession will not be a priority and hopefully no suicidal playing out from the back. Above all Nuno is a pragmatic manager. While the term ‘pragmatic’ is often used in a negative sense, if it means making the best use of what’s available then I’m all for it.

We know from experience with David Moyes that not all low block sides are created equal. When Declan Rice and Jesse Lingard were driving and carrying the ball forward at pace it was exciting to watch; when that changed to a reliance on long balls for Michail Antonio to chase it was dire.

Nuno worked wonders at Forest last season but the gameplan will need finessing to be effective with the current West Ham squad. The Hammers do not have fearless, physical centre backs like Forest, Niclas Fullkrug has shown few signs he can be as prolific as Chris Wood, and there is no-one to emulate the Number 10 role played by Morgan Gibbs-White. But there is, at last, a good sprinkling of pace throughout the squad. It was no surprise how slick and progressive the passing can be with fast, mobile players on the pitch.  

While the new coach provides fresh hope for the season it does not fix the underlying problem at West Ham – the archaic and amateurish way it is run under the clueless leadership of Sullivan and Brady.

Having to pay off two woeful managerial appointments (and their entourages) in the space of one year is yet another blow to the club’s financial standing. You don’t need to be Mystic Meg to predict tensions over the next two transfer windows where Nuno wants to improve the squad while Sullivan pleads poverty and PSR restrictions. It is common knowledge that Nuno left both Wolves and Forest having fallen out with their respective Chairmen.

It has been interesting to see an increasing number of media articles criticising the way that West Ham is run. A malaise that most fans had identified many years ago. I have seen suggestions that the club is rotten from top to bottom – but I would disagree with that. The problems start and stop at the very top. The pressure for change must continue. One of the most loyal fan bases in the league deserve much better than an owner who is completely indifferent to the product being served up.  

In the circumstances, Saturday’s trip to the Emirates Stadium has to be regarded as a free hit for the Hammers. Recent games against Arsenal have recorded topsy turvy outcomes. West Ham having won the last two in north London without conceding, and the Gunners winning twice by an aggregate score of 11-2 at the London Stadium. What chances of a West Ham hattrick?

Arsenal are again among the early pace setters at the business end of the league and victory on Saturday afternoon will see them hit top spot, if only for a few hours. They will certainly be in with a shout at the title come May, although the absence of a prolific, top class goal scorer may well be their undoing once again. Supporters of both teams will be watching the award of corner kicks with interest – but for very different reasons. Arsenal for their mastery of convering them into goals, West Ham for their naivety in defending them.

The evolution of set piece headed goals paints a fascinating picture. Once looked down upon by purists as the last resort of route one dinosaurs such as Stoke and Bolton, they have since been gentrified and made fashionable by the development of Mikel Arteta’s most productive tactic. To the onlooker, knowing what is and isn’t allowed in the resulting melee of holding, pushing, shoving and blocking is as impossible to know as the decisions made in rugby.

It would make sense for Nuno to start with the same eleven who began at Everton. Maybe Freddie Potts replaces Soungoutou Magassa at kick-off, but both deserve and need to get minutes in at this level. I hope there is no temptation to recall Tomas Soucek, other than to a place on the bench. Or to revert to the three centre backs that he preferred at Wolves.

There are no high expectations from the game apart from wanting to see a spirited and committed performance where Arsenal know they have been in a difficult contest. If that can bring a point or more then all the better. Arsenal can be exposed by pace if they commit to many players forward. So, moving the ball quickly in transition to Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville out wide will be vital in creating goal threats. The role of Malick Diouf will again be pivotal having to balance taking care of Bukayo Saka with his dangerous forays and crosses up field.

Let’s maintain the positive vibe for as long as it lasts and hope for nicking at least a priceless point. COYI!

West Ham Monday Briefing: Corner Capers, Graham’s Crackers and Board Duplicity

How much longer can West Ham’s worst ever manager hang on at the London Stadium as he masterminds a twelfth defeat in 23 games. And what to do about the Board?

Welcome to West Ham where the misery never ends. Forget about the football. Enjoy the thrills of boardroom chaos, supporter protests, creeping apathy, clueless management and a spineless squad touted as relegation certainties.

Everybody knows it is only a matter of time before Graham Potter is shown the exit door at the London Stadium. Who’s ever heard of a manager ‘turning things around’ where performances have been awful for 20 plus games over eight months, and with no obvious signs of improvement on the horizon. What tactical masterstrokes could he possibly have up his sleeve to combat threats from a physical Everton side and set-piece specialists Arsenal in the two games remaining before the next international break?

West Ham have now beenbeaten in 12 of the 23 league games under Potter’s leadership (14 from 25 when cup games are included). At 52%, his lose percentage is higher than any other of the club’s Premier League managers, including the much derided Avram Grant. Why prolong the agony any longer than necessary?

Needless to say, replacing the coach is one small part of the multiple problems facing West Ham. Akin to putting anti-itch cream on a rash. It might provide welcome temporary relief, but the underlying chronic disorder lingers below the surface. The turmoil the club finds itself in hasn’t materialised overnight. It is a cumulative decline ten or more years in the making. As the business of football has evolved elsewhere to embrace strategic thinking and professionalism, West Ham have been petrified in an amateurish world of short-term thinking and season to season existence.

The club statement issued to supporters in the hope of heading off the planned Hammers United protests is a prime example of how tone deaf those in control are. Most likely penned by Karen Brady (sorry, Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge) – with a little help from ChatGBS – it was nothing more than a vain attempt to convince what a fantastic job they had all done over the years. No acknowledgement of the many mistakes made, the promises broken or an acceptance that change is needed to restore the identity, pride and passion to this great club.

I wonder what advice would be given to any business hopefuls on The Apprentice who had refused to listen to their customers, made promises they never intended to keep, and failed to hit any targets on product or experience. Just where do I find this world-class team and world-class stadium?

The obvious frustration is that in circumstances where the board are also the principal owners it is almost impossible to sack them. A change of ownership would be a complex and long winded process. The only interim hope for change is if the minority shareholders are sufficiently alarmed to band together, sideline David Sullivan and replace Brady with someone who understands the business of football. Over to you, Mr Czech Sphinx.

As far as Saturday’s game was concerned, it was more of the same from the fragile Hammers. Far too slow in possession and increasingly vulnerable at set pieces. Every opposing manager will have a clear idea now how to overcome Potter’s West Ham. Commit players forward, press high (safe in the knowledge they are too slow on the counter), and aim to win as many corners as possible.

It was amusing to hear one pundit’s view (Tony Gale, I think) that Potter would have had a word with his players at half-time about moving the ball forward more quickly. How ironic given that fannying around in the middle third safety zone is the very essence of Potterball. It’s what he dreams of, and why he is so besotted with the sideways passing skills of James Ward-Prowse. Potter was momentarily Wenger-like in his post-match comments by claiming not to have heard 50,000 boos when withdrawing Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes and leaving his favourite firmly in place. Now that JWP’s dead ball mojo has completely deserted him, he has nothing left to offer other than being a nice guy. A montage of his free-kick goals will soon be available to view on All Our Yesterdays!

It was a surprise to no-one when the opening Palace goal resulted from one of many corner kicks. As I understand it, West Ham do not employ a dedicated set piece coach. The role was added to the responsibilities of one of the existing coaching staff in much the same way as you give the new kid in the office a high-vis jacket and hard hat and call him the fire marshal. Not that it needed a coaching badge to tell Max Kilman that his job is to win the ball at all costs, even if it means occasionally getting hurt in the process.

Whoever signed off on a £40 million fee and seven-year contract for Kilman needs their head examining. In a crowded field for worst ever value for money West Ham signing he is in with a real shout of a podium finish. I’m all for ball-playing centre-backs but not when it comes at the expense of speed, strength, determination and defensive nous.

There was a brief period in the game immediately after Jarrod Bowen’s equaliser (where would we be without him) where the Hammers asumed the ascendency. The visitors suddenly looked rattled as West Ham belatedly discovered a sense of purpose and that they were allowed to attack with pace. Kyle Walker-Peters and Malick Diouf were looking dangerous along the flanks and Lucas Paqueta had a goal-bound header cleared off the line. But once Palace regained the lead, home heads dropped, and it was game over.  

Once again, there was no evidence to support the assertion that Potter has a strong track record of developing young players. Several academy stars (Freddie Potts and Calum Marshall) who had featured heavily in pre-season were omitted completely from the matchday squad and will be questioning whether a pathway to first team action actually exists. Soungoutou Magassa and Luis Guilherme were given brief late runouts but at that stage of the game it was a thankless task. The earlier shape and discipline having transformed into a park football free-for-all by then.

There is something seriously wrong in any organisation where managers are repeatedly appointed at a time of crisis. Potter’s demise is now purely one of timing. If interested in the job, I expect Nuno Espirito Santo to be next up. Not that he is the ideal man for the task but because he is available and has shown at Wolves and Forest that he can work with what he’s got to produce a functioning team. It certainly wouldn’t be a long-term relationship as he will almost certainly fall out with Sullivan within 18 months or so. Unfortunately, the other desperate names in the frame (O’Neil, Bilic, Dyche, Benitez) all fill me with a sense of foreboding. As ever, the wild card is that Sullivan will screw up yet again by doing something truly stupid.

So there we have it. Stick with Potter and relegation is highly probable. Nuno would provide a fighting chance of mid-table obscurity even if it might not be an exciting ride. It’s about the best we can hope for until change is made at the top. If Nuno doesn’t fancy it before the international break, then find a willing caretaker to navigate the next couple of games. COYI!

Just four games into the Premier League season, but West Ham’s match against Crystal Palace on Saturday could be crucial for Graham Potter.

I’ll begin this article by referring you to Geoff’s excellent Monday briefing this week. It says it all really. Perhaps I can try to cheer you up?

Is the game against Crystal Palace a ‘must-win’ for Graham Potter? The pressure is surely building. West Ham have suffered league defeats to Chelsea, Tottenham and Sunderland to start the 2025/26 season; We have conceded the most goals (11), the most goals from set pieces (6) with all six arriving from corners. We have the worst goal difference (-7) equal with pointless Wolves, the biggest differential of goals conceded versus expected goals conceded (xGA) and sit eighteenth in the table. It’s not yet a relegation struggle but early indicators suggest that it may soon become one. Having said that one win could propel us into the top half of the table! But can we win this Saturday?

Derby defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham never go down well especially at home. But somehow they might have been bearable if we had been in the game and not capitulated once falling behind. Once Chelsea went 2-1 up, and after the second-half whistle went against Tottenham, we crumbled under the pressure. It didn’t take a lot for us to collapse. The 3-0 loss to newly-promoted Sunderland was the same after the first goal was conceded. A similar defeat to Crystal Palaceat the London Stadium on Saturday will be hard for us to take.

The manager’s record since arrival makes poor reading. It is in the Avram Grant area when it comes to winning matches. It’s eleven home games in the league, two wins, eleven away games in the league, four wins. As a manager Potter has faced Palace ten times and beaten them twice (4 defeats 4 draws). He says that everyone at the club is singing from the same hymn sheet. It’s just a shame that instead of singing ‘The Mighty Fortress Is Our God’ our keeper and defenders are singing ‘When I Survey The Wondrous Cross’.

One piece of nonsense I’ve read in the past week is saying that our keeper Mads is too small at 6ft 1.3ins. The tallest Premier League keeper is Nick Pope at around 6ft 5ins and most of the keepers are within an inch or two of Hermansen. In fact two Premier League keepers are shorter than Mads, they are Jordan Pickford and David Raya, and they do rather a good job and can command their areas well. I’m sure Mads is probably a decent shot stopper. He needs to be coached properly and convinced that he is allowed to leave his line and not leave it to our zonal marking defenders to try to win crosses that are landing within a couple of yards of the goal line.

Earlier I wrote about our abysmal record of conceding goals from corners (6 in just 4 games). We also have a big lead in conceding corners this season (32 in the four games). Every club (other than us!) seems to have analysts who have worked out our achilles heel. Ironically Palace have won fewer corners than all the other teams and are currently bottom of the league for winning them. If they have done their homework I reckon they’ll be moving swiftly up that particular table by Saturday evening.

Do you fancy some more positive statistics? Overall in history we have beaten Palace more times than they have beaten us. But if we take a look at the last three seasons in isolation then in the six games played we have lost four of them, winning just once, the 2-0 victory at Selhurst Park last season when Palace began the season very poorly.

Let’s broaden it a little and take the last six seasons into consideration. We have beaten Palace three times in those 12 games, all victories in South London. But we haven’t beaten them in the last six home games against them. That’s right you have to go back to December 2018 for the last time we collected three points against them at the London Stadium. Snodgrass, Hernandez and Anderson were our scorers in a 3-2 win that day. Of all the players on duty that day either in the starting eleven or on the bench only two could possibly be playing this Saturday. Fabianski was in goal for West Ham – could he make a return after he left the club in the summer? The other one was Wan-Bissaka who was playing for Palace that day but is supposedly not available for the game.

Let’s try a different tack and look at our recent form against all teams at the London Stadium. We haven’t won any of our last seven home Premier League games. The last three have been awful; we have lost them all scoring just twice and conceding ten. The last time we lost four home league games in a row Manuel Pellegrini was the manager. He never managed another game for us at the London Stadium. There’s a warning for you Mr. Potter.

Let’s look at Palace’s form away from home now. They have lost just two of their last seventeen away Premier League matches keeping nine clean sheets in their previous 15 on the road. Their previous nine away clean sheets beforehand came over a spell of 51 games. They have been very formidable on their travels.

All these statistics don’t make for good reading do they? Some questions in my mind as I write this. How did Kilman cost £40 million? How did Todibo cost £35 million? Will Brighton’s sixth choice Brazilian centre back on loan with us turn out to be an improvement on our other much costlier centre backs? Who will play in goal, Hermansen, Areola or Fabianski? I reckon Hermansen will keep his place. What has happened to Wan-Bissaka this season? How many corners will Palace get? Have we worked out how to deal with them? How many of my predicted ten outfield players will start the game? They are: Walker-Peters, Julio, Kilman, Diouf, Paqueta, Magassa, Fernandes, Bowen, Summerville, Wilson. There are some others I’d like to see given more minutes – Guilherme, Potts and Irving are three of them.

Do you think we can turn things around?