Let's go Nuno: What West Ham's new boss needs to get right

Nuno Espirito Santo's appointment fell into West Ham's lap. 

Ignore the timing, which saw Graham Potter doing his Friday press conference for Monday's game at Everton before being sacked on Saturday morning and replaced by the afternoon.

Ignore that the board have appointed the only coach the Hammers have beaten this season, who left soon after following repeated fallouts with Forest's owner.

Even ignore rumours that the club sounded out Slaven Bilic.

Instead, consider a coach who thrived at Wolves and Nottingham Forest. Just forget his 17 games at Tottenham.

While Potter relies on details, Nuno focuses on the basics. Simpler methods paid off in Monday's 1-1 at Everton and could again at Arsenal on Saturday before the Portuguese gets a fortnight to mould his non-international players.

With only four points from six games, West Ham are 19th, but Nuno led Forest to seventh last season.

Most Hammers fans would be satisfied with somewhere between Potter and David Moyes this season, while following the steps below can stabilise the team and set them up for better things in 2026-27.

Sort the defence

Konstantinos Mavropanos has an example to follow under NunoCredit: West Ham United FC via Getty Ima

West Ham have conceded a league-high 14 goals this season, eight of those coming from corners.

Forest had a similar problem when Nuno arrived in December 2023. 

His remedy was signing Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic, the player with the highest aerial duel success rate in Serie A.

Milenkovic provides an interesting case study. Few knew about his lack of pace before he cut Harry Kane in half when representing Serbia in September. 

Why? Nuno had sheltered him in a deep back four protected by at least two holding midfielders.

Potter belatedly switched to that shape for August's 3-0 win over Forest. A lack of confidence in his players potentially prolonged his perseverance with a back three, whose occupants often looked lost.

In a back four, everyone knows where they need to be.

Konstantinos Mavropanos could be the Milenkovic to Max Kilman's Murillo. Jean-Clair Todibo may also improve if instructed not to dribble sideways and Igor Julio is Kilman's understudy, although his loan signing from Brighton was curious. 

When improving a defence forever caught square, why add Igor, who, alongside Milenkovic, played Jarrod Bowen onside for the Conference League final winner in 2023?

Moyes first arrived in 2017 and his back three stifled the opposition. Returning 18 months later, he looked at what Manuel Pellegrini had left him and realised his team couldn't defend, so he almost didn't bother.

Nuno needs to find a happy medium between Moyes' two spells and, most importantly, stop the side from conceding set-play goals.

Move the ball

The Premier League's reputation as the game's most demanding division has bypassed the West Ham board. 

Chairman David Sullivan has been accused of playing a real-life game of Football Manager. However, he and his recruiters have potentially ignored the most essential column on the player profiles, the one on the right, labelled Physical.

After last season's mixed loan spell under Nuno at the City Ground, Potter-favourite James Ward-Prowse has already been jettisoned and Tomas Soucek (30), despite his aerial prowess, and Guido Rodriguez (31), may have their minutes limited.

A dynamic midfield partnership of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa, both 21, could give the Hammers more control, preventing them from putting unnecessary pressure on those behind.

Keep Crysencio fit

Keeping Crysencio Summerville out of the treatment room will give West Ham greater options

So, you've sorted your defence and midfield. Now, who can they lump it to? Sitting deep doesn't work without an outball. 

Bowen runs all day on the right. Lucas Paqueta is skilful rather than speedy, so the skipper needs a kindred spirit down the left.

Signed from Leeds in 2024, Crysencio Summerville initially struggled in the Premier League. His trademark slalom and shot, which blew the Championship apart, was nullified, becoming a lateral shuffle across the pitch.

In his first game in charge, January's 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Aston Villa, Potter even tried this right-footed winger on the right wing – no wonder he didn't last.

Summerville missed the rest of the season after going off at half-time at Villa Park but looks to have used his hiatus well, playing with greater efficiency.

With Paqueta pulling the strings and Fernandes and Magassa doing the Brazilian's running, Summerville could become crucial in creating chances for Niclas Fullkrug and Callum Wilson.

Get the fans onside

Nuno's post-Everton chat centred on rebuilding the bond with the fans.

Once the supporters turn on the board, the manager is toast.

Making the change gives both time, but if results don't improve, the hierarchy's failings will be magnified.

Despite winning their last two visits to the Emirates, defeat at Arsenal will be forgiven if the performance is good.

The October international break then gives Nuno time to work ahead of facing Brentford (H), Leeds (A), Newcastle (H) and Burnley (H) before the November stoppage.

Those are all winnable games, if the 51-year-old can crack the conundrum of the London Stadium crowd, the club could turn things around.

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