All Change? Nuno Reveals Another Tactical Switch Ahead of Saturdays Clash

At first glance, it looked as though West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo had abandoned his tactical tinkering ahead of the 3-1 win over Newcastle.

After defeats to Brentford and Leeds — games that saw inverted full-backs, midfielders played up front, and even Crysencio Summerville tried as a striker — most fans breathed a sigh of relief when the team sheet for the Newcastle clash appeared to show a conventional line-up.

However, once the game kicked off, it became clear that Nuno still had one trick up his sleeve.

Tactical Twist Pays Off

The Hammers boss had switched the roles of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo, with both defenders operating on their weaker sides. It was a surprise move, but it worked perfectly — particularly for Todibo, who delivered arguably his best performance in a West Ham shirt.

Espirito Santo was asked about the decision in Thursday’s West Ham v Burnley press conference but kept his explanation brief:

“It was just a detail we thought could help our game. We said we were going to try it before the Newcastle game, because the players are versatile and they can give us different things in different positions.

We don’t know if it’s going to repeat this weekend, or moving forward, but the main thing is about improving the players individually, and the team, and that’s what we’ll always look to try and do.”

What’s clear from Nuno’s session with journalists at Rush Green is that he isn’t afraid to experiment if it means getting the best out of his squad. And after the win over Newcastle, few could argue with the results.