Firstly, let’s start with a positive – ten points from the last five games, is a definite turn around from West Ham. Yet Manchester United’s late equaliser at the London Stadium was heart wrenching and has sadly highlighted an increasingly damaging pattern in the clubs season, taking promising positions in matches, only to let them slip away in the closing stages. Under Nuno Espírito Santo, this tendency has become a hallmark of the Hammers struggle for survival.
West Ham top the table for matches where they have taken the lead only to drop the points. It’s an all too familiar story – the team work hard to earn an advantage, only to see it unravel in the dying minutes.
Fighting spirit comes to nothing as late concessions have become West Ham’s “nasty habit”.
In the 1–1 draw against Manchester United, Tomas Souček’s goal looked set to deliver a vital three points before a 96th‑minute equaliser denied them the win. After the game, Nuno described the moment as “a big punch in the stomach,” a telling reflection of how psychologically draining these collapses have become. The pattern isn’t isolated. West Ham’s inability to close out games has repeatedly turned potential victories into draws or defeats, losing a total of 20 points from winning positions, compounding pressure on the squad and manager.
Even when West Ham have legitimate grievances, such as controversial VAR decisions in the 2–1 loss to Nottingham Forest, the decisive moments still tend to come late, and tend to go against them. Morgan Gibbs‑White’s last‑minute penalty was another example of West Ham losing control at the worst possible time.
At both Chelsea and Bournemouth the Hammers were 2-0 up at half time yet left Stamford Bridge losing 3-2 and only gained a point at the Vitality Stadium.
The recurring theme is clear: West Ham can compete, they can score, and they can frustrate opponents, but they cannot reliably protect what they earn.
Matches have frequently swung on late goals, often due to defensive lapses, sometimes due to individual errors, yet all too frequently, tactical conservatism that has invited pressure.
When teams are under pressure, decision‑making suffers, and West Ham have been vulnerable to exactly this.
Nuno’s challenge is to break the cycle of this ‘nasty habit’ and if he cannot, the consequences could be severe: The psychological toll of these collapses needs to reverse. On Nuno, the players and on us!
We had a lot of players in the box when Man Utd equalised. It was a special goal but far too many of our boys were hanging back and watching.
That is something that just happens. That is something our management on and off the field should be screaming about at the time. Space doesn’t score goals. Make sure all of the Man Utd are under severe pressure if the ball comes their way.
Not rocket science. Not Southgate science. Concentration and awareness are common sense and should be second nature to professional footballers. Unfortunately, too much coaching overrules common sense defending.
We still did very well and we are heading the right way. There is definitely hope.
COYI
Hello Taffyhammer – I think they are doing what you say and working on players concentrating for the whole 90 mins. There is such an improvement in this and characters like Fernandes & Soucek, perhaps Disasi (?), seem to do this already and show the way. One look at fiery Jemez and you reckon that helps you concentrate! 😁
WHU need points, but somehow managing to better see out games, the team might eventually get a few clean sheets while scoring at the other end then bingo, GD which is -4 with NF might also shift by end of season – could be worth a lot in itself. Not easy, but well you never know. I’m sure team getting less carried away than most of us, watching and cheering (at long last).
Although this maybe true I feel last night was disappointing but different. Firstly the equaliser was came from a really good finish, not a mistake. You could argue that closing down the cross could have been better but that would be a bit picky. The big question is no added time for the first half but 7 minutes for the second although no injuries needing attention. 3 or 4 at a stretch would be acceptable but 7 stands out as flavouring the loosing team, in this case Man Utd. Officials are supposed to be fair in their decisions and it’s just not happening what ever the FA say.
Against MU, Diouf had had it and had to come off, he was cracking, hoofing the ball nowhere and coming close to giving freekicks or a penalty away with plenty of time left to play. In line with the article, others were clearing the ball straight to the opposition and it just shows how difficult it is for players who are under the cosh to keep their concentration and not take route 1, giving the ball away.
Traore nearly scored and proved NES right, but he does not help out Scarles enough, so perhaps need Kante to come on as well as Magassa and upfront you still have 2 attackers. In other words because Traore defends so badly (wandering around) you are better off putting up front to press and harrass and put a midfielder there to help Scarles, who otherwise can be overrun.
Also MU threw caution to the wind, Maguire off, Zirkzee on and left themselves open to a counter and that is where unfortunately, you could say the team had a chance to ensure 3 points with Wilson’s breakaway and then Traore through on his own against the keeper; but neither forward put that chance away.
Another day, same tactics, same subs, one of them scores and it is a different result.
I get the point Matt, and letting 2 goal leads slip is inexcusable but I think last night was in a different category. 7 additional minutes that the ref contoured up from nowhere and a very well taken goal in the 96th minute. We can feel very hard done by. The 2 points were not of our own making on this occasion.
The Forest game was the key one. Even a draw would see us above them by a point and it was there for the taking.
Everything else you can provide arguments for and against. It’s always a kick in the nuts when we concede near the end but it is the West Ham way so am now used to it.
I’m remaining optimistic as these past 5 games have given everyone renewed hope. Hopefully a few of the lads get a chance on Saturday and we spank Burton to keep confidence high.
Just incredible how different this team looks without that waster Paqueta.
Very irritating but not a new thing.
Remember the FA cup final & Steve Gerrard
Why did you have remind me of that?!!!!! 😭