FOR THE LAST couple of seasons it feels like West Ham have been a soft touch. From the last six months of David Moyes’ reign when the cricket-score defeats were commonplace, through Lopetegui’s chaos-ball and Graham Potter’s even poorer nine months, it seemed the Hammers had very little ‘hammer’.
Supporters endured capitulations and cave-in’s as the side gradually sank lower and lower – saved last season only by the even worse performance of the three promoted sides who disappeared straight back down into the Championship.
This year – the Irons have been found out. Sitting seemingly stuck within the bottom three, whether the appointment of Nuno Espírito Santo is in time to save the club from relegation is uncertain. Likely a white knuckle ride awaits fans between now and May.
At least the Portuguese manager has instilled some back bone into his squad compared with the bad old days
Ironically, the midfield, using players already present or purchased in Potter’s summer window has undergone most transformation and it is here, Nuno believes, that the battle will be fought with Aston Villa.
Freddie Potts- part of the long awaited ‘new era midfield’ at West Ham United
The head coach hopes West Ham will now be taking on the Premier league’s form side on an equal footing – at least in midfield. As Vavel.com reported it:
“Nuno Espirito Santo identifies one area of the park where Villa are particularly strong”
“West Ham have to be ready to compete in one department to take on the Villans this weekend.”
Nuno’s opinion was clearly expressed during the pre-game press conference:
“They have a very good group of midfielders, who we’re going to have to deal with. But we have our midfielders, and we’ll have to be equal or maybe better than them. If we’re able to do that, then we can compete well.”
Finally Nuno has found the combination to unlock a combative, mobile, creative midfield to take on all comers for the rest of the season. Potts, Magassa, Fernandes and Paquetá between them are a whole lot more threatening than Soucek, Rodriguez and Ward-Prowse. The knock-on effect is to shield West Ham’s defence far better, and offer more going forward.
Whether the mythical ‘clean sheet’ that Nuno seeks is attainable against the Premier League’s best performing side is arguable, but without wishing to tempt fate, the midfield battle is one West Ham fans can relish rather than dread these days, and that’s a pretty good place to be in as the Irons look to claw their way out of danger in the second half of the season.