Nuno Confident Hammers Will Transform as Players Accept Responsibility for Poor Form
West Ham's head coach has declared that West Ham’s players are ready to evolve and have taken responsibility for the team's poor form over the past 18 months.
The Portuguese manager, who is the club’s third manager since the previous manager left at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, is aiming to improve the atmosphere in the dressing room after taking over from Graham Potter last weekend. West Ham have been short on guidance, and there is a general acceptance among the players that they played a role to Potter losing his position after eight months.
“I've encountered a nice group of individuals,” Nuno stated. “They are starting to understand that we have to change things. If we don’t change, things will remain unchanged. The players are willing to change. It's evident. Therefore, let's accept it and transform it.”
“It goes from skill-based, strategic, fitness-related, mentality, discipline, communication. Communication is such an important tool for us. We still don’t complete mastery of it. It must become a fair and transparent communication that we all participate in. The squad has held themselves responsible and are willing to move forward.”
The Manager's Current Focus
The new boss has had minimal opportunity to adjust. He does not have his coaching team so far, and the former Nottingham Forest manager is avoiding thoughts about what the team, 19th before facing their next opponents on Saturday, can achieve this campaign. “My role is straightforward,” he explained. “It’s tomorrow.”
Set-Piece Concerns for the Hammers
A major concern for Nuno is improving his team's defense at dead-ball situations. West Ham have shipped eight goals from corners this term – the most recent concession came in his first game, the recent tie at Everton – and will be under sustained scrutiny from dead balls against Arsenal. The worry for Nuno is that it turns into a psychological issue.
“That's possible,” he admitted. “But we will attempt to prevent it. The biggest risk that can happen is that if an rival earns a set-piece, we start immediately believing that we are in danger. This could become a psychological block.”
