How West Ham could soon line up under Nuno Espirito Santo as Hammers boss eyes radical change
Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen to switch things up in an attempt to get a tune out of his West Ham team.
West Ham hired Nuno at the end of September, after Graham Potter had led the Hammers to a terrible start to the season.
The Portuguese manager was available after leaving Nottingham Forest amid internal turmoil with the club’s upper management.
West Ham will take on Brentford on Monday, with Nuno hoping to repay his London Stadium welcome in winning fashion.
Nuno Espirito Santo considers formation change
When West Ham drew 1-1 with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Nuno’s debut game in charge, the Hammers lined up with a back four – as Potter had done.
And the following week, West Ham lost 2-0 to Arsenal with a similar set-up.
The international break, however, has given the 51-year-old a chance to reconsider his options, and ponder up a system that could get the Irons back to winning ways.
Roshane Thomas reported on Monday that Nuno played a back three in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town last week, a game which his side lost.
Nevertheless, the new West Ham boss will be considering making the change ahead of the visit of Burnley.
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How could West Ham line up with a back three?
There are a number of questions surrounding Nuno’s team selection for Monday’s game.
Given Niclas Fullkrug‘s injury, the former Tottenham boss will be forced to select between Callum Marshall and Callum Wilson, with his choice of substitute against Arsenal suggesting a preference for the former.
Jarrod Bowen will keep his position, but the picture is less clear past that point.
El Hadji Malick Diouf will likely start on the left of midfield, and the advancement up the pitch should allow West Ham to further utilise the Senegal international’s dangerous ability to cross the ball.
Should Nuno go with a flat midfield three, he is likely to select Lucas Paqueta, Mateus Fernandes and Tomas Soucek, who will once again be available after serving his suspension.
On the right, Nuno has the chance to do something bold.
| Crysencio Summerville – Position | Games played | Goal contributions (G+A) |
| Right-winger | 102 | 38 |
| Left-winger | 70 | 34 |
Crysencio Summerville, who spent much of his early Leeds United career playing on the right of the attack, could be moved to the right while Aaron Wan Bissaka plays just behind on the right of the back three.
Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman have carried Nuno’s favour so far and would continue in defence alongside the DR Congo international, while Alphonse Areola continues in goal.
It would be different, and it would be risky to make such a big change so early into the season, but it might just be exactly what West Ham need.
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