Nuno Espirito Santo will be delighted as ‘once unplayable’ West Ham star finds his feet again
Nuno Espirito Santo will be confident that West Ham can kick on after finally picking up his first win, with some of his squad returning to their best form.
West Ham beat Newcastle 3-1 at the London Stadium on Sunday as Nuno managed his first win as Hammers boss at the fifth attempt.
The London Stadium has been a toxic place of late, and the win is exactly what everyone connected to West Ham needed.
The Irons had many standout performers against the Magpies on 2 November, as Malick Diouf was brilliant for West Ham once again.
Nuno will now look to get the most out of one man in particular, who holds the keys to this West Ham side ahead of a huge game against Burnley.
Lucas Paqueta had one of his best West Ham performances vs Newcastle
Lucas Paqueta has had a turbulent time at E20 since arriving in 2022, as Hammers fans know just how much he’s capable of when at the peak of his powers.
Paqueta shone against Eddie Howe’s side and was the main reason why the Hammers were able to grab their first three points on their own patch in the Premier League this season.
| Minutes | Goals | Big chances created | Dribbles (successful) | Tackles (won) | POTM | Rating |
| 90 | 1 | 1 | 1 (1) | 3 (2) | 1 | 8.5 |
West Ham fans know Paqueta loves a shot from distance, as the Brazilian managed to get the Irons back on level terms in the game with a thunderbolt from outside the box.
Former West Ham midfielder Martin Allen spoke about Paqueta earlier in the year, as he explained how the “once unplayable” playmaker had his form ruined by previous spotfixing allegations off the field.
Allen said: “Paqueta’s form since the allegations came out has not been as good as it once was.
“He was once unplayable and brilliant and looked set for a move to Manchester City, so it has had a devastating effect on him and his whole career.“
Paqueta now looks back to his best as Nuno needs to maximise West Ham’s potential with their star man on top form.
Nuno has Paqueta in the perfect position
Nuno has played a 4-1-4-1 formation in his first couple of games in charge of the Hammers, with Freddie Potts holding the defensive midfield down on his own against the Magpies.
Paqueta has been given free roam in the midfield by Nuno, as the former Nottingham Forest boss looks to replicate Morgan Gibbs-White’s effectiveness from last season, in his West Ham man.
The role Paqueta is currently playing is perfect, as the Brazilian is at his frightening best when the shackles are off his ankles, and Nuno needs to be praised for the tactical change.
Let’s hope that continues against Burnley on Saturday, with another huge three points up for grabs.
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