{"id":1421474,"date":"2025-12-29T16:07:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T16:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1421474"},"modified":"2025-12-29T16:07:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T16:07:34","slug":"tactical-analysis-west-ham-relegation-danger","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-west-ham-relegation-danger\/","title":{"rendered":"West Ham analysis: Why Nuno\u2019s struggling Hammers are in real relegation danger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/west-ham-united\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">West Ham<\/a> are in danger.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A late 1-0 loss to London rivals Fulham leaves the Hammers at risk of being cut adrift in their battle to beat the drop. They failed to capitalise upon Nottingham Forest\u2019s 2-1 loss to Manchester City in Saturday\u2019s lunchtime clash. The east London side remain five points off safety as we near the midway stage of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/premier-league\/\">Premier League<\/a> season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-nuno-s-struggling-to-implement-deep-lying-gameplan\" data-level=\"3\">Nuno&#8217;s struggling to implement deep-lying gameplan<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-midfield-failing-to-protect-sub-par-backline\" data-level=\"3\">Midfield failing to protect sub-par backline<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-hammers-on-ball-shortcomings-invite-pressure-on-defence\" data-level=\"3\">Hammers on-ball shortcomings invite pressure on defence<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m positive that things are going to turn around,\u201d Nuno Espirito Santo said after Saturday\u2019s 1-0 defeat to Fulham. The former Forest boss needs to hope the West Ham bubble hasn\u2019t burst for good as they gear up for Tuesday\u2019s welcome of Brighton. Fact is, the Hammers need to consider the possibility of relegation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raul Jimenez\u2019s late goal at the weekend means West Ham are now winless in seven. They\u2019ve lost their last three. With newly-promoted Leeds turning a corner under Daniel Farke, Nuno\u2019s side need to start picking up points. The issue is \u2013 it\u2019s hard to see where the results are going to come from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-nuno-s-struggling-to-implement-deep-lying-gameplan\">Nuno&#8217;s struggling to implement deep-lying gameplan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In traditional Nuno fashion, West Ham are sitting deeper to soak up pressure with the hope of hitting opponents on the counter. Only Burnley (41.5%) have a lower possession average than the Hammers (41.8%). To their credit, they have proven adept at hitting teams on the counter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four counter-attacking goals is the fourth most in the Premier League this season. The issue, however, is that West Ham are failing to keep teams out. Jimenez\u2019s late winner on Saturday was the 36th goal Nuno\u2019s side have conceded this season. Only Wolves (39) have shipped more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s hardly a surprise when you consider the no team is conceding more shots per game (15.4) in the Premier League this season. When it comes to sitting deep to ultimately hit teams on the counter, the idea is to minimise the pressure on the goal. This is hardly coming to fruition for the Hammers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1421476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-267x267.jpg 267w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025-40x40.jpg 40w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/29155350\/WHUPos_29122025.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Admittedly, this was also the case for Nuno\u2019s Forest last season, yet the Tricky Trees were able to call upon steadfast centre-back duo Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo to ensure to keep opposition attacks at bay. Forest, too, ranked top for clearances per game (31.1) in England\u2019s top tier with the proactive pair so often in the right place at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-midfield-failing-to-protect-sub-par-backline\">Midfield failing to protect sub-par backline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos \u2013 West Ham\u2019s first choice centre-back options \u2013 are a level below Milenkovic and Murillo. The dip in quality at the back has contributed to the lack of resolve. Their off-the-ball struggles, particularly in midfield, hasn\u2019t helped matters either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only five teams are averaging fewer tackles per game than West Ham (15.7) in the 2025-26 Premier League. The five teams to have made fewer \u2013 Manchester City, Newcastle, Liverpool and Arsenal \u2013 rank fourth, seventh, first and second, respectively, for possession. They rank low for tackles per game, because they simply don\u2019t <em>have<\/em> to make tackles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, only Sunderland (239) have won possession in the midfield third fewer times than the capital side (274) in England\u2019s top tier this term. West Ham place third bottom for ball recoveries (787). To put it bluntly \u2013 the midfield simply aren\u2019t pulling their weight to prevent teams from readily chancing their luck against the Hammers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hammers-on-ball-shortcomings-invite-pressure-on-defence\">Hammers on-ball shortcomings invite pressure on defence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And even when they <em>do<\/em> win possession, West Ham are unable to retain the ball. Yes, they have adopted a counter-attacking approach to sucker punch opponents. Yet, their inability to consistently string a pass together is proving a major hindrance. The Hammers boast the seventh lowest pass accuracy (79.8%) from the third fewest passes per game (370.6). No wonder they\u2019re readily giving up chances and shipping two goals per game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Going forward, too, West Ham are failing to take their chances. Goalscoring opportunities are proving few and far between for Nuno\u2019s side. Jarrod Bowen is the club\u2019s top scorer, and he\u2019s scored just twice in his last 12 outings. Callum Wilson sits on four league goals this season, two of which came against Bournemouth in November. Luca Paqueta brings up the club\u2019s top three scorers. The Brazilian, who reportedly wants out in January, has struck just three times. Just one of those has come in his last 13 league appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An average of 7.1 chances created per game is among the fewest in the division. 10 shots per game ranks among the bottom five in the Premier League. Only Wolves (10), Everton and Nottingham Forest (both 18) have scored fewer goals than West Ham (19). Unsurprisingly, a 10% conversion rate is the fifth worst this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, while Nuno is positive things will turn around for West Ham, the underlying numbers suggest otherwise. The Hammers struggle off the ball, and when they do win possession; look lost as to how to break teams down. Nuno needs to rectify these issues quickly, or else West Ham will drop back into the Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    <div class=\"sq-articles-list\">\n                <div 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class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"France vs Morocco analysis: Les Bleus showcase variety of attacking solutions against stubborn Atlas Lions\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/post-match-analysis-france-vs-morocco-09-07-26\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    France vs Morocco stats and analysis: Les Bleus showcase variety of attacking solutions against stubborn Atlas Lions                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                    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class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/spain-vs-belgium-penalty-analysis-world-cup-2026\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    Spain vs Belgium penalty analysis: Who will win if quarter-final goes all the way?                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/harry-edwards\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Harry Edwards                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">1 day ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                                            <article class=\"sq-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"sq-card__thumbnail\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/france-vs-morocco-penalty-analysis-world-cup-2026\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/07\/09133027\/france-vs-morocco-penalties-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"France vs Morocco penalty analysis: Who will win if quarter-final goes all the way?\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/france-vs-morocco-penalty-analysis-world-cup-2026\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    France vs Morocco penalty analysis: Who will win if quarter-final goes all the way?                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/harry-edwards\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Harry Edwards                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">1 day ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n            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<\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>West Ham are in danger. A late 1-0 loss to London rivals Fulham leaves the Hammers at risk of being cut adrift in their battle to beat the drop. They failed to capitalise upon Nottingham Forest\u2019s 2-1 loss to Manchester City in Saturday\u2019s lunchtime clash. The east London side remain five points off safety as&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3564,"featured_media":1421475,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"West Ham analysis on why Nuno Espirito Santo\u2019s side are sliding toward relegation, breaking down poor defending, midfield issues and blunt attack.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1421474","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>West Ham analysis: Why Nuno\u2019s struggling Hammers are in real relegation danger | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"West Ham analysis on why 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Nuno Espirito Santo Manager of West Ham) looks on prior to kick off the Premier League match between West Ham United and Fulham at the London Stadium, Stratford on Saturday 27th December 2025. 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