It's no hidden fact that West Ham are 18th in the table, 7 points behind Nottingham Forest and only one point ahead of Burnley, in what is looking to be their worst season since being relegated in 2010-11. Since taking over in September 2025, Nuno Espírito Santo has a record of 3 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses in 17 matches across all competitions. That gives him roughly an 18% win percentage, one of the worst among any West Ham managers or coaches in modern history. That is worse than the likes of David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui, and Graham Potter.
Despite a dismal record, in addition to players like Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson asking to leave the team and constant rumors about his impending sacking, he hasn't given up. He's pushed for the signings of Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe and believes they will help bolster West Ham's attack to avoid relegation. Questions have been raised about his newest acquisitions and how they would be deployed. Against Nottingham Forest and again within the FA Cup showdown with Queens Park Rangers, Nuno deployed Pablo out of position. Will that keep up? Or will Nuno find a more traditional way to get them forward and build an attack?
What Nuno wants
Nuno has built his managerial identity around defensive, counter-attacking football, a pattern seen consistently dating back to his time at Rio Ave, Wolves, Tottenham, and Nottingham Forest. He seeks to attack through pre-defined vertical relationships as opposed to creative freedom, wanting attackers to create space for others instead of dominating the ball, triggering attacks through movement over touches. Players' positions tend to change based on Nuno's formations, but in terms of function its very clear: use a striker to attack the back line vertically, creating space behind for a hybrid forward to receive the second ball and attack in the space the number 9 vacates.
This sometimes can cause the player in the hybrid role to look misused or out of place, but they are in function, a shadow striker, and rely on the wingbacks to provide width in order for them to stay narrow. This is very reminiscent of how Nuno set up his attack at Wolves, but let's make it clear on what Nuno does not want: false 9's orchestrating play, 10s free and drifting across the pitch, or positional chaos in the final third. He values structure over freedom, and with the additions of Taty and Pablo, that is likely his plan at West Ham. To enforce and execute Nuno's vision, the club have also announced the addition of Paco Jemez to Nuno's coaching staff. Nuno and Jemez have never worked together, but were teammates.
What Nuno did at Wolves
At Wolves, Nuno used Raul Jimenez to occupy space as a vertical striker. Jimenez stayed high and made aggressive near-post and channel runs, dropped back only to bounce passes, and not to dictate play. But, ultimately, he forced the back line to collapse vertically, creating space behind him for others to attack. Most notably, Diogo Jota, who Nuno used as his hybrid/shadow striker during his time at Wolves. Jota arrived late, constantly attacking the space Jimenez vacated, and often finished as opposed to being used as a creator. He often operated in the left half space and wasn't asked to hug the touchline, staying narrow to support attacks. He was able to do so by his wingbacks, Matt Doherty and Jonny Otto, who stayed wide, held the touchline and pushed high in possession.
This structured attack helped Wolves see significant success under Nuno, including promotion from the Championship in 2017–18, followed by back-to-back 7th place finishes in the Premier League and a Europa League campaign. Nuno often set up his Wolves side in a 3-2-5 shape, using 3 centerbacks. Something we've often seen him try to do at West Ham, with many questioning why, even after runs of good form using 2 centerbacks. Now, with the signings of Taty and Pablo, we have seen Nuno return to a back 3 in what looks like him instilling this structured philosophy into West Ham's gameplan.
What Nuno likely wants to do at West Ham
At West Ham, Nuno has often set up in a back three, with his wingbacks, AWB and Diouf, holding width high to stretch the defense. This formation, combined with the new signings of Taty and Pablo, could allow vertical attacks from the frontline: Taty is used as the central striker, occupying defenders, while Pablo, working as a hybrid forward/number 10, attacks the space behind him. In the three matches so far this January, Taty has consistently led the line, and Pablo has remained narrow, demonstrating Nuno’s intent to replicate the system he successfully used at Wolves, where Jiménez occupied defenders, and Jota exploited the vacated space. The shape relies heavily on wingbacks maintaining width, so once Diouf returns from AFCON, the system may function better, giving Nuno’s squad the structure, balance, and vertical threat needed to avoid relegation. Which could also explain why Pablo has looked out of position in recent matches. He isn't lost, it's deliberate, but the structure isn't firing on all cylinders, and there is still much left to question about West Ham's defense.
If Diouf comes back and provides the structure needed to balance out the squad and get the attack going, West Ham may be able to avoid relegation. It will be a tough task as it currently stands. Not only are they 18th in the table, but they also run the risk of losing Paqueta this window, with Fabrizio Romano reporting on bids from Flamengo, and they are close to making a deal. Nuno has been in this position before, most recently coming in to help Forest stay up midway through the 2023-24 season, and finishing 7th the following season. Nuno believes that with Taty and Pablo in, there are no excuses left. He has the forwards he wanted and has the squad in a system he is comfortable with; now it’s time for results. With the season pressing on, West Ham must secure wins or they risk being relegated.