Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham: Hammers off the mark as Jarrod Bowen leads smash-and-grab win

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Evening Standard

·31 August 2025

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham: Hammers off the mark as Jarrod Bowen leads smash-and-grab win

Graham Potter’s Clarets are off the floor of the Premier League after picking up their first points of the season

West Ham responded in style to mounting criticism as they provided a classic smash-and-grab performance away to Nottingham Forest to secure their first three points of the season.

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Three goals in six minutes, the first from Jarrod Bowen in the 84th minute, saw the Hammers take advantage of a sloppy Forest performance and give Graham Potter real cause for optimism heading into the international break.

Just as it would have been unwise to start talking about relegation just two games into the new season, this performance, still lacking in some basic fundamentals, was not a foolproof advert for a new look West Ham, despite further goals from Lucas Paqueta and Callum Wilson sealing a remarkable 3-0 win.

Amongst the goals: Callum Wilson

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However, it was a performance that showed the sort of heart and character Potter has painstakingly tried to convince everyone of, amidst a series of calamitous results to start the new season.

This was not pretty, but it was far better from West Ham, who battled hard against a Forest side that ruthlessly picked apart Brentford in the space of 45 minutes in their opening home game of the season.

West Ham frustrated Forest throughout, restricting the home side to just three shots on target, and Potter, more so than the three points, will be pleased with the clean sheet, having conceded 11 goals in their last three games.

Relieved: Graham Potter

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Simple mistakes, like Max Kilman and Tomas Soucek both clipping the ball out of play under little to no pressure inside the first 13 minutes, continued to make life harder than it needed to be for West Ham, but Forest were not any better, and Potter was happy with the intent on display from his players, routinely applauding efforts to get the ball forward.

West Ham had their moments against Wolves, Chelsea, and Sunderland, before dramatic capitulations, but this was the first time they were able to put together a sustained performance across 90 minutes, with the fresh legs of £41million arrival Mateus Fernandes providing some much-needed energy in midfield.

Heading into the international break, West Ham have found new impetus. Their next two games, a pair of London derbies at home to Tottenham and Crystal Palace, provide a real opportunity to capitalise on this swelling of goodwill.

It is small steps for West Ham, but this was a result that offered a glimpse at a brighter future under Potter. Ultimately, though, it must be remembered that things are never as bad or as good as they seem.