Nuno transformation summed up by three-word demand West Ham pair were desperate to deliver | OneFootball

If a single sight can capture the transformation of a team, few could possibly be more effective and conclusive than West Ham’s third goal in a second successive comeback home win.

As Tomas Soucek advanced, Burnley retreated in the knowledge that the Czech international is only the most potent attacking threat in world football from roughly three yards out rather than 30. The midfielder struck an eminently saveable shot which Martin Dubravka spilled.

The Burnley keeper and Axel Tuanzebe scrambled to clear but such was West Ham’s renewed hunger and invigorated energy that a small queue had formed to force the ball over the line.

From barely able to score to Kyle Walker-Peters and Jarrod Bowen actively falling over each other to force the ball over the line, it has been quite the week for West Ham.

Only Nottingham Forest had scored fewer goals in the first nine games of the Premier League season. The two teams against whom West Ham had scored more than once this campaign have both since sacked their managers – and the Hammers appointed one of them.

It was after the Leeds defeat that Nuno practically begged his players to show “commitment, focus and responsibility,” to show dissenting fans enough to “deserve their support”. In six days the London Stadium has been given a compelling case to get behind.

West Ham drove Eddie Howe to the point of impotent fury last weekend and rendered Scott Parker’s homecoming a miserable one here. On both occasions the Hammers stumbled out of the starting blocks before bursting into a sprint finish.

Burnley had six shots to one in the first 36 minutes, up to and including Zian Flemming’s impeccably worked opener. Then West Ham had six shots to zero from then until half time, culminating in Callum Wilson’s equaliser and showing a spirit which seemed to have been crushed by the Graham Potter and Julen Lopetegui years.

The contest was relatively even after the break but Soucek again delivered off the bench thanks to his absurdly good anticipation and movement, before Walker-Peters shot past his stationary spiritual footballing father Kyle Walker to bundle a loose ball over the line.

There was still time for Alphonse Areola to fumble a Hannibal Mejbri shot onto the boot of Josh Cullen, but only barely; the referee blew for full time almost immediately after to confirm a remarkable turnaround.

West Ham recovering to win that game at home is not extraordinary in itself, but doing so twice against capable opposition in under a week feels significant. Having only won back-to-back matches once in the entirety of last season, any sign of positive momentum must be cherished.

It is a Moyes-flavoured reversion to The Basics and a grittier, more tenacious way of playing which leans preposterously heavy on the magnificence of Soucek. But for a team which has lacked identity and direction for at least a couple of seasons this is at least something identifiable for supporters to recognise and cheer.

Nuno shouldered his share of the blame for recent results and performances, implored fans to get onside but acknowledged the need for his players to earn that, and so laid out those bare minimum requirements: “commitment, focus and responsibility”.

Three demands all delivered in that third goal. West Ham have a way to go but this at least resembles the right track.