Can Nuno Espírito Santo Change Fortunes at West Ham? | OneFootball

West Ham face Arsenal this weekend in new manager Nuno Espirito Santo’s second game at the helm. He started with a 1-1 draw away against Everton and will be aiming for his first win.

The Hammers have had three different managers in the space of the last 12 months. Julen Lopetegui was in charge from May 2024 to January 2025 and Graham Potter took over immediately after but suffered a similar fate to the Spaniard.

Both of the aforementioned managers lasted eight months apiece and could not find success in east London. West Ham is a unique club. There is a certain style of doings things, often referred to as the ‘West Ham way’.

The ‘West Ham Way’

But what is that way? One relatively recent former manager when asked if he could play more like the West Ham way, despite being relatively successful, answered, ‘do you mean, ‘losing?’ That seemed to be the West Ham  way before I got here!’ It got a laugh, but also rang worryingly true for too many of the club’s fans.

It was created at the club in the 1950’s and 60’s under coaches Ted Fenton and Ron Greenwood but is still referenced today as the archetype of attacking, creative flair-driven football. In fact, this week, Santo was asked what he thought the ‘West Ham way’ meant, to which he replied: “I’m trying to understand every day. And every day they tell me about this. It’s not just about understanding. It goes much further. We have to feel it. So I need some time to feel it.

“I’m starting to understand it, but I really have to feel it. And after we really feel it, after everybody feels it, if there’s a way, we have to put it inside of us. Does it make sense what I’m saying?”

Philosophical stuff from the Portuguese, but fans will take to him if he can pick up results. Potter was in charge for 25 games in total and had a win rate of just 24%. Lopetegui only managed a win rate of 31.8% in his 22 games in charge.

Even the manager who won them the Conference League – only their second European trophy ever – was never universally loved by the home faithful. David Moyes’ style of play was often deemed too negative.

Touch Competition Ahead

It is a tough task that awaits Santo. And it’s a tough game for his side this weekend against Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s men have only lost once this season and have won five of their last six.

Results aside, their performances have also picked up in the last two games. They dominated for large parts in the last-minute win over Newcastle and eased past Olympiacos in the Champions League.

This weekend looks as though it could be a baptism of fire for Santo, but he will be hoping his wider tenure can be as successful as his time at Nottingham Forest.

One of Arsenal’s home wins this season was a comfortable victory over Santo’s Nottingham Forest less than three weeks ago. How remarkable that he should be back so soon and with a different club.