No Home Bounce For Nuno

It was hoped that the start of another new era at West Ham United would have the desired effect but after replacing Graham Potter as Head-Coach on September 27, there doesn’t appear to be an immediate change in the club’s fortunes, as the Hammers lost 2-0 to Brentford on Monday night.

Espírito Santo surprisingly made five changes from the team that lost to Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium before the international break, as Kyle Walker-Peters, Jean-Clair Todibo, Tomáš Souček and Andrew Irving all came into the starting line-up to take the places of Konstantinos Mavropanos, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Soungoutou Magassa who all dropped to the bench.

Youngster Oliver Scarles was also included, as striker Niclas Füllkrug wasn’t involved in the matchday squad after he sustained an injury in training.

Fellow Development Squad players Freddie Potts and Callum Marshall were again on the bench, just as they were against the Gunners last time out.

It looked like it was going to start well for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest boss as he began his tenure in Stratford with the Irons earning a succession of corners but unfortunately for the home faithful, the side now under the stewardship of Keith Andrews managed to deal with everything that was thrown at them in the early stages.

After that period of pressure had subsided, the visitors began to play their way into the game, as good combination play between Igor Thiago and Kevin Schade resulted in the pair creating a chance but fortunately not making the most of it, as a combination of Walker-Peters and goalkeeper Alphonse Arelola came to the rescue of the hosts.

Mateus Fernandes tried his luck as the Irons then went close but he unfortunately had his shot blocked by Sepp Van Den Berg.

The action was swinging end to end by this point and the Bees once again came forward but it didn’t cause the East Londoners any problems as Thiago failed to get a good enough header on the ball when he met a cross from Michael Kayode.

Shortly after that attack broke down, the home side produced another decent move of their own but it was then quickly ended as captain Jarrod Bowen couldn’t find a teammate after picking up possession from Lucas Paquetá.

The visitors then took control of the game but were unable to find a way past the home side’s defence until just before half-time when Thiago got to the ball ahead of Areola, despite the Frenchman’s best efforts to keep it out.

Moments after that setback, Bowen’s went close to levelling matters when he produced a fierce left-footed shot but the skipper was unfortunately kept out by former Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who made a save to match it, as the Irishman tipped it over.

Brentford thought they had extended their advantage through Thiago, as he raced towards goal after being set away by Mikkel Damsgaard but the majority inside the stadium were relieved to see that the decision was checked and subsequently ruled out by VAR.

Those who were in attendance gave their team the usual familiar reception when referee Andrew Madley blew the whistle for the break.

The Head-Coach was not pleased with what he had seen from his team in the first forty five minutes so he made a triple change by sending on Wan-Bissaka, Diouf and Mavropanos for Walker-Peters, Scarles and Fernandes.

After Espírito Santo, together with his newly assembled backroom staff delivered their first Stratford half-time team talk, the home side raised their game slightly. The problem was that the visitors continued to show their resilient nature and stood firm. Crysencio Summerville went close for the hosts but didn’t trouble Kelleher.

The away side again began to assert their dominance, as another succession of corners were awarded but the Londoners were given another reprieve, as none of them ended up beating Areola before Schade saw his header hit the crossbar.

On sixty two minutes, Marshall entered the fray in place of Irving.

A few more minutes had passed before Bowen wasted his chance after being set up by Summerville.

The Portuguese decided to use all of the substitutions available to him, as he made his final change with nineteen minutes of normal time to play with Souček being withdrawn in favour of Guido Rodríguez.

Time was running out but the Bees were still pushing to strengthen their grip on the game, as Thiago went close yet again when he tested Areola but to the relief of the home support, the Frenchman was equal to the effort. Kilman then made sure the danger had been cleared seconds later.

The Hammers Head-Coach may have wished that he hadn’t used his full quota of alterations as Mavropanos went off having injured his leg, meaning they had to see the game out with ten men.

The Bees wrapped up the points in the fourth and final minute of second-half stoppage time when Niclas Jensen was found by Keane Lewis-Potter and the Dane put the result beyond any doubt, as Areola was beaten from close range.

Having not had a game for exactly sixteen days before this encounter, the Irons are in action again on Friday night when they face a trip to Elland Road to take on newly-promoted Leeds United.