West Ham’s poor Premier League form continued with another loss, this time to Leeds on Friday, sealing their worst start to a campaign in more than half a century.
West Ham’s poor Premier League form continued with another loss, this time to Leeds on Friday, sealing their worst start to a campaign in more than half a century.
The London club has now suffered three straight defeats under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who has yet to secure a victory since taking charge in September. Their only win this season remains the one earned against Nottingham Forest — the very side Nuno left to join West Ham.
With just four points from their opening fixtures, the Hammers sit 19th in the table. The tally equals the club’s lowest ever at this stage, last recorded in 1932-33 in the second division and again in 1973-74 in the top flight, both seasons in which they narrowly avoided relegation.
Nuno, who began his tenure with a draw against Everton, admitted the team face serious challenges. “We can’t hide behind problems,” he said. “We weren’t organized defensively, and maybe I made the wrong choices. These mistakes are not acceptable in this league.”
While West Ham’s goal return has been modest, their biggest weakness lies in defense. The team has already conceded 20 times, four more than bottom-placed Wolves, with a remarkable nine goals allowed from corners — three times as many as any other Premier League side at this stage.
Former West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green questioned Nuno’s recent tactical experiments, particularly his decision to deploy Ollie Scarles and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on their unnatural flanks. “It was a repeat of Monday night’s mistakes,” Green said. “Inverted full-backs, the wrong shape — it didn’t work before, and it didn’t work again.”
He also criticized the in-game adjustments, noting that West Ham looked stronger only after several substitutions. “They’re in real danger,” Green warned. “We’ve seen teams lose their rhythm like this and drop out of the league entirely.”
Adding to the concerns, statistics from the defeat at Leeds revealed that West Ham covered over six kilometers less than their opponents. Their lack of intensity was most evident after conceding twice early in the second half, as they struggled to regain control.
Club captain Jarrod Bowen expressed the mood in the dressing room, admitting confidence was low. “When you’re near the bottom, morale drops,” he told Sky Sports. “The only way out is to fight harder. We can’t hide — we have to face what’s in front of us.”
Bowen urged his teammates to respond with determination, warning that complacency could be fatal. “No one’s going to hand us a lifeline,” he said. “We’re in trouble, and only we can fix it. The Premier League doesn’t forgive anyone who switches off.”
