How West Ham’s squad already feel under Nuno Espirito Santo this season

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West Ham’s players have reacted well to Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival at the club, TBR Football understands.

Nuno was swiftly appointed as Graham Potter’s replacement just five Premier League games into the season, and he has managed to steady the ship.

His first game saw his new side come from behind to draw 1-1 with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, before they lost 2-0 against Arsenal before the international break.

Both performances were a significant improvement on the final days of Potter’s ill-fated tenure, and TBR Football can now reveal the mood inside the Hammers’ camp.

Exclusive: More energy and belief under Nuno Espirito Santo

Our chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has credited Nuno Espirito Santo with getting West Ham’s players fighting again after they effectively downed tools under the previous manager.

“Early in the season, even during pre-season, the squad looked a bit downtrodden,” said Bailey. “They almost anticipated a struggle – and that’s exactly how it played out. But Nuno’s arrival has definitely brought more energy and belief.

“He’s not created a dramatic ‘new manager bounce’, but he’s injected commitment and intensity that were missing before. The players clearly weren’t playing for Graham Potter, and that’s one of the reasons the change was made.

“We’ve already seen signs of improvement – that draw at Everton was a good example. They’re becoming a more cohesive unit, and the focus now is purely on getting through to January.

“Right now, nothing else matters for West Ham except staying up. That’s the only target the club has.”

West Ham went into the international break inside the Premier League relegation zone, but are just a point adrift of safety ahead of their next match against Brentford at the London Stadium.

Nuno confirms West Ham coaching staff

It was confirmed on Saturday that Nuno has officially promoted academy coaches Mark Robson, Steve Potts, Gerard Prenderville and Billy Lepine to his first-team backroom staff.

Robson, Potts and Prenderville will stay as first-team coaches while Lepine will continue as goalkeeping coach, after the quartet impressed Nuno on an interim basis in his first week in charge.

Nuno had been expected to bring in his own coaches, perhaps from his time at Nottingham Forest, but he is now unlikely to do so after the permanent appointments of his lieutenants.