West Ham United return to Turf Moor on Sunday knowing Nuno Espírito Santo already possesses a winning blueprint for Burnley vs West Ham. The Hammers secured a 2-0 victory on their previous visit just six months ago, but repeating that performance will require Nuno to adapt to a very different Burnley side.
Crysencio Summerville and Taty Castellanos scored inside the opening 26 minutes when West Ham visited Lancashire in February, giving Nuno’s side the platform for an important Premier League victory. West Ham’s official match report details how the Hammers made another fast start before surviving sustained Burnley pressure.
That balance between early aggression and defensive resilience provides three useful lessons before Sunday’s Championship opener.
Burnley vs West Ham blueprint starts with fast opening
West Ham did not allow Burnley time to settle in February.
Summerville raced through to score after just 13 minutes before El Hadji Malick Diouf supplied the cross for Castellanos to double the advantage in the 26th minute. West Ham’s official goals package shows how quickly Nuno’s side attacked the spaces Burnley left available.
Nuno was particularly pleased with that approach afterwards, saying his players had been switched on from the opening minute. His post-match assessment also highlighted West Ham’s organisation, attacking combinations and defensive work.
A similarly assertive start would help on Sunday.
West Ham enter the new campaign under significant expectation, with ReadWestHam reporting on Saturday that Middlesbrough manager Kim Hellberg has already described the quality available to Nuno as “ridiculous”.
The Championship favourites need to play like one rather than allowing Turf Moor to dictate the tempo.
February also exposed Burnley danger
West Ham’s previous victory was more uncomfortable than the 2-0 scoreline suggests.
Burnley actually outshot the Hammers 7-2 during the first half despite going into the interval two goals behind. They then registered nine attempts in the opening ten minutes of the second half, forcing West Ham into sustained defending.
Mads Hermansen was crucial.
The goalkeeper denied Zian Flemming and Marcus Edwards during Burnley’s strongest spell, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka also produced an important block. Hermansen later described the clean sheet as a perfect outcome after returning to the starting XI.
Nuno therefore has evidence of both what worked and what almost went wrong.
Nicky Hayen changes the Burnley challenge
There is one significant difference this time.
Scott Parker is no longer in charge, with Burnley appointing Nicky Hayen on a three-year contract this summer. Burnley said when announcing Hayen that his teams are expected to keep possession and press with purpose.
That could create different spaces for West Ham to attack, but it should also make playing through Burnley’s pressure an important part of Nuno’s plan.
Hayen does not have a full squad available either. ReadWestHam reported that Jordan Beyer, Josh Cullen and Jaydon Banel are expected to miss the opener.
West Ham have already proved they can win at Turf Moor under Nuno.
Sunday’s challenge is taking the best elements of February’s performance, the aggressive opening, clinical attacking and resilient defending, and adapting them to a new opponent with a different tactical identity.
Comments.
Loading comments…