West Ham United’s four-match Championship winning run has been powered by a dramatic change in attacking efficiency under Nuno Espírito Santo.
The Hammers have scored 16 goals across victories over Wolves, Derby County, Bolton Wanderers and Wrexham.
That is four goals per match.
The most interesting statistic, however, is that West Ham are not creating that improvement simply by taking more shots.
Nuno’s side are actually shooting slightly less frequently than they did during their difficult opening three league matches.
They are simply making far more of those attempts count.
West Ham shot accuracy has almost doubled
West Ham’s opening Championship matches against Burnley, Charlton Athletic and Watford produced only two points.
Across those three fixtures, the Hammers attempted 49 shots.
Only 12 hit the target.
That means approximately 24 per cent of West Ham’s attempts tested the goalkeeper.
Four goals followed.
The numbers have changed significantly during the four-match winning sequence.
As highlighted by We Are West Ham’s analysis of Nuno’s improving side, West Ham have registered 62 attempts across victories over Wolves, Derby, Bolton and Wrexham.
Twenty-nine were on target.
That takes their shot accuracy to almost 47 per cent.
West Ham have therefore nearly doubled the percentage of their efforts hitting the target.
The reward has been 16 goals.
Nuno has made West Ham more ruthless, not more aggressive
The numbers become even more interesting when broken down per match.
Across the opening three league games, West Ham averaged around 16.3 attempts.
During the current winning streak, that figure has actually fallen slightly to 15.5.
It is the quality of the end product that has transformed.
Against Wolves, six of West Ham’s 12 attempts were on target and four went in.
The Hammers then registered seven efforts on target against Derby before repeating that figure at Bolton.
Wrexham faced nine shots on target as West Ham ran out 6-0 winners at London Stadium.
There is a clear pattern.
West Ham no longer need huge spells of possession or an enormous shot count to control the outcome of matches.
They have become considerably more clinical.
That change has coincided with Nuno settling on a more balanced attacking structure.
Jarrod Bowen has four Championship goals and three assists, while Joel Piroe, Taty Castellanos and Divine Mukasa have all contributed during the winning sequence.
The captain is no longer having to provide every decisive moment himself.
Possession has fallen as West Ham results improve
There has been another major change.
West Ham averaged close to 65 per cent possession across their opening three Championship fixtures.
They took only two points.
During the four consecutive victories, their average possession has fallen to approximately 49 per cent.
Twelve points have followed.
That does not mean possession is suddenly undesirable.
Instead, it suggests Nuno has found a more effective way of using the ball.
West Ham can attack quickly when space appears rather than circulating possession for long periods without penetration.
The 4-2 victory over Wolves provided an early example.
Nuno’s side had only 43 per cent possession and fewer attempts than their opponents, but four of their six shots on target ended in goals.
Bolton presented something similar.
Only 11 West Ham attempts were required to produce seven shots on target and three goals.
It is a significant change from the Watford draw, when 62 per cent possession and 13 attempts produced only one shot on target.
Millwall will test whether improvement is sustainable
Saturday’s trip to Millwall provides the next examination.
The Den is unlikely to offer West Ham the type of game where they can simply dominate possession and patiently wait for openings.
That may actually suit the version of Nuno’s team seen during the past four league matches.
West Ham have become comfortable without monopolising the ball.
They have also become far more dangerous when opportunities arrive.
The sample remains small and a 47 per cent shot-on-target rate may be difficult to maintain across an entire Championship season.
But the direction of travel is significant.
Nuno has not transformed West Ham by telling them to shoot more.
He has transformed what happens when they do.
