Five big things spotted in West Ham training for Arsenal as Nuno Espirito Santo uses futsal tactics

Nuno Espirito Santo has now completed his first full week at West Ham ahead of the Arsenal clash and he futsal-style tactics are just one of the ways he is looking to transform the side.

In an ideal world West Ham fans wanted to play entertaining football while winning.

But given their steep decline over the last near two years, just getting a few wins would be a good way to start.

A daunting away trip to Arsenal in Nuno Espirito Santo’s second game makes that task a lot more difficult.

The run of games after the international break will be a better indicator of whether the Hammers can pull themselves out of their current mess.

Wins at Arsenal in each of the last two seasons will give the Hammers confidence that a positive result is far from impossible.

Graham Potter followed in the footsteps of Julen Lopetegui in trying but failing to change the way the Hammers play.

Five big things spotted in West Ham training for Arsenal

Style will be secondary until West Ham pull clear of relegation danger.

Much has been made of Nuno’s tactics and approach before he took over from Potter last weekend.

But the Hammers were much-improved in the 1-1 draw at Everton and fans enjoyed the counter-attacking style which served them so well under David Moyes previously.

Given the quality Arsenal possess all over the pitch, counter-attacks will clearly be the order of the day again for the Hammers at the Emirates.

But Nuno’s tactical plan will be a lot more complex than simply playing kick and rush football.

Here’s five big things that stood out in training as the Hammers gear up for their showdown with Mikel Arteta’s title favourites.

Nuno’s West Ham squad separation

Nuno has impressed Hammers fans from his very first interview.

He has the supporters and players fired up and the way he ruthlessly dropped James Ward-Prowse from the squad shows he’s not afraid to make big, bold decisions.

Nuno wants his players to earn the right to be in his starting XI and squad. All too often under Potter it felt like there were no consequences for poor performances or a lack of effort as the same players started week in, week out.

A clear example of Nuno’s approach is his squad separation. The Portuguese has his core group of trusted players who are his first 15 names on the teamsheet.

Footage from West Ham shows there is a clearly defined group of key first choice players.

They include captain Jarrod Bowen, Mateus Fernandes, Crysencio Summerville, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Soungoutou Magassa, Alphonse Areola, Max Kilman, Ollie Scarles, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Niclas Fullkrug, Tomas Soucek, Lucas Paqueta, Callum Marshall and Kyle Walker-Peters.

Nuno can be seen and heard having an intimate chat with that group who were kept separate from what can only be described as his substitute squad.

That appears to include Ward-Prowse, Luis Guilherme, Igor Julio, Callum Wilson, Freddie Potts, Guido Rodriguez, Andy Irving, Jean-Clair Todibo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and the two back-up ‘keepers Lukasz Fabianski and Mads Hermansen.

Nuno tells West Ham stars to feel comfortable speaking up

Another fascinating insight from Hammers training was being able to hear what Nuno was saying to his players.

“We are starting to know each other, share,” Nuno tells his players.

“Speak freely, it’s not going to change decisions, it’s not about that, it’s about taking care of you guys.

“Because what matters is the game, the game is on Saturday. Do you understand what I’m saying guys? Got it?”

What Nuno means here is that he wants his players to be speaking up about issues, ideas, tactics and holding one another accountable without fear it could affect their position in the team. Under Potter, Fullkrug spoke out about performances and was dropped as a result.

Nuno wants to move away from that and instead create an open environment where players feel comfortable sharing input. It is refreshing to see.

Nuno brings aura, energy and positivity to struggling Hammers

Without wishing to kick a man while he is down, Potter had zero aura as a manager.

Nuno on the other hand, has it in spades.

His presence is commanding, as you might expect from a former Champions League winning goalkeeper who played under Jose Mourinho.

Nuno commands respect and has a glint to his eyes and grin that screams he is not a man to be messed with.

What is noticeable from the footage is that he is always encouraging the players and is in constant communication with them – which is infectious to watch as fans so imagine how the players feel.

Futsal-style tactics to get West Ham on the attack again

West Ham have been as dull as dishwater to watch for the most part over the last two years.

The attempt to shift to a more modern, possession-based style has not worked – partly due to poor managerial appointments and ill-fitting recruitment as a result of a lack of coherent planning.

Much was made about the style Nuno would implement in east London.

But fans can rest easy about how that might look in the medium to long term.

Nuno’s Wolves and Forest sides were among the most exciting to watch in the Premier League.

There was a cut and thrust to their play from a solid base which made them punch well above their weight.

From the footage of his session ahead of Arsenal it is clear Nuno is emphasising forward-thinking football.

Not least by introducing a restriction on players in part of the session whereby passes back to the goalkeeper during small-sided games were not allowed more than once. This is a futsal-style principle to promote attacking play.

It will be exciting to see how this translates into matchday at West Ham over the season, but the signs were there at Everton.

West Ham’s Summerville fears allayed and two players face chop

A top Forest journalist told Hammers News Nuno would make Summerville world class for West Ham.

That does not look an outlandish suggestion at all after Summerville’s man of the match performance in the draw at Everton in Nuno’s first game in charge.

The flying Dutchman will be key to the Hammers pushing up the table this season and fundamental to the way Nuno wants the team to play.

So hearts were in mouths when he was substituted at Everton and appeared to limp off the pitch.

Summerville spent eight months out with injury but made an instant impact on his return to the side – ironically in the 3-0 win at Forest, Nuno’s last in charge at the City Ground and West Ham’s only victory of the season so far.

The Hammers will be lost without him so when he was seen looking in discomfort it sparked fears he may have picked up a new injury.

Any fears over Summerville have been allayed, though, as he featured in full training ahead of the Arsenal clash and was all smiles.

With Tomas Soucek suspended, Nuno must whittle a 22-man squad down to 20 for the trip to the Emirates.

That means two of Ward-Prowse, Guilherme, Igor, Wilson, Potts, Rodriguez, Irving, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Fabianski and Hermansen will be cut from the squad.

Most managers like to have two ‘keepers on the bench so it is two from nine of the shadow squad who won’t be in the matchday party.

Assuming Ward-Prowse will be one of them, it will be fascinating to see who the other unfancied Hammer turns out to be.

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