West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo has acknowledged his team’s vulnerability at set pieces, admitting he is “really concerned” about the issue ahead of Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Arsenal.
The Hammers’ defensive weakness is demonstrated by the fact that they have already given up eight goals from corners this season. To make matters more challenging, Arsenal have been one of the league’s most efficient sides from dead-ball situations, scoring seven of their 12 goals this campaign from set plays.
“That’s a big problem that we have to solve,” Nuno Espirito Santo said during his pre-match press conference. “We’ve been working on it. I think we improved in the last game. Still a problem in the second phase, but it’s something that is really concerning and we are trying to address.”
The Portuguese coach stressed the growing importance of set pieces in the modern game, noting that they can swing the balance of tight contests. “Nowadays, set pieces have a huge impact on the game. We have to become more aggressive in our offensive set pieces and take advantage because we have good delivery, good headers. But defending, we have to address it. And we’re going to face a very good opponent, so it’s going to be a very good test for us.”
Nuno Espirito Santo, who oversaw a 1-1 draw away at Everton in his first match in charge of West Ham, knows his team will have to sharpen up quickly if they are to contain an Arsenal side full of confidence. The Gunners have been unbeaten since the start of the season, with their tactical variety and proficiency from set pieces giving them multiple ways to break teams down.
The Hammers boss has enjoyed past success against Arsenal during his time at Wolves, but he was quick to dismiss the relevance of that record. “It’s totally different now. It’s a new game, new things will happen. It’s a good record I have to go to Arsenal and to be able to do these results so that gives us confidence. But we are aware we’re going to face a very good opponent, good manager, so many solutions, in a good momentum. But I think it’s a good test for us. To test ourselves is good.”
For Nuno Espirito Santo, the Arsenal clash represents not only a tactical challenge but also an early barometer of how quickly his side can adapt to his methods. Set pieces may be the headline concern, but the game at the Emirates will be about more than defending corners — it will be about proving West Ham can compete with the league’s very best under their new manager.
