Paco Jemez has helped Nuno Espirito Santo prove pundit Paul Merson very wrong at West Ham United.
To suggest that Nuno hasn’t played a role in West Ham’s recent revival would be unfair, though the arrival of Jemez cannot be overlooked.
How impressed have you been?
And do you see a long-term future for him at the club?
Indeed, Jemez has been credited with improving West Ham’s defence, and there has been a significant uplift in the defensive performances since his appointment in mid-January.
That could ultimately keep West Ham in the Premier League come May and it is exactly what Merson didn’t think Nuno could deliver.
Merson did not think Nuno could improve West Ham’s defence
Speaking on Sky Sports in September 2025, Merson said: “I like Nuno, I think he did an amazing job at [Nottingham] Forest.
“But if you see the way he played at Forest, I can’t see how he can do that at West Ham.
“West Ham’s defenders have been at fault for so many goals this season, where the defenders at Forest last season were outstanding.”
Quite how much credit the two get is a personal choice. It’s certainly notable that there has been a significant improvement since Jemez was appointed.
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Prior to his arrival, West Ham conceded an average of 2.04 goals per game. Since his appointment, they have only conceded 1.27 on average.
That cannot be ignored as a potential coincidence.
The Jemez appointment has been inspired, but it may not be enough to keep West Ham in the Premier League. Had he not arrived, however, the Irons would surely have been cut adrift a while ago now.
Jemez improves West Ham defending
The statistics above are a very good reflection on the work Jemez has managed to do here in east London.
Nuno was the one who pushed for West Ham to appoint Jemez, with the pair having first met during their time together at Deportivo La Coruna in the 1990s.
Jemez was a central defender, and Nuno undertook the back-up goalkeeper role, so they didn’t appear on the pitch at the same time.
However, they were both in a Deportivo squad who drew 2-2 with Real Madrid in 1998, alongside ex-Hammer and current Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni. Football really is a small world.
The Jemez appointment has worked a treat for West Ham, for now. Whether or not it’s enough to keep them in the Premier League is another question entirely.
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