West Ham United are a strange team at the best of times, so it makes sense that a side with such a fine record at picking up points from losing positions would also struggle to hold onto leads.
West Ham had picked up eight points from losing positions in their first nine matches under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Compare that to the Graham Potter era – three points picked up from 23 matches – and it is clear that, no matter what you might think about the head coach, he has instilled a real never-say-die spirit into this Hammers roster.
Unfortunately, their record when it comes to protecting leads is not quite as impressive.
Upton Park icon Tony Gale questioned Nuno’s game-management after the Londoners threw away a 2-0 half-time lead to draw with AFC Bournemouth. Only an ‘incredible’ Alphonse Areola display denied Andoni Iraola’s team a thrilling comeback win that day.
Two weeks later, Georginio Rutter’s incensed Nuno with a contentious 91st minute equaliser during another frustrating ending on the South Coast. Thus, ensuring that Jarrod Bowen’s first goal in eight Premier League matches was not the winner it maybe deserved to be.
Jarrod Bowen highlights West Ham United’s Brighton error
Bowen and Callum Wilson produced a moment of ‘unbelievable’ quality in a match short of individual brilliance.
The former stepped off the bench at 0-0 and almost immediately provided an assist, pouncing on a poor Jan Paul van Hecke backpass before slipping in the captain to finish ruthlessly into the far corner.
But, not for the first time in the last couple of weeks, the Hammers travelled home with a nagging feeling of ‘what might have been’?
“I am gutted. It feels like a loss,” Bowen said at full-time. “We did so much to get into the lead.”
The skipper’s frustration was that West Ham sat too deep, handing Brighton the initiative.
Given that the Hammers have the joint-second-worst defensive record in the division – and that Max Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos and an admittedly much-improved Jean-Clair Todibo always have a mistake in them – packing the penalty area and holding on for dear life was maybe always a flawed strategy.
West Ham can learn something from Daniel Farke’s bold, brave Leeds United
Furthermore, relegation rivals Leeds proved attack can be the best form of defence when beating Chelsea 3-1 in midweek. Rather than sitting on their lead, they kept going against a vulnerable outfit leaving space on the counter, and got their rewards.
“We sat back too far and invited the pressure,” Bowen admits. “You wanted to protect the lead but we gave them too much [space and time]. We got a point but it feels like a loss.
“We limited most of the games and they didn’t have lots to do in goal. The way the manager wants to play we have all bought into that. We got ourselves into a good position and nearly had more goals and then they managed to equalise. They have scored lots of late goals against us in the past.”
West Ham seldom know when they are beaten under Nuno. A team with a penchant for rescuing points could stand to learn a thing or two about protecting them, though.
“When you haven’t scored in a while the hardest ones are where they go in, that is always the way,” Bowen adds, ending his interview on a more positive note after ending a goal drought which extended all the way back to that Everton draw in September.
“I knew I had to slide and go in the far corner, it was almost like a slide tackle to finish. It was a relief to score.
“We have to take the chances. The keeper made a double save today and you have to give credit to them as well. Every goal is vital. When you create these chances you grow in confidence.”
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