West Ham United managed to get through Arsenal away without conceding yet another set-piece goal, but Nuno Espirito Santo is more than aware the threat Monday’s opponents Brentford pose from dead balls themselves.
And, while Nuno feels that West Ham are making progress already in their attempts to fix an issue which became a ‘big problem’ towards the end of Graham Potter’s tenure, the new head coach is hardly getting carried away after one resilient 90-minute showing at the Emirates.
Only five days earlier, a ‘poor’ Konstantinos Mavropanos left Michael Keane free to put Everton ahead on Merseyside, after all. In total, West Ham United have conceded eight goals from corners or free-kicks so far in 2025/26.
And though they are yet to be breached by a long-throw – it feels like every Premier League club has their own Rory Delap these days – Nuno knows that the piston-like biceps of Michael Kayode and Kevin Schade will require Mavropanos and co to be at their best on his London Stadium debut.
Nuno Espirito Santo sets out West Ham United’s challenge against Brentford
According to Sky Sports, Brentford created the most chances from long throws of any top-flight side between August 2024 and September 2025.
Their stoppage-time equaliser during the 2-2 draw with Chelsea last month came via a booming Schade launch, while right-back Kayode is a major threat too from those situations.
Nuno’s Nottingham Forest swept past Brentford on the opening weekend. Andrews has shown signs of getting used to life in the Gtech hotseat since then, however.
Big wins over Aston Villa and Manchester United demonstrated the resolve and the attacking quality, even without Bryan Mbeumo, capable of accumulating enough points to keep Bee heads above water.
“They are a good team. See the previous game, they are competing very well,” Nuno says, Brentford losing by a single Erling Haaland goal against Manchester City last time out.
“They have a lot of threats with good players, set pieces, so we expect a tough match. It is true that [with Nottingham Forest, my coaching staff and I] faced them before. But it’s going to be a new game, so we expect different things to happen.
“Of course, we have to try and solve all the problems that have been affecting us,” the 51-year-old added when asked specifically about Brentford’s long throws.
“It is going to be very tough. They are a very organised team with players who have been together for some time. They have specific routines that we have to be ready for.
“But it’s about us now, how we can compete, be a team. Not as an individual but as a team. That is our priority.”
Nuno says West Ham still have a lot of work to on set-pieces
During an interview with DAZN Portugal earlier in the week, Nuno confirmed West Ham have lost Niclas Fullkrug to yet another injury. He also said the Hammers have a ‘challenge’ working out Mateus Fernandes’ most-effective role, while backing Lucas Paqueta to continue his post-FA charge resurgence.
But, although Paqueta and Fernandes offer plenty of attacking thrust, Nuno insists that West Ham must build their attempted revival upon solid defensive foundations.
“That is a big problem that we have to solve,” said a man who took Nottingham Forest and Wolves into Europe. “We’ve been working. I think we improved, [although there is] still a problem with the second phase.
“[Sorting out set-pieces is] something we are really concerned with. We have to solve it.
“Nowadays, set-pieces have a huge impact on the game. We have to become more aggressive because we have good leaders, good headers. Defending, we have to address it.
“The team’s offensive process is not our priority at this time,” Nuno added. “[We have to] identify ourselves as a team. What is it that we want to do?
“It is no use increasing the number of goals scored if we do not radically reduce the goals conceded. And, at this moment, we have had some problems. We have a serious problem in the dead-ball situations.
“The team concedes many goals and, at the same time, [loses] many first contacts.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
