West Ham United’s dismal start to the season continued as they were outplayed by Brentford, who secured their first away win of the Premier League season with a dominant 2-0 victory at the London Stadium. The result highlighted the growing crisis at West Ham, with many fans choosing to boycott the match in protest against the board, a decision they likely celebrated given the performance on display.
From the outset, it was clear that West Ham were in for a tough afternoon. The home side failed to create any meaningful chances, and their defense was a shambles. Brentford, on the other hand, were clinical in attack and should have scored more. Igor Thiago opened the scoring just before halftime after a poor defensive error from Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman, and Mathias Jensen sealed the win with a second goal deep into added time.
West Ham’s woes were compounded by the continued struggles of manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who is still searching for his first victory since replacing Graham Potter last month. His tactical decisions raised eyebrows, particularly the use of Ollie Scarles and Kyle Walker-Peters as underlapping full-backs and Paquetá in a false nine role. These choices backfired as the team looked disjointed and lacked any attacking threat. Brentford’s dominance was evident, with Mikkel Damsgaard and Yehor Yarmolyuk controlling the midfield and creating numerous opportunities.
The atmosphere in the stadium was equally bleak. With many seats empty due to the fan boycott, West Ham’s owners were faced with the stark reality of their team’s struggles. Even the adjustments made at halftime, including a switch to a back three, failed to improve the situation. Brentford remained in control, with Schade hitting the bar and Jensen scoring emphatically to confirm the win.
West Ham’s defensive frailties were exposed once again, with £40 million signing Kilman failing to deal with a lofted pass before Thiago’s goal. The Hammers finished the match with just 10 men after Konstantinos Mavropanos went down with a muscle injury, adding to their woes. Nuno Espírito Santo’s tactical decisions, coupled with individual errors, left the team looking devoid of confidence and direction. The fans, once again, had every reason to be concerned about their team’s future.
