Nuno Espirito Santo believes the London Stadium crowd gives West Ham a significant edge following his side’s emphatic victory over Wrexham.
A total of 59,712 supporters attended as the Hammers swept aside the Welsh club 6-0 and moved back to the top of the Championship.
Nuno insisted Friday’s performance was neither a declaration nor a defining result, although he acknowledged that playing before such a large second-tier crowd benefits his squad.
“Our attention remains on what we can control. We understand that London Stadium is one of our greatest assets, and we want to make the most of nearly 60,000 supporters giving us their backing. It is our responsibility to repay them,” he said.
The venue’s atmosphere has previously faced criticism because the gap between the stands and the pitch contrasts sharply with the tight and intimidating setting of the club’s former Upton Park home.
Nuno feels the ground can develop into a formidable home venue when the team is performing well and the fans are fully engaged. However, he was careful not to attach too much importance to the six-goal triumph or a run of four straight wins.
“We are not trying to make a statement. We need to recognise within the group that today went well, understand that tomorrow will present a tougher challenge, and continue moving forward,” he explained.
“Several clubs in this division share similar ambitions. We have known our objective from the beginning, but we also understand there is a very long journey ahead.”
Strikers Joel Piroe and Taty Castellanos were both on the scoresheet, alongside attacking players Jarrod Bowen and Manor Solomon. Substitute Mohamadou Kante also found the net.
After the club’s relegation from the Premier League last season, Nuno suggested that the convincing nature of the win could provide an important lift to the team’s morale.
“This should increase confidence throughout the squad. The attackers scored, the combinations were effective, and those introduced from the bench brought plenty of energy. It was an extremely encouraging day for us,” he added.
“What pleased us most was seeing the team reproduce patterns we repeatedly practise at Rush Green. The players are developing stronger connections and working well together. There is still plenty of progress to make, but we must maintain this momentum and give the squad the confidence to express themselves on the pitch.”
What do you feel about this post?
Like
Love
Happy
Haha
Sad
