Nottingham Forest currently represents everything West Ham wants to be.
It is a team with identity, a clear playing style, character and personality. There is a connection between their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, and the supporters. Their striker, Chris Wood, can’t stop scoring.
Saturday’s win at the City Ground saw them climb to third in the Premier League. It is the first time since 1999 that they have won three top matches in a row. Whisper it softly, they might be European contenders this season.
That’s what West Ham should have been. What Nuno created at Forest is what Julen Lopetegui was meant to bring to East London when he took over from David Moyes. The Spaniard may only have 10 games left, but his team couldn’t be further away from competing with Europe’s elite.
Nuno will continue to play down Forest’s ambitions this season, but why can’t his supporters dream?
Chris Wood scored again on Saturday afternoon as Nottingham Forest defeated West Ham United
Striker Wood found the net with a header from the edge of the six-yard box in the 27th minute
That was New Zealander Wood’s sixth goal for club and country since early October
After Wood opened the scoring in the 27th minute, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina both scored excellent long-range strikes in the second half.
West Ham’s 2-1 win over Manchester United last weekend felt like a false dawn given the number of chances their opponents missed and the controversy surrounding their winning penalty.
All their flaws and bad habits were on display for all to see at the City Ground, including owner David Sullivan – who was spotted arriving in his Rolls Royce before kick-off.
Edson Alvarez received his second red card of the season after receiving two bookings in the first half.
It was a copy of his dismissal in the League Cup defeat at Liverpool, which also resulted from two warnings.
His first was an unnecessary yellow card for a foul in the middle of the pitch, before launching a reckless and cynical challenge on Anthony Elanga just before half-time.
West Ham did not throw a gauntlet at Forest and the hosts were rewarded for their pressure when Wood scored his eighth of the season.
The forward now has 23 Premier League goals for Forest, one behind Bryan Roy’s record. He has found the net as many times as the entire Manchester United team. So it’s baffling that West Ham decided to leave him unmarked in the penalty area.
Morgan Gibbs-White played a brilliant ball through to Alex Moreno on the left flank and he tapped in a cross that the striker headed in from close range.
It had taken West Ham 45 minutes to get their first shot on target, but it almost brought them level. A corner fell to Lucas Paqueta on the edge of the penalty area, but his goal was superbly blocked by goalscorer Wood.
Forest turned defense into attack and within 30 seconds West Ham were reduced to 10 men.
Alvarez was already booked when he flew into the striding Anthony Elanga, who fell to the ground. Referee Peter Bankes had no choice but to give a second yellow card, followed by a red card.
West Ham were reduced to ten men just before half-time when Edson Alvarez was sent off
Alvarez walked to the corner of the field after mistakenly thinking the tunnel was there
West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui (right) was pictured looking at Alvarez after he was sacked
Former Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi doubled the home side’s lead in the 65th minute
No. 34 Ola Aina made it 3-0 for Forest in the 78th minute with a powerful strike from long range
Lopetegui brought on Crysencio Summerville and Guido Rodriguez at half-time and brought on Carlos Soler and Michail Antonio, but it was Nuno’s substitutions that made the difference.
Elliott Anderson came on for Gibbs-White and immediately forced Jean-Clair Todibo into a foul on the edge of the penalty area. Anderson took the free-kick short of Hudson-Odoi, whose shot flew past everyone in the box and into the top right corner, with a light tap on the head of Nuno’s other substitute, Jota Silva. The deflection may have helped him sail past Lukasz Fabianski, but the goal was officially given to Hudson-Odoi.
Aina then highlighted the victory with the best goal of the afternoon. The right-back cut inside and curled a beautiful left-footed shot into the far corner past a helpless Fabianski.
Ryan Yates thought he had scored a fourth goal in injury time, but saw his effort disallowed for offside.