Nuno Espirito Santo has once again admitted West Ham must improve their slow starts, but supporters are increasingly questioning whether the manager can actually solve a problem that has dogged his tenure.

The Portuguese has repeatedly acknowledged the issue throughout the season, only for the Hammers to continue making life difficult for themselves by conceding early goals and having to fight their way back into matches.

Now, ahead of a crucial three-game week against West Brom, Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers, Nuno Espirito Santo has delivered another warning to his West Ham players.

But the reaction from West Ham fans has been telling, with many saying they have heard it all before.

Nuno repeats West Ham slow-start warning

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash with West Brom, Nuno was asked about the recurring problem and the need for his team to take control of matches from the outset.

“We want to be in a situation where we don’t have to show a good reaction [to going behind]. We know we need to start games better.

“It’s one of our major challenges… to start the game better.

“We want to be on the front foot, trying to score first, because that makes a big difference in a match.”

There is little wrong with the sentiment. Every manager wants his team to start positively, take the initiative and put opponents under pressure.

The problem for Nuno is that he has been saying similar things for weeks and months, yet the same issue keeps returning.

Earlier this month, following further dropped points against QPR and Millwall, he insisted West Ham needed to fix the problem urgently.

“We have to fix it, urgently,” he said at the time. “I want to come to you guys one day and say ‘good first half, good second half’.”

That day has still not arrived consistently.

West Ham fans question whether Nuno can fix problem

The latest comments were shared by West Ham’s official X account, but the response from supporters was far from universally sympathetic.

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Tomas Soucek of West Ham United celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's fifth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Lincoln City and West Ham United at the Gelder Group Sincil Bank Stadium in Lincoln, on October 14, 2026.

The frustration is understandable when looking at the numbers.

BBC Sport reported on Friday that West Ham had fallen behind in the first half in nine of their opening 15 matches across all competitions.

Even more concerningly, 15 of the 20 goals conceded by Nuno’s side in those matches had arrived before half-time.

The Hammers had also conceded inside the opening 20 minutes in five of their previous eight games in all competitions, including their last three home matches.

The 3-2 defeat to Southampton was the latest and most damaging example.

West Ham were two goals behind inside 11 minutes at the London Stadium, having been caught cold by a promotion rival. They eventually lost despite a much-improved second-half performance.

It was precisely the kind of situation Nuno says he wants to avoid, but supporters are becoming increasingly weary of having to watch the same pattern unfold.

There is also an irony in the fact that West Ham’s second-half performances have often been considerably better. They have conceded just four goals after the interval in their first 12 Championship matches, compared with 11 before half-time.

Three games could define Nuno’s West Ham momentum

The team is effectively having to spend the second half repairing the damage caused by their performances at the start of matches.

The timing of Nuno’s latest admission is significant, with West Ham facing three Championship fixtures against West Brom, Cardiff and Blackburn before the international break.

The manager retains the backing of Daniel Kretinsky and the board, with Hammers News exclusively revealing that a defeat to West Brom alone would not put his job at risk.

Nuno therefore has an opportunity to address the problem during a demanding week and demonstrate that his team can finally impose itself from the opening whistle.

The supporters are not necessarily demanding perfection. They simply want to see evidence that the manager can correct an issue he has repeatedly identified himself.

For Nuno, the message is clear: supporters have heard the promises. Now they want to see the improvement.