Nottingham Forest will be playing their first Premier League match on home soil since May 1999 when they play host to West Ham United on Sunday.
After the opening weekend of the Premier League season, both the Hammers and the Tricky Trees were on the end of 2-0 defeats and both sides currently sit in the relegation zone after one match of the campaign.
The Hammers fell to a loss at home to defending Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday, while Forest were beaten by Newcastle United at St James’ Park a day earlier.
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What could be taken from Steve Cooper’s side’s defeat is a weakness that the Hammers may be able to exploit, given the strengths they have shown in attack in recent times.
During Forest’s opening weekend defeat, the Magpies aimed to get at them via two primary routes, longshots and crosses into the box. The Magpies’ opening goal came via a wonderstrike from distance from Fabian Schar, with the Swiss defender firing from range following a cleared cross.
Newcastle doubled their lead through Callum Wilson in the final 15 minutes, as he steered Allan Saint-Maximin’s cross past goalkeeper Dean Henderson to seal a victory for Eddie Howe’s side.
West Ham got plenty of joy out of set-pieces last season, with 14 of their 60 (20%) Premier League goals coming from set-pieces. Only Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Brentford scored more set-piece goals in England’s top-flight.
It may be an area for the Hammers to target and exploit. Losing to City, the Hammers’ best chances both came from crosses. In the opening minutes, Jarrod Bowen had a close-range shot at the end of a corner, with Michail Antonio heading over Aaron Cresswell’s cross at the end of it, with the Hammers’ best chance in the first half.
In the second half, new £30.5million striker Gianluca Scamacca came on and forced a good save out of Ederson from a cross by Vladimir Coufal. However, the chance would not have counted as the Italian was offside.
Even against City, it was a sign that it could be a philosophy to go with against Sunday’s opponents Forest as the Hammers go in search of a first win of the season.
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