West Ham sit within three points of the Championship summit after 12 league games, boasting a joint-record 32 goals scored at this stage of a season. On those numbers alone, Nuno Espirito Santo's side look like genuine promotion contenders. Dig a little deeper, however, and a troubling pattern emerges: the Hammers are consistently making life extremely hard for themselves before they have even got going.

The numbers behind the slow starts

Across all 15 fixtures in the opening weeks of the campaign, West Ham have fallen behind in the first half of nine of them. Of the 20 goals the club have conceded in that period, 15 have arrived before the break. That statistic alone tells a stark story. Three of their six home league games have seen them go behind inside 45 minutes, and the same is true of three away fixtures. All three League Cup ties have followed an identical script.

The figures at the other end offer a measure of comfort, but only underline the peculiar split in performance. West Ham have not conceded a second-half goal in their past eight league games, and only four have been let in after the interval across the 12 league matches played so far. Twenty of their record-equalling 32 league goals have also come after half-time. In effect, Nuno's side are a different proposition once the clock passes 45 minutes.

Costly concessions in the opening 20 minutes

The problem sharpens further when the opening exchanges are isolated. The Hammers have conceded inside the first 20 minutes in five of their past eight matches across all competitions, including each of the last three at home. In the same window they have managed just two league goals. The contrast is as blunt as it gets.

That pattern has already cost tangible points. West Ham have come from behind to earn draws against QPR and Millwall and to snatch a point at Watford. A famous comeback at Bolton, where they overturned a 2-1 deficit to win 3-2, demonstrated the squad's resilience. But six points recovered from losing positions could, with better fortune, have been nine, and the Hammers would already be top of the division. Missed late penalties at home to Charlton and QPR proved decisive on both occasions.

Nuno acknowledges the issue

The Portuguese head coach is under no illusions. Speaking to BBC Radio London after the draw with QPR on 9 October, he admitted: "We didn't start the game well. Something that happened before. We were below par. Much better in the second half, much improvement. When you look back, you say we have to fix it urgently; we have to start the games better."

There were signs of progress in the two matches that followed, consecutive wins at Lincoln and Swansea accompanied by clean sheets. But the habit reasserted itself sharply when Southampton visited the London Stadium, with the Hammers 2-0 down inside 11 minutes on their way to a 3-2 defeat. Nuno described it as "a frustrating afternoon," acknowledging that the first-half frailty had returned just when it appeared to have been resolved.

West Brom provide an immediate test

The next opportunity to break the trend comes on Saturday when West Brom visit the capital. James Morrison's side are no strangers to late drama themselves, having accumulated 11 points from losing positions this season, the second highest total in the top four tiers behind only Barnet. The Baggies have found scoring away from home difficult, managing just seven goals in six road games with only one in the first half, but they have scored five times in the final quarter of an hour of matches to rake in 10 points.

A fast start by West Ham would, in theory, neutralise West Brom's flair for comebacks. The question Nuno cannot yet answer with certainty is whether his side are actually capable of providing one. The data says they have struggled to do so all season. Saturday's 15:00 kick-off represents as pointed a test of whether that can change as anything the Championship schedule has yet offered.

Frequently asked

How many times have West Ham gone behind in the first half this season?
West Ham have fallen behind in the first half of nine of their opening 15 matches across all competitions this season, with 15 of the 20 goals they have conceded arriving before the interval.
Where do West Ham sit in the Championship table?
West Ham are within three points of the Championship summit after 12 league games and could go top on Saturday if results fall their way.
When is West Ham vs West Brom?
West Ham host West Brom on Saturday with a 15:00 GMT kick-off at the London Stadium.