IF you’d have asked the sixty thousand paying fans who attended the game yesterday, I suspect there would have been a big majority firmly in the “fire Graham Potter now “camp. Just two home wins in his whole Premier League tenure makes for a grim statistic along with all the others prominently discussed this weekend. The fortnightly procession from Stratford station to London stadium is becoming a march of doom.
However much Potter was criticised on Match Of The Day last night – being described as ‘baffled on the sidelines‘ and without a plan, today’s article by the BBC’s chief footie correspondent Simon Stone pours cold water on the idea of West Ham’s board acting immediately to rectify the situation.
Stone suggests that :” Next week, unbeaten Crystal Palace visit London Stadium for a game where huge demonstrations against the ownership are planned. If that game doesn’t go well, a tense atmosphere could turn toxic…After that it’s a trip to Merseyside and a meeting with Moyes’ improving Everton before a trip to Arsenal, where West Ham have won on their past two visits, including under Potter in February….That feels a more obvious time to reassess”.
After the Arsenal game of course there is another curséd International Break, which may be a more realistic timeline for West Ham to have all their ducks in a row to replace Potter. Shades of Lopetegui’s series of “must-win” games, in that case, with Sullivan clinging to the idea that he may not need to fire the coach he never wanted anyway.
And in the meantime? If Simon stone is right, three more games with clueless Potter on the touch line, along with more demoralisation, more points lost, more fans alienated and the Hammers – by the October ‘break’ – rooted to the foot of the Premier League.
You’d have to hope Stone is wrong and the increasing noise around club protests starting at Crystal Palace convince the Chairman to make Potter the sacrificial lamb to throw to the masses: That will, he’ll be hoping, divert from the dissatisfaction with him and vice Chair Karren Brady. That’s a whole other story, but focussing on the football, nobody wants to endure another three games like yesterday before Potter is consigned to history.
Owner change must happen there is no other option Sullivan picks the Manager decides who the Manager can bring in uses the wrong agents and nearly always fails the meet the asking price for players.
He is a total narcissist and doesn’t care what we think it’s hard enough making any sort of sound where the fans are too far from the pitch and more seats more money more atmosphere.I am sick of the blame aimed at the fans would any other set of fans continue to attend biggest season ticket take up third richest club in the premiership and a fan base that’s huge.I have supported this club for over 70 years so yes I have seen it all and have always been a fan of the club and directors Managers and players come and go.
I watch families attend the ground kids with their very expensive shirts how long before they have had enough that’s what worries me.So changing one man could change everything and that’s going to be difficult I curse the day they took over.
And on a lighter side why does he wear the fur coat and hat ?
I just get the hump now,after the forest game I thought hello,have we turned the corner,no ofcourse we haven’t,back to square one,feel for Potter but wonder if he’s up for it now,board have ruined this once loud and passionate fan base,sounds like they are hurting,sad and sorry mess this club is in!!!!
lopetegi was sullivan’s choice certainly not Tim’s
The Blame is all at the FEET OF SULLIVAN. He needs to GO as chairman, take The Money ££ while he can still spend it! Yes, sadly, we need a new manager. but I was glad to see the back of Moyes, he was always so Grey at the side of the pitch, he must have put most players off!
The thing is the board are to blame , they never invested properly in the team . No striker , a poor keeper and a new signing on the bench . No Marshall . Ok Potter should go but we will get an inept replacement cos that’s what Sullivan does . Nothing will change until he’s gone along with Brady.
Sullivan must act now, whatever the cost, the longer he leaves it the bigger the problem and it’s associated cost becomes. Potter failed at Chelsea, failed last season and has failed with a preseason and his own players.
TIME TO GO
Brady should follow him out the door for appointing him
Potter’s completely out of his depth as he was at Chelsea .
At Brighton expectations were very low ( they have subsequently now risen ) and to avoid relegation was seen as a good season .
Can any West Ham say Potter in his nine months in charge has improved the team or the football being played?
The answer is very clearly No !
Yesterday as I walked to the ground I just couldn’t believe he wasn’t playing a striker again ! Had he learnt nothing from being beaten by the Wolves B team in the league cup!
After 25 mins it was obvious Spurs had worked out how we were playing and dominated the rest of the first half .
“If we can get in at HT 0-0 then we can bring a striker on second half”( we have 2 of them to choose from on the bench ) “we might just get something out of this “ I said to my son .
But Potter simply doesn’t see what is happening in a game .
Some managers don’t and drift off into less competitive leagues where being tactical astute isn’t so important .
Potter will be one of those . He needed to be fired end of last season as anyone could see it wasn’t working at West Ham
And it won’t happen while Potter is in charge .
Sure , there will be the odd games , results he gets lucky . Like last week when he played a Forest team that was well below par and had issues ( as they sacked their manger ) that following week .
Potter bought on Summerville ( a Sullivan signing !!!) and he changed the game . But remember Potter bought him on with 20 mins to go because Fernandez was tiring . It was another reactive sub . HT doing that would have been proactive .
Potter has to go for us to stay up , which we will if he is replaced asap .
Numo will probably get the job and the football won’t be pretty , but he will keep us up .
Doesn’t matter who the West Ham manager is. West Ham will always self implode. We have fans who are never happy. We had a great manager in David Moyes, someone who could get the best out of the players he was given but unfortunately was unable to perform the miracles required by the impatient. Doesn’t matter who West Ham bring in now because only a matter of time before the West Ham fans turn on them.
Agree Fred , the expert fans and claret & hugh guys , must take their share of blame , we had a manager with the best ever record of a manager in the clubs history . But no not good enough , well he had the best ever results and shame on the so called fans , you were told careful what you wish for but you know it all and always will .
BS
If you look at the list of fixtures up to 29th November, but not including, there are say 6 games we should get points from.
Spurs have been striding ahead and WHU have been regressing. We are not their rivals anymore and that’s bloody sad. So, I think you have to judge Potter on games like Crystal Palace, Leeds, Sunderland return, Everton,…
If Potter still fails with this team, which has some really good players, experience and youth combined plus Academy players ready and able to play their part, then you need an interim manager ONLY.
If we get points from those games, then you have till end of season for an outside organisation to do the correct research and follow-up contact for end of season change of manager unless Potter changes it all around.
This is not about being fair or sporting, but of stopping a managerial merry go round at WHU. I think the club really is in dire straits and you need a quality manager to turn the club”s fortunes around, keep the best players at the club, not lose Earthy, Potts, Guilherme and to get the fans to return.
Potter shows no emotion just a bewildered look. He keeps playing JWP and Soucek when he has young players who are west ham supporters who would play their hearts out for the team. Why ho why does he not give them a chance ? they must be better than the other 2 I’ve always thought very highly of Soucek but lets face it he is now too slow for today’s type of game. Just hope we can get a manager who will try out alternatives and not keep playing a slow mid field. Also an owner who will put his hand in his pocket before last week of the transfer window.
Soucek is an enforced change in that timescale. Will he drop Hermandsen and JWP ? It does not seem likely. Surely anyone would be holding corner drill. Everton and Arsenal away looks like zero points with Palace at home not promising.
This is returning less points than Lopetegui and it simply is not sustainable.
We know the main problem is at board level, but Potter is like a Rabbit in Headlights, totally clueless. Problem is, Sullivan will be choosing next manager which in itself could spark a fan revolt, as chances are another clown will take over.