Graham Potter tried, he really did. He did everything possible to let his opponents back into the game in the last twenty minutes.
Bringing off West Ham’s two attacking forwards and bringing on one lone striker and a midfielder – meant the Hammers could end up playing effectively nine defenders for twenty minutes – West Ham’s manager gave Manchester United every possible opportunity to get back into that game.
West Ham defended for twenty minutes against a Manchester United side who were as sharp as a pat of warm butter. Incredibly they missed chances, fluffed their lines, overhit crosses – and Areola made one brilliant save – keeping the Red Devils at bay and securing a ‘double’ over Manchester United. Who’d have thought it.
Having slated Guido Rodriguez earlier in the season, in fairness it should be added that he performed well enough and did a decent job. The old warhorses Cresswell and Coufal worked hard and West Ham went in at half time ahead thanks to a Kudus cross fizzed low into the middle and Tomas Soucek getting something on the ball and bouncing it into the net.
Few alarms. better still when Wan Bissaka’s mazy run and a lucky bounce gave Jarrod Bowen his one clear chance and suddenly West Ham were two up. Despite Potter parking the bus – for twenty minutes – West Ham survived largely thanks to the ineptitude of their opponents and it should be said, their own willingness to stick to a plan.
Wan Bissaka just huge throughout – playing as both left and right full back and MOTM by a country mile. An isolated ‘mishap’ of a victory against a terrible side in a terrible season. Not much has improved but this week the breaks went for West Ham rather than their opponents. No Matter, a win is a win and the heady heights of fifteenth place.
Forget the bigger picture, the shortcomings (there are many) the disappointments and the criticisms. Just take the win at Old Trafford and enjoy it for a while.
Blimey Martin cheer up, it wasn’t perfect but for goodness sake let’s at last celebrate another win at last and a double over the Mancs this season, our first since 2006/07. AWB was superb again and showed Man U what they are missing, he has to win Hammer of the Year by a mile this season. Although I didn’t agree with the lineup and decision to take off Bowen and Kudus with 20 minutes to go this time we didn’t cave in and throw away the 3 points. Our away supporters were immense and sung their hearts out all game and after paying small fortunes to follow West Ham home and away this season fully deserved that win. It’s great to see us above Spurs & Man U in the table. It is ironic that one of these 2 teams who will finish between 15th & 17th and win the Europa League will go on to qualify for the Champions League next season which completely devalues the competition. How can 2 of the worst teams in the Premier League apart from the relegated teams qualify for Europe’s top club competition?
It is exhausting for a squad to play both in the Premier League and in European competitions. It often leads to overuse of the best players, resulting in injuries. When people claim that Graham Potter had poor results at Chelsea, they often forget that he led Chelsea to the quarter-finals of the Champions League before being sacked by Todd Boehly shortly before that match, which didn’t end well for Chelsea. Extensive injuries in the squad affected their performance in the Premier League. Graham Potter was sacked after a loss to Aston Villa, despite very good play, but with unnecessary conceded goals—just like West Ham.
Totally agree with the article. We were controlling the game until the subs, which tbh is the opposite of what I predicted. Removing our biggest threats gave them the freedom to press harder and we rode our luck at the end. Brighton, Bournemouth, or Palace would have been more clinical than Man U, so it would be naïve to think we’ve turned a corner.
Why do you find it so very difficult to take any positives. Negativity abounds as always.
A win does not make everything OK. Man U, Tottenham and us are where we are in the table for a reason. We were better than a poor Man U today… Whoopee.
Unfortunately we do not play them every week.
You are one of the most negative posters I have ever seen on this site.
Why wouldn’t you try to hold on for the win when we haven’t won for all those games.
Just try to enjoy for it for.once.
Indeed. What a miserable, miserable man
Clearly your top inside source at the club (I.e Sullivan) has instructed his unofficial mouthpiece (i.e. this blog) to go all in on Potter (we all know he didn’t want him) because he only wants to spend peanuts in the summer and can then blame Potter and sack him in October.
FFS a win is a win. Get a grip.
Let’s be upbeat for once. It’s been a tough season and I haven’t had too many days like today.
Really happy/relieved that we finally got 3 points, just a little bit fearful that Potter wants to park the bus for the last 20 mins and this is the only game in which it has worked out. His instincts to start with a back five, and sub off attackers for defensive players as soon as we nudge in front are not a good omen.
I agree with your take on it Martin, if we’d played like Man Utd we’d be griping about it for sure.
I also agree about taking both Kudus and Bowen off, every time it happens is followed by a period of us defending deep that teams usually exploit.
The Summer signings need to be spot on.
How did they ever get to the Europa final ? The same thing can be said of Tottenham though, who’s worse ?
You can’t even be happy when we’ve just beat Man U away to jump above them and Tottenham in the table?
Despite your anti Potter negative take I think Potter did absolutely the right thing to win the game and he did it using the full squad. Tired legs at the end of games has cost us this season. Bringing on fresh legs when we’re under the cosh in front of a 100k crowd of baying mancs. Absolutely the correct decision. Well done Graham Potter.
Are there actually any West Ham fans on this site or just a load of grumpy old fossils?! And I include the writers in that. It was a decent game we played well stop being such fear mongering haters!! Perhaps the players are finally applying themselves to his ideas??
3 points again, nice! This “special” team chosen today worked hard on the pitch and in the end climbing to15th, is good.
It wasn’t Potter’s decision making that gave a win it was Man Utd’s deluded thoughts of later in the week.
3pts moves to dizzy heights of 15th in table.
Can’t wait until 1 June to see what remarkable decisions Potter has in store?
Don’t think this win will get fans dancing in the aisles.
Maybe win last two matches and it will prove this wasn’t a fluke.
With subs like that perhaps just wishful thinking.
Whatever you think of Potter’s decision making he will feel it justified today.