Former Arsenal and England player, and perennial West Ham critic, Paul Merson, has predictably suggested that Graham Potter might struggle at the London Stadium.
Merson, who previously declared Julen Lopetegui was the wrong choice for West Ham, has now performed a U-turn. Despite initially claiming Lopetegui wouldn’t win a trophy in 25 years, he’s now stating the Spaniard should have been given more time.
Clearly, the Sky Sports pundit doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going. As such, I wouldn’t take his observations about West Ham too seriously. Merson seems perpetually offended that former manager David Moyes wasn’t given an extended stay at the London Stadium. Now, he’s predicting that Potter will struggle with the expectations of West Ham fans.
This insinuation—that we expect too much and demand flamboyant football—is far from the truth. The reality is that, during his final season, Moyes oversaw the worst defensive record in the club’s Premier League history, conceding a staggering 74 goals. Lopetegui, for all his experience, managed to coach a team even more porous than his predecessor’s.
Unfortunately, instead of accurately reporting why previous West Ham managers struggled, pundits like Merson lazily blame fans’ expectations and the mythical notion of playing ‘The West Ham Way.’
In truth, West Ham fans simply grew tired of seeing our team suffer humiliating defeats on a regular basis
Does it matter what he thinks and says?
He is irrelevant as far as West Ham is concerned.
His back on the booze and gear again
Merson doesn’t know the team like the fans . Potter and the players will just shut him up. Come on lads let’s show em ⚒
I was at that game against bury then we bought Mick McGovern from them.😂
Too much brandy in the Xmas pudding !!
I’m not going to waste my time commenting on Merson
and yet you did.
I reckon a mad scientist put two legs on a fanny and called it merson
The man’s obviously some kind of a C??T. I reckon a mad scientist put two legs on a fanny and called it merson.
From 99% of the comments I think we all have made our thoughts clear about “Paul” the Sauce Merson,the ex-Chelsea player. COYI ⚒️⚒️⚒️⚒️
Why take notice of someone who played for a team with ARSE in its name?
Whoʻ really cares what Merson thinks. Just a big mouth who hates west ham with a passion. I can’t watch sky sports on Saturday because of him.
Never take what Merson says personally. The man’s a clown.
Merson == Waste of space.
Spot on. It’s so unintelligent for pundits to wheel out the “be careful what you wish for” line. They don’t even bother to look up Moyes’s record in the six months leading up to his departure. It wasn’t just the turgid, frightened approach, where every team we played were treated like Man City, it was the mostly the fact that this approach, based on a strong, disciplined defence, wasn’t working any more. The defence was dreadful, and there was no plan B.
He’s not a pundit worth taking seriously. Personally I think the owners just haven’t got a real plan. We’ve had no youngsters coming through. Moyes is a decent Manager, if they wanted a new direction, they had months to plan ahead. They obviously didn’t. The team looks worse than it did last season. I wish Potter luck – it’s going to be a tough job.
Very well said
It’s interesting because the year Moyes finished sixth we scored 62 goals and only let in 47. The year he finished seventh we scored 60 goals and let in 51. In his final season we still scored 60 goals but let in 74 thanks to a few heavy defeats that season. It’s interesting though that up front we consistently bang the goals in. A lot of those goals thanks to Jarrod Bowen actually. Thank God for Jarrod.
That’s a good point.
Goals (Despite the moaning about needing a proper striker) haven’t been the issue, until this season. (24 in 20 so far and league leading 11 x hit the woodwork)
Defensively, it’s horror show, conceding 39 in 20, 4th worse.
J-lo, whatever he got paid, it was too much.
They all make me laugh. Just ad up the 3 4 5 goal hammerings we had last year with Moyes in charge. And the same this year with Lopetegui in charge. Then name any fan of any club who’d be happy with that. And if all of those be careful what you wish for doughnuts think the same then they seriously need to think about slinģing it all in.
Muppets the lot of em.
Paul Merson. A much better dancer on Strictly than he ever has been as a football pundit in Sky Sports.
You can add in player as well, danced better then he played.
They are all upset they didn’t pull on the real claret & blue.
He’s a pelican
Benny, i lived on the water in southern Sydney. what’s your problem with pelicans? I’m sure Mr. Percival wouldn’t be too pleased with the likeness to the chump, Merson! 😉😁
I reckon a mad scientist put two legs on a fanny and called it merson
The only people who go on about the “West Ham Way” are the media using it as a stick to beat us with.
Who on this planet cares what Merson thinks???
Even in North London it would be few and far between!!
Merson. Stay off the sauce. Just say NO.
I hardly ever agree with Paul but in this case I think he might be right 2 years is a long time out and Brighton which seems to be what everyone is going by are doing better without him
F*ck him.
Another failed attempt at trying to remain anywhere near relevant.
)Moyes. Finished 9th despite the injuries he had to put up with….VOLVO in charge.
Always commenting with negativity Annette, do you ever have anything positive to say? You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. You have proven that by saying you agree with “Paul.” When Potter took over at Brighton, he took over from Chris Hughton who played a very defensive system, not too dissimilar to David Moyes and Lopetegui. It was Potter who laid all the foundations for the style of football Brighton began playing, and have continued to play ever since. Maybe give him the benefit of the doubt before judging. Or is criticising and negativity the only reason you come here to comment? Maybe take a deep breath and think before posting, as its obvious you haven’t done in the past! It seems to me that you are one of those people who only to want to moan and criticise. Maybe you can tell us all what you think should have happened in your perfect world seeing as last week you were shouting for Lopetegui and Steidten out, and that if Potter was the price we had to pay for them going then so be it. Why not enlighten us with your wisdom and how you think it everything should have gone instead of just posting negative comment after negative comment. I’m sure the whole site would be interested!!
**** off you spud ****er
Love to hear your positivity again?
I think he’s fallen of the wagon. Earlier warned the Everton fans that Mourinho was the same as Dyche. 🤦🏼♂️. I did a quick check and found there was a trophy or 2 difference between them
Merson is a moron who contradicts himself most of the time. West Ham should have given Jlo more time he says, whilst also stating that Potter couldn’t cut it at his beloved Chelsea and had to be sacked after 7 months.
Think you’ll find it’s his beloved Arsenal
See ! Mersons always contradicting himself!! 😂
Merson is actually a Chelski fan.