West Ham midfielder Freddie Potts has had to wait longer than he’d imagined for his first real taste of victory in claret and blue.
Named Man of the Match by Sky Sports for his performance against Newcastle, Potts featured heavily in pre-season under Graham Potter — only to be dropped once Premier League action began. Since then, the academy graduate has had to stay patient, biding his time for a proper chance.
But alongside Mateus Fernandes, the 21-year-old finally seized his moment in Nuno Espirito Santo’s revamped midfield. The pair brought energy, bite, and composure to the engine room, dictating play with sharp, progressive passing and showing the kind of hunger the team has been missing.
Freddie Potts won man of the match for his performance against Newcastle
Potts and Fernandes Impress in Nuno’s Midfield
It was their tackling and duelling, though, that likely pleased Nuno most — levels above what Andy Irving and Tomáš Souček managed the week before. Even more impressive was the calibre of opposition, with Newcastle’s midfield trio of Bruno Guimarães, Joelinton, and Lewis Miley widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s best-balanced units.
The fans recognised the effort too, with chants of “Freddie Potts, he’s one of our own” echoing around the London Stadium throughout the match.
Nuno Espirito Santo was quick to praise his young midfielders after the final whistle:
“I think Freddie and Mateus did a good game. The idea was to try and control the middle because Newcastle have Bruno, they have Joelinton, they have some quality players.
If you allow them to play freely, they’ll put you on the ropes. It was important to see that we were suffering but not conceding. We were resilient without the ball, and when we’re organised, we’re hard to beat.”
It’s clear that Potts and Fernandes must now form the foundation of West Ham’s midfield for the foreseeable future. If they can perform with that level of maturity and control against Eddie Howe’s formidable side, there’s no reason they can’t do it against anyone
Well done Nano for listening to critics and bringing some logic to the field.
Potts second academy player to get man of the match, first was Scarles.
Just what the doctor ordered.
Onwards and upwards need to get Earthy involved (with new contract) before he moves on.
Divin Mubama scored hat trick for Stoke a player not given enough game time at whu.
Whu has so much talent waiting in the wings need to give them some time at least four strikers.
I am SOOOOOO pleased for Potts, we have all been shouting his name from the rooftops to be put in a lethargic old as mince midfield. Shame his goal was ruled out but so delighted for him, a proud moment for his dad. Now Nuno has to keep him in, and try to keep this side moving and playing for each other. That was a big difference, you could see they were playing for each other, even Kilman and Todibo. It was beautiful to see.
Potts was brilliant and makes the team tick, brings the midfield together with triangle passes and looks forward all the time. We have not had a midfielder who plays like that at WHU for absolutely ages. Everything and more that all the fans have been hoping for. Fernandes at last had time to try and create chances and Paqueta played one of his often seen battling games (not always I know) but as one of 3 good midfielders, so he was not squeezed out of the game either.
Areola punching corners out and Todibo gaining in fitness, strength and willingness (I think). I’m glad those 2 doing better, gaining trust of the manager and playing with purpose. Todibo was fired up on the pitch – never seen that before 👍
I turned it off after they scored. Lucky our players are not as soft spirited as me. I watched Bowe’s torpedo crash off the post and was so disappointed but to see my team capitulate 26 seconds later gutted me. I went straight to the highlights and was so pleased to see the teams result. I’ll be watching without knowing the result next match (I live in Oz) and I want the team to play progressively again but for the defence to lift. We need stability we have to have it.
if you are the superstitious type, does this mean that every game you’ll be going through the same ritual for the sake of the team winning? 😁
It’s what we’ve all been crying out for – yet successive managers seemed blind to it, but maybe that’s the result of the short-term pressure on managers that exists now.
Speaking of which, I see Will Still – who there was so clamour for to be our manager – has been sacked by Southampton after 5 months.
I was so impressed by Freddie Potts yesterday. Read the game well, seeing danger, and snuffed it out by always being in a position to get there. Passed mostly progressively, and kept us ticking over. He looked very tidy with a deceptively simple game. Great to see him pop up in the box, even if his ‘goal’ was disallowed. A quality debut.
you’re right! Deceptively simple and seems to reads the game so well; great qualities to have.
I saw one moment when Tonali tried to battle with him, give him a hard time, but Potts deftly shielded the ball, made his pass and left Tonali scrambling. Loved it.