Playing with injections | Potter’s limited options are highlighted

Graham Potter’s press conference this afternoon threw interesting light on the West Ham manager’s options and the paucity of available talent as he takes his team to Old Trafford on Sunday. With Michail Antonio and Crysencio Summerville as the only absentees, Potter has more or less a fit squad to choose from.

It illustrates the quality shortage in midfield that Potter is considering playing Edson Alvarez – a player linked with a summer exit to the Bundesliga – to improve the midfield of his floundering team who sit seventeenth. Recent performances by James Ward-Prowse and Tomas Soucek in midfield have done little going forward or in defensive work screening the back four and West Ham are crying out for a combative performance from – frankly – anyone after the tepid team performance against Tottenham.

According to Potter from the press conference via whufc.com:

“Edson Álvarez is back. He’s had an issue with his back, but he had an injection a few days ago, so that’s good.”

The wisdom of playing Alvarez with an injection – presumably following such dire midfield performances in his absence – speaks volumes about the whole sorry state of West Ham’s options. ‘El Machin’ is by no means top of the tree in terms of quality but it will perhaps come as a relief to supporters that Potter has seen through the James Ward-Prowse mirage and is considering Alvarez in his stead.