West Ham have some very good players, and nothing will convince me otherwise. Jarrod Bowen remains one of the most efficient finishers in the league, and from what I’ve seen so far, Mateus Fernandes looks an astute signing.
Despite the club’s poor start to the season, Kyle Walker-Peters and Malick Diouf have shown promise, and aside from yesterday’s game against Tottenham, Lucas Paquetá has also started the campaign in fine form.
Clearly, much is wrong at boardroom level—as has been covered extensively over the past fortnight—but sometimes it simply comes down to coaching. That was laid bare at the London Stadium, where Thomas Frank completely outwitted Graham Potter.
Tottenham found it easy against West Ham
Frank showed his tactical nous, and the longer the game went on, the more puzzles he set for Potter. Sadly, the West Ham boss failed to influence the contest at all, and the longer it went on, the worse we became.
Bowen, Paquetá, Fernandes, Summerville, Diouf, and Walker-Peters all declined as the match progressed. Yet at half-time there were no changes from Potter, and when substitutions finally arrived, it was too little, too late.
Too little too late from Potter
Bizarrely, no striker was introduced until the game was beyond saving. Worse still, the wrong players were withdrawn while Graham Potter’s favoured midfielder James Ward-Prowse remained on the pitch well past his sell-by date. Spurs duly tightened the screw.
In many respects, the 3-0 scoreline was a let-off. Frank rotated heavily and wound the game down ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League tie in midweek. Potter should be grateful, because West Ham already have the joint-worst goal difference in the Premier League and find themselves firmly in the relegation zone.
It’s a stark contrast from last season, when we hovered just above the drop as the “worst of the rest.” This year, we may have to face up to the grim reality that West Ham could be the worst of the worst.
There are certainly signs of the Avram Grant, Bilic and Glen Roeder seasons here. I think we have good players that aren’t playing to their potential possibly because of the manager.
They need someone to organise them and get them defending, I believe putting Fabianski in goal is essential we can rely on him to keep the ball out which gives us half a chance.
Drop JWP and play Fernandes and Magassa as the CDM pairing, then Bowen,Paqueta, Summerville behind Wilson at least looks cohesive, With KWP, Mav, Kilman and Diouf
Guilherme, Irving. AWB, Potts, Todibo, Igor and Marshall all have something to offer as subs
Bowen isn’t a number 9 or false 9 and JWP isn’t a good option in midfield
Your opening sentence unknowingly summarises the problem. ‘West Ham have some very good players’. How many is ‘some’? Four? Maybe 5 at a stretch. To challenge you need around 20; to be in the top half maybe 15; to be competitive 10? West Ham’s squad is just good enough to stay up if they show some fight and get someone who can organise things especially defensively. The latest ‘trend’ is set pieces and long throws. For that reason the keeper is a complete liability and everyone in the PL already knows it. There is no commanding CB (Kilman £40m FFS) to cover the keeper so it’s starting to look like West Ham need to score 3 just to stay in the game. The performance v Forest was good and it may be that there could be some solace away because the club have gone from the most hostile stadium to the least and there is no home advantage anymore.
Have to be fair – Potter did make some good changes for the Forest match. If he makes some more spot on decisions and continues fixing problems for the game at Crystal Palace I’ll breath a huge sigh of enormous relief.
It is up to Potter and it has been for a while now.
However, it is tough watching somebody seemingly dithering around and talking in superficial terms of positivity, regardless, when this could be such a crucial season for our club. Positivity is good, it helps for sure, but what about the rest? It’s the rest that gets you over the line.
Largest part of our recruitment this summer was to buy players from a relegated team. So at least we’ll be used to it.
Don’t think that our management is making any use of AI. We seem to play to a script that was written by the footballing professors of yesteryear.
Instead of moving on with the league domination plan, we are woefully sinking without trace. Not even treading water.
Ask Artificial Intelligence to come up with a plan and we will have the benefits of avoiding all the pitfalls and waste of effort ideas that we currently suffer.
It makes sense. COYI
If there was sign of what it is Potter is trying to achieve it might be different but there isn’t.
He keeps starting the slow not defensive or creative JWP and Soucek. This is surrendering the midfield. One of both of them are going to lose us the game, Soucek this time most at fault.
He keeps not playing an actual CF and ruining the game of Bowen or yesterday Pacqueta to fill in
He can’t coach the defenders to defend crosses.
He makes awful substitutions, took off Fernandes and Summerville yesterday.
Doesn’t give academy players a minute on the pitch.
This is Lopetegui level ineptitude. No idea what the coach is doing.
Game after game he proves JWP and Soucek are not good enough, the defence is weak and we lack a centre forward but repeats and repeats the same mistakes.
We have really good FBs, the new CM signings look good, Summerville,Bowen, Pacqueta and I thought good academy players. We should not be struggling like a bad newly promoted team.
Suggestion to the board
Perhaps you should let the fans vote on the next manager
Then we can not blame you then if it goes wrong
I think it is time you gave us wonderful fans the chance to have a say
We do have some good players but Potter plays them out of position and won’t drop his favourites. Supposedly, according to sky’s broadcast before the game when announcing the team, Fernandes was right wing. How can he not see a midfield 3 of Fernandes, Magassa and Paqueta in a 4-3-3 formation staring him in the face. Bowen right wing where he is a lot more beneficial, Summerville left wing and play an actual striker up top who can get on the end of Summerville and Diouf crosses. Complete incompetence.
I agree that Potter got it wrong with his starting XI and what everyone can see he should be coaching the team (a) not to give away corners so cheaply and (b) if we do concede a corner how to defend it
However one thing that I think he got right was taking off Summerville and Fernandes – not because they were playing badly but because Summerville is coming back from a serious injury and (b) Fernandes didn’t have a proper pre-season – so no point risking them when the game was gone
I cannot defend only 6 wins in 23 with only 2 home wins – and it will be a relief when we move on – and hopefully after two bad appointments we will get the next one right
COYI
Agree with everything Gonzo. It’s not if but when he goes. We’ve got to try and get Nuno in while he’s still available. Forest’s chairman has done us a favour if the board could see it.
Forest were in a similar situation to us when he took over.
No compensation needed, ideal for Sullivan. Get him in.
Soon Leeds will be looking amongst others. We aren’t going to beat Palace with Potter in charge so when we lose that he will have to go.
I hope the board have got the guts to sack Potter and let a new manager try and get this gutless team going. Total lack of effort, no togetherness and no leadership.
Was very optimistic after the forest game, and could not believe the difference in the play.
We needed th have left the team the same and needed a striker up front.
A total mess but need manager change NOW before the team loose all support from the fans and have many empty seats.To think we had the highest attendance yesterday speaks volumes to the fans.
We love this club, but have a board who don’t have the same desire as us fans.
You neede to have backed the manager in the transfer window and didn’t and now you are seeing the consequences. This is one of the best leagues in the Eorlld and we need top people to run ou club, not Mickey Mouse idiots.
You all need to go as well,give this club a chance it’ll you care about it ??????
Potter looked absolutely clueless and unable to influence the game as we were simply outclassed in every part of the pitch. One good attacking move with Paq narrowly missing and Bowen’s shot with good crosses from Dioff and Summerville and that was it! Wrong starting lineup, Soucek, JWP, Kilman and Mavrapanos unable to defend corners and a goalkeeper who looked like a rabbit in the headlights unable to command his area, with 2 strikers and keepers left on the bench! Meanwhile Freddie and the rest of our Academy talent still ignored! 4 defenders at front post. incredibly none at the back, then 2 defenders go to sleep and we go 2-0 down.Thomas Frank is leagues ahead of Potter in management ability and tactical knowledge, just look at how poorly we defended and it should have been 4 as Romero’s goal should have stood. Diouf, Summerville, Bowen, Fernandes, Paq, Magassa and Walker- Peters saved us from utter humiliation. As for Soucek bloody stupid challenge leading to a straight red and I never want to see Soucek, JWP and Kilman start again.
Potter’s record of only 2 home wins in 2025 and 80% of the crowd leaving the stadium in a home derby against Spurs says it all. He has to be sacked today.
All true. It’s impossible to understand Potter.
Basic errors –
Starts JWP and Soucek, neither should play
No centre forward
Defenders that don’t mark individuals or zonally at corners
Takes too long to make the wrong substitutions.
Not a second on the pitch for academy players
It’s hard to know what he’s trying to achieve. Back to Lopetegui levels of confusion.
It’s embarrassing and impossible to support.
West Ham has had a good pre-season. They initially played well against both Sunderland and Chelsea. The match against Nottingham Forest was excellent. The play against Tottenham was also really good in the beginning, especially considering the need to integrate the newly acquired players into the system.
I’m surprised by the storm of hate directed at the players and coaching staff. Given how important it is for the players to be mentally focused at the right level during matches, the behavior of many fans is unacceptable.
It is reasonable that Graham Potter is given a fair amount of time to implement his system with the new players and receives the support he needs. Showing no patience and advocating “management by fear” solves nothing. I assume no one would want to work under such conditions.
Karren Brady said the owners are going nowhere. Unfortunately that means the club isn’t either. Except down. 😢
Potter has proved again that he is out of his depth. Poor selection and awful tactics and substitutions. Trouble is whoever we get has the anchor that is Sullivan hanging round his neck . No class and no idea . We have a keeper who can’t catch and a centre back who can’t head the ball or tackle or mark and no centre forward who can play more than 30 minutes . 200m plus in transfer fees out and what have we got in ?? 2 promising youngsters and free transfers . Total miss management throughout the club . We are nailed on to go down and will never get back while Sullivan is around .
Dont know what to say anymore Gonzo Had the stuffing knocked out of me It shows with an empty ground half hour before the game ends Every fan can see what is very wrong at our club But no one on the inside can NO PASSION NO FIGHT A DEFENCE WITH NO GUTS NO C FORWARD NO LEADERSHIP NO ORGANISATION NO AMBITION A CLUB WITH NO HEART
As it was against Chelsea , 90% of balls launched from the goalkeeper and defenders was won by the opposition.
Surely its obvious that we need to play out from the back and keep the ball at players feet.
Not the right starting eleven, we know painfully well that both Soucek and JWP are too slow we made a meal of bringing in more lively midfielders then still use the old ones. No forward at when there’s two on the bench.
Subs too late as you say Gonzo with wrong players subbed off, yet JWP remained until after 90 minutes. We had lamp posts like Mavropanos, Kilman and Soucek to defend corners but weren’t able to, neither were we able to prevent conceding corners I lost count of how many.
There wasn’t even a new manager bounce with Potter, his record is absolutely dire regardless of whatever players are available. It’s two dire bargain basement manager appointments in a row. Any team would have beaten us on the second half performance as it was relegation standard.
Sad days when Levy proves he’s a better man than sad, selfish sully. STEP DOWN NOW
Grab Nuno NOW
The worst bit of the whole game was they added five minutes on the end
😁
Read all the comments to the articles and the list of incredibly bizarre managerial choices/selections everyone mentions is endless. I think Brighton fans thought the same about his weird options and choices at some stage. Everyone connected with the game just looks at each other in disbelief (not only fans).
Absolutely, there are enough good players + new recruits and academy to give most of the other PL teams a game and nick some points.
Why are there so many managers with blind spots nowadays? Are they macro-managers? Blind to their own faults without valid outside input to correct these?
I don’t think it helps if the manager speaks only in terms of the emotional aspect, talking of positivity and connectivity. That’s fine once or twice, but the rest is about tactics, formation, right player, right position, Dinos being goal side of the player, etc.
What I’m trying to say is that IF this truly how the manager reflects on a game when it is so very poor and everyone else points out so many incongruous decisions, oddities and plain old mistakes, is that person capable of understanding what is unfolding right in front of him?
My last question is what is up with the lack of team spirit? Maybe it is from too long a series of losses? With a few newcomers this takes time to build? Something is missing.
Like everyone, I’m left wondering how come.
It was clear that Potter was clueless and ended up making wrong decisions. I’m afraid he has to go before it’s too late.
Two goalkeepers on the bench and no striker starting? I’m lost for words.