Cast your mind back to January 2025. Graham Potter had just taken charge of West Ham, and he showed no urgency to recruit new players as he assessed his squad. In fact, it wasn’t until the very end of that January transfer window that Potter made the hurried decision to recall James Ward-Prowse from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest. That recall felt like an afterthought, with Ward-Prowse seemingly never in the manager’s immediate plans to anchor the Hammers midfield.
Fast forward to now, and the former Southampton man now appears to be a fixture in Potter’s engine room. Some have begun to wonder whether there is any circumstance in which the Hammers gaffer would drop JWP under any circumstance?
Potter has remained loyal to Ward Prowse
For many, it’s difficult to see whether he actually deserves the status of seemingly being undroppable. After all, Ward-Prowse hasn’t exactly produced a string of standout performances in claret and blue.
That’s why today’s clash at the London Stadium against Tottenham Hotspur could prove significant. For the first time, Potter has genuine alternatives. The £20 million signing of Soungoutou Magassa from Monaco gives him the chance to freshen things up, while Mateus Fernandes—who impressed on his debut against Nottingham Forest—offers another option to revamp the midfield.
If Ward-Prowse still finds himself in the starting XI against Spurs, it will raise real questions about whether he is entrenched in Potter’s plans for the long term. It’s certainly going to make fascinating reading when the team sheets are announced later today.
It’s impossible to understand why JWP plays the majority of every game. He’s slow and not creative or defensive. He’s dead ball strengths seemed to have vapourised. It’s just bad management to keep picking someone who adds nothing.
Add Soucek though and then we have handed the whole of the midfield to the opposition. Potter is making no sense currently.
The answer was there he is core to Potterball at West Ham, god only knows why though if he can’t change gears we will get relegated, JWP is now a championship level player who can maybe fill a role from the bench but has no place in the starting lineup.
“If Ward-Prowse still finds himself in the starting XI against Spurs, it will raise real questions about whether he is entrenched in Potter’s plans for the long term.”
It is only one game!
Summerville in on the left and Paqueta back into the middle, JWP drops out. Surely the way to go…
I’m sure, Potter will start with Fernandes and Magassa today more than 100%. The quality of these two is incomparable to the other options. No doubt at all!
He won’t be entrenched in Potter’s plans for the long term, because if Potter continues to play him, Potter’s tenure will be short term !
Still might be short term anyway, regardless, Sullivan probably already held talks with Dyche and Cooper !!!
I do not want to see JWP in the starting eleven. Paqueta, Magassa, Fernandes for me. His inclusion or non inclusion is a statement of intent.
If we go about this game with the right line up and tactics it’s one we can win. It’s a very Potter makes the difference game.
I’ll bet you Potter’s pet James Walking- Prowse is in the XI, John, West Ham’s coach didn’t grow such big cojones as to abandon all that caution just because of three late goals against Forest.
Ward prowse hasn’t really done much.
Can’t just use him for free kicks and corners.
New midfield combination needed,but west ham should have bought a young forward,
could have made a massive difference.