West Ham’s crisis continues whilst Graham Potter seems hell bent on sticking to his own picks and favourites: James Ward -Prowse being a classic example of a starter in the squad whom everyone else – apart form the Hammers manager – sees as five years past his Premier League sell by date.
Yet there his is, week in, week out, seemingly first name on the team sheet. Perplexing.
However, when common knowledge and reports galore pipe up and trumpet the primary Achilles heel of the side – another Graham Potter ‘pick’ and an expensive addition to the side this summer – then surely action is required.
Tottenham focused on West Ham’s useless zonal marking, questionable defending and goal keeper crisis: Footballinsider.co.uk’s objective analysis of the Tottenham fixture makes it very plain:
“Thomas Frank was looking to attack West Ham’s weak shot stopper Mads Hermansen, as Tottenham travelled to the London Stadium on Saturday evening.”
Now Hermansen is a lovely guy. He also seems to have some excellent attributes. But at present he is not up to Premier League standard and when the opponents brand him as ‘weak’ and target him with crosses and corners – with predictable results – then Potter needs to ignore his own ego and pride and drop the Dane for his own good.
Hermansen must be in some kind of confidence crisis private hell just now. Having been one who was genuinely excited at his signing, admitting the evidence of my own eyes is not easy but clearly the Dane is not fit for purpose at present.
If Potter brings back Areola then Hermansen’s West Ham career can recover – maybe this season, maybe next- when he’s out of the spotlight and the Irons cure their terminal weakness from corners and crosses.
If Potter stands by his ‘pick’ there’s a real danger that Hermansen’s career could be blighted and the Hammers season will be over before it has even begun.
Kilman the promlem mate
Isn’t Kilman 6ft 3?
If Fabianski is in good shape play him.
After the wolves game I thought it had been brave of the manager to keep him in against Forest, rather than yank him off immediately and show no faith in him, especially since Potter had just hired him (or Macauley?). Now I think take him off, give him a break, along with K|ilman & JWP.
How about Igor as centre-back? I want to know what chants the away supporters will come up with, if he comes in and plays the way any decent Igor should.
Soucek/Irving/JWP 1st subs in the midfield? Potts and Magassa as starters if want 2 holding midfielders. Potts has proven himself with a very good season in the Championship, also in pre-season and at every other level, what more can the young man do?
Martin
The signing of Max Headroom a third rate keeper for £25m sums up everything that is wrong with the club. A keeper was never a priority for a team lacking pace in the midfield and in desperate need of striker.
Potter is clueless as were some of the c&h writers who supported it. Best now to loan him out and leave the keeping to proven internationals Areola and Fabianski
Martin, what’s wrong with reinstating Lucasz Fabianski? Do you happen to know that he isn’t ready yet or something?
Isn’t Dawson a free agent? Just saying, proper defender who can head a ball…Watching Burnley yesterday it struck me that’s how we used to defend, players putting their bodies in the line.
I was just thinking about Craig Dawson as well. Maybe there is a chance we could get him in? Help! We need somebody, not just anybody, we really need someone. Help! (Sorry Beatles fans)
The weakest player we have is Max Kilman. He’s the biggest bottlejob and coward I’ve seen since Gary Breen.
I’m sick of the sight of the weakling coward, to be perfectly frank.
Absolutely spot on FOR REAL . Kilman is so poor I can’t understand why a centre back who can’t jump or head the ball , tackle or mark a player is picked week after week . He is an anchor round the neck of the team dragging them down . He should not even be on the bench . Probably the worse centre back ever to wear the shirt???? Does anyone have a “worse ” alternative ???
I’m with you guys….I’d have to drop Kilman and Prowse, as well as Hermansen. That is a core central set of players to the team and I’m as certain as I can be if that was sorted a lot of our troubles would go away (on the field at least). It really is THAT simple.
Being so old I go back a bit – but trust me these were real dross –
Tommy Taylor, Paul Hilton, Neil Orr, Gary Strodder, Colin Foster & Nordvelt and could rival Kilman for total ineptitude – mind you they didn’t cost £40 million
Totally agree, that said having some defenders who can actually head the ball would take some of the pressure off him.
Kilman is awful but in the team given we have nothing else to come in. Todibo equally poor, hard to believe we have spent close to £80m on the pair.
When we talk about these sorts of numbers it just highlights investment isn’t the issue, it’s how the money is being spent.
It’s plain obvious that both JWP and Hermandsen need dropping, only Potter can’t see that. We also need either Fullkrug or Wilson in for hold up play as the ball just comes back at us time and time again.
Our corner drill is terrible and Arsenal will exploit that ruthlessly, any decent defensive coach plus graft on the training pitch should sort that and it should have been sorted already.
Amazing that a goalkeeper can get to this level if he can’t catch the ball from a cross.
Hes allegedly been scouted, I think the scouts must have been in the bar all game.