Eight goals conceded in just two matches—let that sink in. Now, consider this: Graham Potter has become the first West Ham manager in Premier League history to fail to reach double digits in points from his first ten games, collecting only nine through two wins, three draws, and five defeats.
Across his 21-game tenure, the Hammers have managed just five wins, five draws, and eleven losses—yielding a win rate of 23.81%.
The issues are glaring. There’s a distinct lack of energy and pace in midfield, Bowen has been played out of position, and team selections continue to favour experience over youthful dynamism.
More troubling was last night’s collapse against Chelsea, with every goal conceded from either a cross or a corner. Even Potter admitted post-match: “It’s too easy to score against us, so I take my responsibility and must do better.”
What’s worse, several players appear to be regressing under Potter’s leadership.
This isn’t easy to write—but the reality is clear: he needs to go.
I’m not buying into the usual excuses about long-term projects or needing time. He failed at Chelsea, was mediocre at Brighton and Swansea, and the pattern is repeating. Potter said, “Sometimes in life and football you hit a patch”—but that patch seems to span most of his managerial career.
His win rate at Chelsea was 38.71% over 31 games, which cost him the job. At Brighton, it was even lower at 31.11%. His stint at Swansea over eleven months included 19 losses in 51 games.
His best record came at Ostersunds, with a 51% win rate—perhaps a reflection of the level he’s best suited for.
Time for cool heads : Graham Potter’s appointment, championed by Karren Brady, was a mistake. Acknowledge that and move forward.
Attention must also turn to the board. Following the recent transfer window, questions remain about the club’s financial messaging—claims of £100m and £80m losses under PSR scrutiny. But football financial expert Kieran Maguire has challenged this narrative, suggesting West Ham may be overstating their constraints. If true, the issue may lie more with internal budgeting than regulatory pressure.
The numbers support his view. West Ham consistently draws the second-highest attendances in the Premier League and ranks 17th globally in Deloitte’s Football Money League—highlighting strong commercial growth, broadcast revenue, and matchday income.
Relegation is unthinkable. Yet with a substantial loan from Barclays secured against future Premier League income, and another opaque loan tied to club-owned land and property, fans are right to be concerned.
This reliance on future earnings leaves the club financially vulnerable—especially amid poor performances and the absence of European competition.
Whether David Sullivan and Daniel Kretinsky share these concerns remains to be seen.
In my mind last night a number of players were very poor but some did allright hermansan wan bissaka ward prowse soucek bowen very poor paqueta moderate (except for goal) todibo and Kilman were having to cover for wan bissaka too much hence out of position too much diouff pretty confident first home game agaurd arguably our best defender by a long way fullkrug was also ok potts did enough when he came on to show soucek should never start before him again ( I’ve always thought potts was a bit slow but it certainly didn’t look that way last night which I think speaks volumes) walker Peters looked lively and I would start him in front of awb next time as well I would also bring in earthy or fearon for jwp and Marshall or Wilson ( who also looked lively) ahead of bowen put these automatics on the bench and show them they’ve got to play better to get the place back competition will focus them more than an arm around the shoulder
Mark Noble can”t manage us as he doesn’t have a FIFA Pro licence which is mandatory. I don’t believe he has any coaching badges so eve; if he did it work take years to work his way through the various levels of badges. He has also stated that he is not interested in management and opted to go down the operational route when he retired. He is part of the Academy set up, it is in a non coaching role. When we get relegated he would need a A licence which requires you to hold a B licence and one year of relevant coaching so even then he would be a couple of years away from management.
Matt, Don’t worry about the loans, we won’t use them as a Championship club and that’s what is going to happen because the board has buried their heads in the sand for too long.
I agree with Sue! Put Noble in charge until we can get someone else in and stop playing people who don’t really care about the club, just the wages? We have to give our youth a chance and let’s face it they can’t do any worse? They’ll be hungry and want to prove themselves and their energy and enthusiasm will cause opponents trouble. Me and my boy watched the game last night and felt sick/gutted. We gave up again, we had no direction, no clue, watched better Sunday league games (seriously). The money these players are on? It’s embarrassing. Potter has to go (no question) otherwise we will 100% be playing championship football. How the board don’t see this is beyond me. Gutted/disappointed ⚒️
Sack Potter take the hit financially as the board owe the fans that small crumb and no i do not want to see Big Ange or if he gets the bullet from Forest Nuno….this may be controversial for some but we need a manager like Redknapp used to be one who can put an arm around the players when they are not doing great have a word in there shell like give them confidence and also let them play but also demand respect from the players and so for me and it is only my opinion but Ian Holloway at Swindon is the right man for us right now.
Give him a couple more games but then he should go if there is no improvement. Even AWB is looking shaky, it’s like there is an infection spreading through the whole defence, no one is looking up to the job and I’m not convinced Potter has the ability to stabilise things. But Sullivan won’t do it because it will cost again. But I agree with Sue, he should give it to Mark Noble on a caretaker basis at least and Sullivan might go for that as there is no additional cost to fund. And the fans would buy into it which would improve the atmosphere around the place.
Why is relegation ‘unthinkable’? If you’ve supported West Ham over the years you’ll have experienced relegation in the past. If you’re not one of the Greedy Six teams then there is always a risk of relegation. None of is wants to have West Ham relegated but you can’t live with the thought it might happen you’d be a happier person as a Man City fan.
If there is no improvement or any sign of a positive result in the next couple of games…..
He has to go.
And if we don’t bring in any decent midfield players we are doomed.
Too late, we will be too far adrift. Unfortunately he needs to go now but I have zero faith in Sullivans ability to recruit someone who can get us moving forwards. There is NO PSR issue, it is a lie, that has been proven, so where is the money and why have we not improved the areas we are getting hurt through?
I would love to see Mark Noble manage the club
Some one with passion and a West Ham man
I just hope after Sullivan sitting through that even he can see that we need a manager change today, right now.
If you leave it until Christmas we will have nil points and probably will be relegated without doubt
I think I could do a better job
We need to get some of our academy players in who will be hungry to play and fight for the club
There was no sign of any fight last night
A total humiliation for us fans
I don’t think I can bare to watch anymore
Not in the crisis we are in Sue, too much to ask of someone with no prior experience. He’d be great as an assistant manager being groomed to take over after a couple of years.
No sorry. Potters been hamstrung. The players he has to his disposal aren’t up to the task and that’s down to the West Ham board.
Agreed to an extent. Potter’s system is wrong for the players we have and allows them to be pulled all over the place and the gaps left behind exploited. He should not have put Hermansen straight in as he hasn’t played since Apr and has only had a few trg sessions with his new team. Those things are on Potter but the ineptitude and inability to fix the problem areas over many seasons, the lack of a coherent plan, lack of vision and the lies, they all belong to our “beloved” chairman. Sullivan out
The obvious question is who succeeds him. Let’s face it, we don’t have great history in recruiting in these situations and we know Sullivan will be led by existing friendships and his wallet. Convincingly anyone half decent that we’re a good project is going to be very hard. Unfortunately, it breaks my heart to say that I think we’re about to pay for years of poor ownership. Of course we can point at the Europa Conference win, but to go from that to laughing stock in about two years says everything we need to know.
Not to take away from our first triumph in over 49 years but we do need to remember it is Europe’s third tier competition. But I think you are right in that the years of mismanagement of the club by Sullivan et al are well and truly coming home to roost.