West Ham v Tottenham: FIRST ’45
West Ham could feel very lucky to have gone in at half time on level terms. A disallowed goal for Christian Romero from a corner (of course) should have given Spurs the lead but the referee saw fit to give a foul for a push on Kyle Walker Peters. The official was guilty of completely ignoring the origin of the ‘push’ began two players back, when Mateus Fernandes lost Van Der Den, who he was supposed to mark, and shoved him domino-effect, into the back of Walker Peters – who fell over.
VAR saw fit to look only at the direct incident and the ‘goal’ was chalked off. Fernandes walked a very fine line thereafter, holding and grappling at every Spurs corner that followed. On another day, he’d have given a way a penalty or two: Hopefully someone had a word with him at half time.
The Hammers had their bright points with Diouf’s crossing (and a couple of crunching tackles of Kudus) looking high class. However six plus Spurs corners needed to be defended, all in a nervy, unconvincing manner. Is the defence nervy because of Hermansen? Or vice versa? Either way, conceding so many corners is bound to lead to a clear cut chance at some stage.
Summerville and Paquetá buzzed around but there were too many high, hopeful balls hit forward by the Hammers with no recognised front man to get the knock downs. THAT needed to change in the second half.
SECOND ’45
Two minutes in, Spurs first corner and -Sarr standing unmarked at the back post for a thumping header and West Ham were behind. Four Hammers players at the front post, none at the back. Watch the MOTD replay tonight. Not good enough. Worse followed with Soucek sliding in with studs showing on Paulinha and getting a straight red- at which point West Ham promptly switched off. A high ball over and Spurs were two nil up thanks to a pretty impressive debut goal by Bergvall and West Ham looked on the ropes.
West Ham urgently needed a shift to get out of their nosedive: Guilherme and Magassa were readied. Good to see something positive from Potter instead of paralysis, but – erm – how about a goalscorer at two nil down? Summerville and Fernandes departed. These were ‘damage limitation’ substitutions designed to stop the deficit growing worse. And of course, they failed. Nothing changed, poor defending and the third goal went in and the fans started leaving. Make it stop, someone, please. No wins in six at home.
It seemed both sides settled for that result. Hammers players with heads hanging low, stadium 80% empty, another battering. Normal service has been resumed. HOWEVER the stunning double save from Hermansen at the end might just turn his West Ham season in the right direction. There you go, I found a positive on another dark afternoon.
I agree mostly with this match review. West Ham cannot continue playing Premiership matches without a recognized striker. We have Fulkulk, Wilson and young Marshall. We should utilize them. Going forward, . Fabianski should start in goal to give the defence a bit of confidence. Magassa should start in the holding midfield berth now that Soucek is out for three weeks. As for Ward Prowse is no longer good enough to start. If we implement these changes we will be a much better team.
Can’t disagree with what you and others have written Martin – we now enter familiar painful territory under the Sully regime – manager has X games to save his job – we have been there under Slav, Pellegrini, Moyes and Lopetegui
I am not overly excited by any of Mourinho, Nunes, Cooper or Dyche – although Nunes did well over the whole of last season it seems that he had been found out by the end
I agree that 6 wins / 24 is not good enough and only two wins at home is terrible
Potter please note that JWP will get you the sack
COYI
I don’t want to blame Potter just yet but the keeper is not good enough and is going to cost us games.Going down to 10 men killed us . Potter has brought in good players Malek Fernandez Magassa KWP . Soucek Prouse Kidman and Mavraparnos are not good enough unless the board replace them in January we are going to be in trouble. Hopefully Macassar will come in get shot of Kidman and play Igor for a start
The starting line up was very wrong, why all the clamour about signing midfielders because the ones we have are too slow if you still play the old ones.
Fullkrug or Wilson should have started to give us a bit more physical presence up top. If Fullkrug was too crocked to even come on as a sub why have him waste a place on the bench ?
So we end up chasing the game surprise surprise and JWP still stays on, everyone can see that he’s offering nothing. From there the performance was nothing short of disgraceful a stroll in the park for Tottenham who swapped half their team out it was so easy.
Shamefully not good enough, an embarrassment and a manager picked up at the cheapest possible price says it all. We do not deserve this crap….
I’m back to Lopetegui levels of not understanding what the manager is doing.
Inexplicable how he keeps picking JWP and Soucek. Both slow not defensive or offensive. We concede the midfield. Soucek got sent off because he cannot control the ball and is behind the pace of the game so over reacts to try and recover the ball. Its so obvious these two can’t play.
No centre forward.
Ridiculous substitutions taking off Fernandes and Summerville.
Yet again zero academy player minutes.
Don’t understand what he’s trying to do.
Then apparently we cannot defend set pieces and corners.
Not sure what Potter has added, not helped by the ridiculous Sullivan transfer window.
Every picture tells a story Take a look at the photograph in your caption and see how Kilman barley leaves the ground with the Spurs man above him says it all really
Amorim faced a good deal of criticism last season for sometimes starting Man U with a midfield 2 of Erikson and Casemiro, on the basis that they were the oldest and slowest pairing in the Prem. But unlike Ward Prowse and Soucek, if not quite as old then almost certainly slower, both Erikson and Casemiro could pass the ball forwards.
The big question is, is the performance down to Potter loosing the plot or Sulivan not letting Potter buy he players he wanted?
Going to be a long difficult season with relegation still a possibility!
Potter is a damp cloth needs to be sacked
The incompetent owners are reaping what they sowed. Actions have consequences. Hard to see how we are not going down with this coach and these owners.
Martin our centre backs are so weak Kilman is not a prem player Every corner they had we looked vulnerable weak poor marking and out muscled Weve no leadership no centre forward no one putting there body on the line It just amazes me we can see it but the manager cant We need the likes of Mourinho to come in to give us some balls and character Because believe me we are going down as things stand If we dont act now theres no way back
Goal Keepers are supposed to dominate the 6 yard box and Hermansen just looks like a lost child in there . Potter signed this clown and clearly has no clue of how to successfully select quality players . Every corner looks like a potential goal against for Westham . Potter needs to be sacked today and the current Board need to go ASAP . I’m staggered at just how incompetent a club can be top to bottom . Westham are doomed if there isn’t an immediate change .
Key question… how did JWP stay in the pitch till injury time? Why did Potter take Fernandez and Paq off rhe pitch when we needed to score goals?
Can’t blame him for ending the game with 10 men… but this team has a deep problem… if we go behind we don’t try to get even…. we try to limit the damage.
The home record speaks for itself.
So who can replace him with?
Key answer… who would want to work with bosses like Laurel and Hardy?
Sorry Martin much as I hate to admit West Ham were so far off Spurs levels in every area it was embarrassing. Soucek, JWP, Kilman and Mavrapanos are not Premiership standard and were simply bypassed every time by a manager and team who had clearly identified our weaknesses. Even Fernandes was lucky not to concede 2 penalties as he struggled to defend corners. Only Diouff, Summerville, Walker-Peters and Magassa emerged with any credit and Potter subbed Summerville! Just watching Brentford and they are so far ahead of us aimlessly kicking the ball upfield where we had Paqueta who is never going to win a headed ball. 4 bloody defenders at the front post and no-one at the back, no wonder the stadium was 90% empty long before the end. Perhaps C&H could attend the next press conference and ask exactly how we have still failed to defend corners despite knowing the threat which Kudus posrs, and what they are actually coaching all week!
Potter’s judgement is starting to get very worrying. He buys 2 decent central midfielders but still starts with JWP and Soucek and he waits until the game’s gone before he tries playing with a centre forward at home. I just hope he learns from it but I suspect JWP is still a shoe-in for the next game.
It seems obvious now that the only way Ward-Prowse is not going to appear on the team sheet is if he gets suspended (unlikely the distance he keeps from the opposition and at his pace) or picks up a serious injury (again not likely). If he appears on the team sheet for the Palace game, then the blame is all Potters. Just don’t bring up Mourinho, Cooper & Dyche’s names in the conversation that will follow.
Keeper – needs to man up and take control/bully at corners
Dinos – looking like our best centre back at the moment … who would have thought it!
Kilman – so uncommanding it’s frightening. And someone tell him he can’t ping a ball long range
JWP – get out my team, offers nothing
Soucek – so slow and immobile, impact sub only
Potter – ffs stop being so cautious!! And trust the youth!!
Team for next week –
Hermansen
KWP/AWB
Dinos
Igor / Todibo if he can play LCB
Diouf
Magassa
Paqueta
Summerville
Fernandes
Bowen
Fullkrug/Wilson
Finally – Whatever you’re doing for corners ain’t working, change it up!
SB – out!
Not Hermansen how did we buy him when he is like a rabbit in the headlights at corners and does not command his box? Bring Fab back in to provide some experience and confidence.
Same with Todibo who has still not put in anywhere near the consistent level of quality his transfer fee cost. Have to find room for Potts, Marshall and Guilherme to inject pace and quality. As for corners seriously get a coach who actually knows what he is doing and sack Potter and his coaching team today. Zonal marking with a goalkeeper who flaps while our 2 smallest defenders left to mark their taller strikers! Absolutely clueless on the touchline and his substitutions were baffling taking off Fernandes and Paq when we needed to score goals. Meanwhile Ward- Prowse, Kilman and Soucek continue to be selected and we are back in the bottom 3. For Gods sake just sack him before the Palace game.
Another season with no forwards, it’s embarrassing how every premier league team has 4 and we get a couple of old boys to sit on the bench.
The ball just keeps coming back every time, it’s been the same for years now.
If this is the best potter can serve up, bye bye.
Prophets of doom are proved correct, Martin. Really hoped that was not going to be the case. Started brightly but frailty won out in the end.
Sad day.
Hardly prophets it’s been stated by so many what Potters faults are, the clear lack of pace in the midfield and the inability to defend crosses or corners. Many have been reiterating this for months, yet JWP starts every game and there seems to be no defensive set piece coaching, zonal marking is ineffective in this regard. Yes the ownership have huge questions to answer and trotting out Brady to answer for him makes Sullivan even more pathetic. But Potter got his choices in, didn’t want a striker and continues with his outdated ideas and poor team selection, substitutions and tactics then sings his own praises for being 0-0 at the break.
This guy is a CHOCOLATE TEAPOT 🫖