West Ham have travelled up to the Black Country for a Carabao Cup tie with Wolves on the back of two awful Premier League season-opening fixtures. Eight goals conceded so far. A newly signed goal keeper under torrents of criticism, along with the defence in front of him. Graham Potter desperately needs a win – even in the Carabao Cup, in which West Ham never go far – just to boost morale and steady the decline of his authority.
With these early 7.30 kick offs the sides are named early – so we will not have to wait long to see how Potter responds to the Chelsea game. Generally accepted that he’ll remove Mads Hermansen from the firing line, and in addition, use some of the younger talent waiting patiently on the fringes to date. Freddie Potts, Callum Marshall, George Earthy and Ollie Scarles will all be hoping to see their names on the team sheet.
The team news has been released and West Ham United will line up as follows:
Areola, Walker -Peters, Mavropanos, Todibo, Aguerd, Diouf, Rodriguez, Ward Prowse, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen
We’ll have Gonzo’s “player ratings” piece live just after the game along with my “final whistle – first impressions’ article so do check back at full time to compare your observations with ours: The game is live on Sky plus tonight.
Come. On. You. Irons!
The worst manager in our history.
Makes lots of noise about youth, then sticks with the most limited midfield in our history. He didn’t buy them, but he’s playing them.
The only thing worse than him at the club is our chairman.
Potter out! his team selections are f**King awful!! Same stodgy midfield and no striker? What’s wrong with playing some of our younger players? Massive shake up needed!!
Clearly Potter’s selecting teams to lose so he can get the sack. Presumably he will be compensated if he is fired. This team selection is woeful.
Is Sully picking the team? Potts was our best player pre-season. Scarles was a given last season. How about Orford and Marshall still on bench. Ridiculous.
Drop Soucek and JWP, with Potts and Orford or Scarles instead. At least they have mobility, speed, and are willing to track and tackle. I thought Potter liked younger players that he could mold effectively.
Literally everyone apart from the manager would have brought youth into team. Bizarre choice of starting 11, especially with neither Fulkrug or Wilson. Makes no sense
Think Potter wants out of West Ham and have a nice payout so he can retire again.
So Arsenal give a PL debut to a fantastic 15 year old, Liverpool give a 16 year old his debut and he scores the winning goal against Newcastle last night. And West Ham? JWP, Rodriguez, Soucek and Mavrapanos all start while 3 strikers sit on the bench alongside our wasted young talent. Potter has learned nothing despite all his promises to give Academy players their chance and he still won’t drop Ward-Prowse! Good enough for Arsenal and Liverpool but Potter won’t even give them their chance in a 2nd round Carabao Cup tie against Wolves! So bloody negative and gives fans and players zero confidence.
Spot on, well said, we need the Youth to kick on and at least give us some excitement
Potter wants to get fired and enjoy his pay packet. That is the only explanation for fielding this type of lineup.
I’m scratching my head to think of any other reason for “one attacker..”.
Freddie Potts should have started, George Earthy should have been on the bench. Ward Prowse Rodriguez isn’t a midfield it’s a death wish…
We won’t win this.
Almost getting bizarre that he won’t pick Potts and still prefers the soon to depart Rodriguez.
What was he thinking in selecting that team. Obviously not interested in participating further in league cup.
Proof if it was needed that all that line up is about is meeting the obligation to field a team in a competition they do not care about as staying in the Premier League is the one and only priority of the Club…Sullivans fingers getting burned and his bum put to the fire all over the media has forced him to act and i have no doubt he has told Potter do his best to throw this game
Just throw the game if you have no interest in the tournament or play the U21s.
Club should refund all ticket and travel costs – let alone lost earnings and A/L for the many who have made a mid week evening trip to the midlands for this.
Oh for goodness’ sake. This is only going to go one way and not a good one!
Totally baffling! I guess when you are a multi-millionaire and being paid the kind of ridiculous salaries applied to everyone in football, you really don’t give a damn, as demonstrated by this line up. It’s back to pre-season friendlies for this competition.
Everyone (except possibly Bowen) in the first eleven is a potential fall guy. 3-1 Wolves.
At least there are 3 in the midfield instead of 2. still choosing a midfield trio nobody trusts. It is not the individuals, but the combination of the 3.
Glad to see Mavropanos in the lineup for his willingness to battle for the ball, just hope no clangers. I know it is the way of swapping players in and out like pawns, but you should have centre halves who are used to playing together and one who is clearly in charge. The team has enough problems already.
also wish the youngsters were not sent on in hope but were trusted more, to become an integral part of the team. Maybe that is the intention but time is needed – maybe they are right, but I’d still have Potts starting I have to say.
Is Potter really a premier manager … liver pool play a 16 yo arsenal a 16 yo yet he can’t play Potts Marshall scarles …….i am sure he must be angling for a pay off no other explanation , the midfield is an insult to supporters … hope he gets his wish , we lose and to Forest and he goes .. please god
Potter must have lost the plot or maybe he never had it but that staring 11 will have lost the game by half time. The lack of pace is clear to see with potter having trouble with his eye sight it’s going to be another loss . Thought things had gone bad under Moyes and JLO but this beats them hands down from the top down there has to be changes
I truly don’t understand Potters vibes about giving youngsters a start and what he does in real life. Same OLD 5 across the back (which isn’t working), no kegs in midfield and Bowen wasted up front. Is Potter trying to get the sack and cash in? Not looking forward to watching this game.
If Wolves put out a strong side then Sorry all but with THAT lethargic midfield I’m going for a 2-0 loss . No pace at all. Hope I’m proven wrong but it appears Potter has not learned anything.
Pathetic – that midfield is going to cover a few miles, errmmm yards…
Seems to me that Potter thinks the opposition half has been mined !
Thought was Rodriguez was going, so why play him ? and Ward Prowse, oh dear.
Wolves will have too much energy, another 3-0 defeat I reckon.
What an absolute disgraceful team selection – does Potter really not want to be here? Why not start the younger players if you won’t do it in the league? Why start with the right winger up top and have three strikers on the bench?
Why persist with Rodriguez when he’s meant to be leaving? Give Pottsy a chance!
Back to Jarrod leading the line again!
So Potter has gone for a super static midfield – hoping for a 0-0 and then win on pens?
Potter is a very hard coach to understand. JWP plays every game, Rodriguez is supposedly being sold and Soucek is a sub to maybe score a goal.
So he’s playing the least mobile, creative or defensive midfield without a centre forward.
Baffling.
Does he have any intention to get academy players really up and running in the team? The midfield is void and useless how could academy players be worse and at least we would learn something about them.
What is this line up going to tell us except the midfield is useless, Bowen isn’t a centre forward and none of the centre backs are good enough.
Picking JWP every game kind of sums Potter up.
Similar situation when Moyes continually played Soucek.
Potter is also obsessed with Prowse.
You would have thought he’d learned by now .
Seems like Sullivan and Potter have their own ideas_heads could roll.
With a wrong result knives will be out.
541 how exciting. Not sure I can even be bothered to watch Potterball
Please sack him now
Criminal
Is Potter on a wind up? That starting eleven is a joke. Why no youth? Is he playing Paqueta up top or 5-4-1? Why not change to a 4-3-3? That system is clearly not working for the players he’s picked. I am gobsmacked!