- 62 Comments
Three games, three defeats, 11 goals conceded. West Ham’s start to the season could not have been much worse – and it has piled the pressure on manager Graham Potter.
The latest loss – against Wolves in the Carabao Cup – ended with captain Jarrod Bowen appearing to confront a fan at full time, adding to the sense of crisis.
Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker described the situation as “very bleak”. But what can be done to turn the situation around? Do the issues go beyond just the manager?
‘The warning signs were there’
Matthew Hobbs, BBC Sport journalist
The overriding concern for West Ham fans is that the warning signs have been there for some time. Since Potter took over on 14 January, the Londoners would be bottom of a Premier League table featuring only the ever-present clubs and have have won just two of 13 Premier League matches since the start of March (D4, L7).
Of managers to take charge of 20 Premier League matches or more, only Avram Grant has a worse win percentage than his 25%. That includes predecessor Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked with the club 14th and seven points above the relegation zone after winning six of his 20 league games in charge.
A lot of focus has been on their defending. Only Tottenham and Brighton have conceded more goals among ever-present Premier League clubs since Potter took over and they have faced the most shots on target in the top-flight this season (12).
‘Recruitment has been a big problem’
The poor start has understandably put focus on the club’s summer recruitment.
West Ham have made five signings so far with highly rated full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and former Newcastle striker Callum Wilson among those to arrive.
However, they have yet to bring in a direct replacement for winger Mohammed Kudus – who joined London rivals Tottenham for £55m, and have so far failed to bring in a central midfielder.
Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker told the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast: “It looks very bleak for West Ham right now. Things are looking tough. I think they will be in a relegation battle this season. There was just no fight or togetherness against Chelsea. They looked like a bunch of individuals.
“The biggest worry is midfield because they just don’t have any legs or dogs of war to win the ball back. They look weak.
“They can’t get the ball up either because there’s no real target man. Recruitment has been a big problem at West Ham for some time now. They have no real direction in what they are trying to build or do.
“You can always tell a lot by a manager’s body language and facial expressions and a couple of times when the cameras panned to him, he looked like he had no idea what to do.
‘Potter has stepped into a maelstrom’
In a sense, West Ham’s problems date back to the aftermath of that euphoric night in Prague, when the club ended its 43-year wait for a trophy by beating Fiorentina in the Uefa Conference League final.
Owner David Sullivan announced virtually immediately that Declan Rice would be leaving and Tim Steidten came in as technical director to help reshape the Hammers squad with the £105m received from Arsenal.
Except it didn’t quite work out as planned.
For a start, Steidten and David Moyes were not aligned in their thinking, which eventually resulted in the German being banned from the training ground.
West Ham spent the Rice money and more on four signings, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Kostantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus, all of whom initially flattered, then became either inconsistent or ineffective. Kalvin Phillips arrived mid-season on loan but made no impact. Kudus was sold this summer. Alvarez has left on loan.
When Moyes left in 2024 – a move most accepted had to happen – Julen Lopetegui was chosen as his replacement by Steidten. Another £140m was spent on new players but, as a collective, made limited impact.
Lopetegui was sacked in January. Steidten left the following month.
It was into this maelstrom that Potter stepped.
As is his way, Potter has played down a desire for new signings. He is not the type to bemoan his lot publicly. He prefers to work with players to try and improve the collective group. That will not change no matter what pressure he comes under.
The reality is that West Ham still rely on Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, just as they did on their run to that famous night in Prague. The major difference is Rice is not there to hold it all together.
Potter is working hard to correct the situation. However, many West Ham fans have lost patience.
‘It all rests on the final days of the window’
James Jones from We Are West Ham
Three games into the new season and the direction in which West Ham is heading has never been more alarming.
Potter was given the benefit of the doubt after he arrived at the club in January. He inherited a squad of players which was in decline under the previous two managers, but he still managed to steer the club away from relegation trouble and oversaw impressive away wins against Arsenal and Manchester United in the process.
But now, with the club conceding 11 goals in three games and looking nowhere near good enough to compete at the top level of English football, the pressure is rightly building on Potter’s shoulders.
There are several factors to consider in this situation, though. Indeed, tactically West Ham have been very poor over the past couple of weeks. The back three don’t look suited to their jobs, the midfield is slow and cumbersome, and the attack is far too reliant on one player delivering each week.
Elsewhere, you have to wonder how this summer’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) restrictions have hindered Potter’s recruitment wishes. That isn’t his fault and there is a belief that the club wouldn’t be so desperate for reinforcements in the final week of the season had he had a bit more freedom to go out and get whoever he wanted.
But good managers adapt and at the moment, Potter isn’t adapting. He’s sticking with a formation that isn’t working and a midfield that isn’t good enough.
Related topics
- West Ham United
- Premier League
- Football
