Graham Potter’s West Ham Struggles Continue as Hammers Sit 17th in Premier League
West Ham United’s struggles under head coach Graham Potter continued over the weekend as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium. The loss has left the Hammers 17th in the Premier League table, just three places below where Julen Lopetegui left them.
The match saw chants of “You’re nothing special, we lose every week” from the travelling West Ham fans, who were also heard singing about Niclas Fullkrug, the team’s big German striker. Fullkrug, who was introduced at half-time, appeared to have a positive impact on the game, allowing Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus to operate in wide areas and giving West Ham an attacking focal point.
However, despite taking a 2-1 lead with minutes to go, West Ham conceded two late goals to Brighton, securing a 3-2 victory for the home side. The defeat comes just a week after West Ham conceded an injury-time equaliser to Southampton, which saw them drop to 17th in the table.
According to Sky Sports, Potter has won just three of his 14 games in charge, a record that has led to growing criticism of the team’s performances. In comparison, Lopetegui won six of his 20 Premier League matches.
While Potter has succeeded in making West Ham harder to beat, with the team conceding at an average of 1.09 goals per match since his arrival, the team’s attacking struggles have continued. West Ham’s opponents have scored at an average of 1.09 since Potter’s arrival, compared to the 39 they shipped in Lopetegui’s tenure at nearly two per game.
The introduction of Fullkrug at half-time appeared to change the dynamics of the game, with Kudus seeing more ball on the left for West Ham, and Bowen creating the goals for Kudus and Tomas Soucek on the right. However, despite the positives, Potter knows that he needs to find a solution to the team’s defensive and attacking woes.
As Sky Sports reports, Potter has talked about needing to find the right balance between defence and attack, and if he is to succeed, that is the solution he needs to find. A stingier defence is only part of the solution.
Potter’s reaction to the defeat was one of frustration, saying: “There are lots of positives, but no one wants to hear positives. Doesn’t matter. [I’m] sick of talking about positives.” Until the positives turn into points, he is likely to continue to hear the uncomfortable chants about a big German.
The team’s struggles have led to growing criticism from fans, with many calling for improvement. As one fan was heard chanting, “They’re entitled to sing whatever they want. That’s it,” Potter knows that he has a tough task ahead of him to turn the team’s fortunes around.
West Ham’s next match is against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, and Potter will be looking to secure a much-needed win to ease the pressure on him and his team. With the team’s current form, it remains to be seen whether they can achieve the desired result.
The Hammers’ defensive transformation has been underpinned by a change of system, with Potter adopting a back five, or back three with wing-backs in 10 of his 14 matches. Under Potter with a back five, goals conceded drops to 0.9 per match against 1.5 with a back four.
However, despite the defensive improvements, West Ham’s attacking struggles have continued, with the team scoring just 15 goals in 14 matches under Potter. The team’s inability to score goals has been a major concern, and Potter will be looking to address this issue in the coming weeks.
In conclusion, West Ham’s struggles under Graham Potter continue, with the team sitting 17th in the Premier League table. Despite the positives, Potter knows that he needs to find a solution to the team’s defensive and attacking woes to turn the team’s fortunes around. With the team’s current form, it remains to be seen whether they can achieve the desired result against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
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