West Ham United’s dismal 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 1, 2025, at Molineux has left manager Graham Potter searching for answers, and one player in particular has borne the brunt of his frustration. In his post-match analysis, Potter pointed the finger at loan striker Evan Ferguson, singling out the 20-year-old Republic of Ireland international for making “wrong choices” that cost the Hammers dearly in a match they desperately needed to win. The loss marked West Ham’s sixth defeat in 11 games under Potter’s stewardship, intensifying scrutiny on the former Brighton and Chelsea boss as he struggles to turn around the East London club’s fortunes.
The game itself was a tale of missed opportunities and defensive lapses. Wolves took the lead in the 21st minute through Jørgen Strand Larsen, whose deflected effort off ex-Wolves captain Max Kilman wrong-footed goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. West Ham, despite controlling possession at times, failed to muster a single shot on target—a damning statistic for a side that has now gone three Premier League matches without a victory. For Potter, the turning point came early, when Ferguson squandered a golden chance set up by Jarrod Bowen, a moment that shifted the game’s momentum.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Potter didn’t mince words. “We had a really good chance, a big chance, and Evan didn’t take it,” he said. “He’s making the wrong choices at key moments—poorly timed runs, not being clinical when it matters. That miss changed the game and cost us dear.” The manager’s frustration was palpable as he hooked Ferguson at halftime, replacing him with Niclas Füllkrug, who hadn’t played competitively in three months. Potter doubled down on his critique by praising Füllkrug’s impact, noting, “Niclas came on and made us much better. He gave us a focal point, something we lacked in the first half.”
Ferguson, on loan from Brighton until the end of the season, has yet to score in six appearances for West Ham since joining in January. Once hailed as a £100m talent and likened to Harry Kane during his breakout 2022/23 campaign at Brighton—where he scored 10 goals under Potter’s guidance—his form has nosedived. His performance against Wolves earned him a lowly 2/10 rating from Hammers News, with fans and pundits alike slamming his ineffectiveness. Posts on X echoed the sentiment, with one user lamenting, “Ferguson’s miss was criminal—how do you fluff that?” while another quipped, “Potter’s got a point; Evan’s lost the plot.”
The substitution paid dividends in terms of intent, if not the scoreline. Füllkrug, despite his rustiness, crashed a header off the crossbar and offered a physical presence that unsettled Wolves’ backline. Potter’s decision to laud the German striker while publicly chastising Ferguson has raised eyebrows, hinting at a growing rift. “Niclas showed what we need up top—touch, intelligence, a threat in the box,” Potter added, rubbing salt into Ferguson’s wounds. For a young player already under pressure to justify his move, this public dressing-down could prove a defining moment.
West Ham’s broader struggles under Potter compound the issue. Since taking over from Julen Lopetegui in January, the 49-year-old has won just three of his 11 matches, leaving the Hammers languishing in 16th place with 34 points—safe from relegation but far from the European aspirations they harbored at the season’s outset. The team’s attacking woes are stark: they’ve scored only 10 goals in those 11 games, averaging less than one per match. Fans, initially hopeful that Potter’s progressive style would revitalize the squad, are growing restless, with some questioning his tactics and team selections.
Ferguson’s woes are symptomatic of a wider malaise. The Hammers’ midfield, including stalwarts like James Ward-Prowse and Lucas Paquetá, was overrun by Wolves’ energy, while the defense—shorn of Jean-Clair Todibo and with Konstantinos Mavropanos shaky—failed to inspire confidence. Potter acknowledged the collective shortcomings, admitting to NBC Sports, “We need to do better, I need to do better. We’re not attacking well enough, and we’re not managing games properly.” Yet his focus on Ferguson suggests the striker has become a lightning rod for the team’s frustrations.
For Ferguson, the clock is ticking. With Füllkrug now back in contention and West Ham potentially eyeing permanent moves in the summer, his loan spell risks ending in ignominy. Potter, who knows the player well from their Brighton days, clearly still sees potential but is losing patience. “Evan’s got the tools, but he’s got to start making the right decisions,” he concluded. As West Ham prepare to face Bournemouth next, all eyes will be on whether Ferguson gets a chance to redeem himself—or if Potter’s faith has already shifted elsewhere. For now, the young striker’s “wrong choices” have left him in the crosshairs of a manager under pressure to deliver.
