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Something Graham Potter is doing at West Ham proves he’s actually one step behind
Antony Martin
3 – 4 minutes
Graham Potter was named as the new West Ham United head coach back in January.
However, his West Ham tenure hasn’t quite taken off just yet.
A return of 12 points from 11 Premier League games is not impressive one little bit, and Graham Potter has to realise very quickly that the honeymoon period at the London Stadium is over.
Now is when the pressure truly kicks in for the Hammers head coach now.
Graham Potter responded to boos from the West Ham fans on Saturday by suggesting that he totally understands the way they’re feeling right now.
READ MORE: Major blow for West Ham as £30 million man suffers injury yet again at the worst possible time
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Potter has improved the Hammers’ defending, but it has been painful to watch the attacking play at times.
The 49-year-old is planning a huge squad rebuild at West Ham this summer. But in the here and now, he needs to start doing better with the options he has available to him.
Graham Potter is ‘one step behind’ at West Ham
Potter has to ensure that he doesn’t tread the same path taken by Julen Lopetegui.
The Hammers head coach has to start making better decisions when it comes to his starting lineup.
Lopetegui constantly got his starting XI wrong, and made more half-time changes than any other Premier League manager during his time at the London Stadium.
And worryingly, Potter has been doing the same thing.
The Athletic journalist Mark Carey highlighted how Potter’s constant tinkering is a sign that he’s actually one step behind right now:
“Reactive adaptation can occasionally present as being one step behind rather than one step ahead.
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
“Changes to the starting line-up are normal across a season — and often enforced by injury concerns — but it can be difficult for players to change roles within a game and be instantly synced into their new demands.“
That’s spot on. Every West Ham fan would have known that Potter’s starting XI’s were simply not right in pretty much every game he’s taken charge of this season.
Graham Potter has no choice after Niclas Fullkrug revelation
Potter’s failure to start Niclas Fullkrug for the clash with Bournemouth on Saturday angered many Hammers fans.
Now the Hammers boss has no choice but to play the German from the start against Liverpool this weekend.
Fullkrug has scored three goals from four shots on target for West Ham this season – an incredible 75% conversion rate.
Graham Potter has got to stop playing things so safe at West Ham.
The Hammers won’t be getting relegated this season, so why not try and be a bit more ambitious.
If he continues to get his team selections wrong, the West Ham fans will begin to doubt his suitability to the job at the London Stadium.
