Speaking on commentary via the World Feed (14 January, 7:36pm), Gale slammed Wan-Bissaka’s attitude after a Fulham throw-in, allowing Alex Iwobi to run in behind him before Harry Wilson hit the bar.
Wan-Bissaka and the Irons were given a reprieve by the woodwork, but he soon made an impact at the other end, racing into the area and teeing up Tomas Soucek to make it 2-0 after Carlos Soler’s opener.
Gale said: “That’s far too easy for Fulham to open up West Ham there – Fulham get unlucky, Harry Wilson hitting the bar.
“[It’s a] simple throw-in, Iwobi got in behind, really slack marking from the West Ham team at the moment.”
“Just slackness by Wan-Bissaka, letting Iwobi in behind him – just a total shut-off of concentration there and Iwobi made the most of it.”
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and West Ham spooked into life v Fulham
Things didn’t look much different from the Julen Lopetegui era in the opening half-hour of Graham Potter’s debut match at the London Stadium, with Fulham dominating both the possession and chances.
Wilson hitting the bar preceded further lucky escapes for the hosts as Emile Smith Rowe and Antonee Robinson blazed wide, with the entire Hammers side from front to back looking leggy and lacklustre.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka responded to his early setback by setting up Tomas Soucek to make it 2-0
However, those early chances appeared to spark the Irons into some semblance of urgency, with Wan-Bissaka in particular providing the width they had sorely lacked in the opening stages of the game.
Wan-Bissaka – signed as a largely defensive-minded option on the right – began to get forward at will, with Potter clearly urging the 27-year-old to make runs into the box whenever the situation allowed.
With Fulham on the ropes having gifted Soler the opener, Wan-Bissaka did just that, and his pinpoint cutback for Soucek’s second goal was a clear indication that the full-back can excel under Potter.
