Potter Out

[THUNDERCLINT]

Had enough of this arogrant no mark now.  

11 games, 27% win ratio and 0.66 goals per game.

Either the break clause is true or this flake quits otherwise were proper fucked.

[El Scorchio]

He is carried by the team like you would a great goals orer of yesteryear. Examples might be Cottee, Clive Allen, Fowler etc, would have 10 touches of the ball in many games but score one or two goals so no worries.

Problem with Soucek is he aint scoring 20 goals a season but im our squad scoring 5-10 a season gets him in as the bar is so much lower. He actually gets the chances but misses over half of them. To be fair in Moyes low block, 30% possession tactics he was a good fit as his aerial strength and ability to get in last ditch, defensive blocks was far more important.  

At 30 and still with a sale value, the smart thing is to sell him asap. No room for sentimentality. He has been a good buy but if we want to fix central midfield, the weakest area in the squad, its a no brainer, sell him this summer to get funds.  The only caviat is that now Sullivan is back negotiatimg deals, I have a feeling we wont get many of Potters targets and end up with worse options, old and slow from as Salthouse, Silkman and co look to get a last gig for aging clients on their books who have a great past reputation. Sullivan always, I repeat always, avoid young uns, both players and managers, and will unzip for a player nearing or in his 30s that once played for a successful Champs league side.  “Razzle dazzle” is back !!!

Agree- we really should look to sell him now while his value is relatively high and there will almost certainly be a man on Merseyside enquiring after him. Possibly a few clubs on the continent as well. One of only a handful we could get decent wedge for and he won't leave a gaping hole in the team. It's time to move on.

For me, 39 goals in 239 games isn't a bad return for a midfielder, and whatever his merits and limitation's great servant and seems like a top bloke. I'd wish him well, and if we sell him for a profit as well, then he's been good business for us.

[Takashi Miike]

klopp had already won the german league twice, a german cup and runner up in the champions league. this cսnt averaged just over a goal a game in brighton, yes give him time

[LeroysBoots]

His comment today that Fullkrug will be assessed, fuck off you miserable twat. He is again setting us up to play a containing game with no focal point in attack. I'm sick to death of him wedging people in positions alien to them 

[twoleftfeet]

I was watching a documentary about Jurgen Klopps last season at Liverpool and it showed how his career started as a player etc etc but what was interesting was that he joined mid season and the results were indifferent and the supporters were calling for his head but he was given time to mould the side into HIS side and he got rid of a lot of the Brendan Rogers players.

We need to give Potter time.

[Sir Alf]

He is carried by the team like you would a great goals orer of yesteryear. Examples might be Cottee, Clive Allen, Fowler etc, would have 10 touches of the ball in many games but score one or two goals so no worries.

Problem with Soucek is he aint scoring 20 goals a season but im our squad scoring 5-10 a season gets him in as the bar is so much lower. He actually gets the chances but misses over half of them. To be fair in Moyes low block, 30% possession tactics he was a good fit as his aerial strength and ability to get in last ditch, defensive blocks was far more important.  

At 30 and still with a sale value, the smart thing is to sell him asap. No room for sentimentality. He has been a good buy but if we want to fix central midfield, the weakest area in the squad, its a no brainer, sell him this summer to get funds.  The only caviat is that now Sullivan is back negotiatimg deals, I have a feeling we wont get many of Potters targets and end up with worse options, old and slow from as Salthouse, Silkman and co look to get a last gig for aging clients on their books who have a great past reputation. Sullivan always, I repeat always, avoid young uns, both players and managers, and will unzip for a player nearing or in his 30s that once played for a successful Champs league side.  “Razzle dazzle” is back !!!

[El Scorchio]

A huge factor in why our midfield is shit is Soucek. Yes he pops up with a goal every now and then but watch any game he starts this season and you'll see the following 

- least amount of touches of anyone on the pitch 
- Not showing for the ball off the centre halves 
- miles away from his midfield partner when they have the ball 
- fucks off hiding up front when we have the ball in our half 
- wrong side of the ball when we lose it as he has fucked off up front meaning we have no defensive shape when teams counter us
- low pass completion 
- Loses the ball often or kicks it out of play when pressed

Yes great pro blah blah but fuck me he is fucking useless as a premier league centre midfielder. Cant run, Can't pass, scared to get on the ball. I beg Moyes is lining up a £20m bid 

Fair, in that he's lacking some aspects, but some of the things he's being called out for here are not going to be the role in the team he's been asked to do.

- Not showing for the ball off the centre halves 
- miles away from his midfield partner when they have the ball 
- fucks off hiding up front when we have the ball in our half 
- wrong side of the ball when we lose it as he has fucked off up front meaning we have no defensive shape when teams counter us

If he's the advanced one in the midfield, he's not going to be doing some of those, and he's probably been instructed to stay up front.

[Alfs]

 

Agree, just pure BS with no link etc.

It's reported Hammers News, but is just conjecture.

[BBondsBootlaces]

No to the Antonio extension. Insurance is covering his wages (I imagine). Great servant to the club etc. but time to move on.

[Manuel]

Been reading this morning that Potter highly rates Mavropanos, and is giving serious consideration to offering Antonio and Cresswell a year long extension each


 

link?

Agree, just pure BS with no link etc.

[Jasnik]

I do understand Antonio is injured due to that horrific car crash but should we be giving him a year extension just because? 

[Dick Shaftsbury]

Been reading this morning that Potter highly rates Mavropanos, and is giving serious consideration to offering Antonio and Cresswell a year long extension each

 

link?

[Maverick180180]

Been reading this morning that Potter highly rates Mavropanos, and is giving serious consideration to offering Antonio and Cresswell a year long extension each
 

[Rossal]

A huge factor in why our midfield is shit is Soucek. Yes he pops up with a goal every now and then but watch any game he starts this season and you'll see the following 

- least amount of touches of anyone on the pitch 
- Not showing for the ball off the centre halves 
- miles away from his midfield partner when they have the ball 
- fucks off hiding up front when we have the ball in our half 
- wrong side of the ball when we lose it as he has fucked off up front meaning we have no defensive shape when teams counter us
- low pass completion 
- Loses the ball often or kicks it out of play when pressed

Yes great pro blah blah but fuck me he is fucking useless as a premier league centre midfielder. Cant run, Can't pass, scared to get on the ball. I beg Moyes is lining up a £20m bid 

[Sir Alf]

Any central midfield combos are hamstrung by the fact that not one of the squad options can cover the ground at pace and / or carry the ball or play on the half turn. Also Alvarez is the only one who has the physicality to protect the ball. We are highly vulnerable to turnimg it over. All above traits are needed to progress the ball thru midfield and resist teams that press well ( almost every team does ) .  Means we get trapped deep in our own half having to play side to side, backwards to avoid being dispossessed before finally having to hit it long to forwards. That is at least an option when Fullkrug plays as he can hold it up and has the strength and ability to then lay off to Bowen or Kudus etc.

In short, a complete failure in recruitment under 3 managers ( arguably more if you look back before Rice emerged ).  Not one manager or recruitment specialist or data analyst at West Ham identified the need for athleticism, pace and physicality needed in central midfield. It has become critical to success and been that way since Kante enabled a struggling Leicester to win the Premiership.

West Ham got lucky that a central defender in their development squad was tried as a defensive midfielder. We have to credit Bilic for that. Rice was arguably an accident that turned into a hundred million international. But then with 100 million no one at the club seemed to recognise the need to replace his ability to cover the pitch, run with the ball.  Alvarez I guess was what they settled on. Good player but as fast as me !!   No one at West Ham saw the need? Possibly because Moyes didnt as his tactics were extreme low block and counter? Then Lopetegui says he had watched us before taking the job? He must have been pissed or not been to specsavers to not see the need?

Has Potter seen the problem? Rumours from Ex and others at the club about wanting a dynamic centralmidfielder suggest yes but we are about to find out this summer. Imho we need 2 probably 3 players in the squad with a profile like Rice, Gravenberch at Liverpool, Caicedo and Fernandez at Chelsea, Gibbs White at Forest, Linton and Tonali at Newcastle, the latest bloke Brighton have who the rich clubs now want etc etc.  

We have to get more than one with this profile or bring back Earthy who is getting rave reviews for his out of possession pressing now he’s secured a starting spot at Bristol City.  
 

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

I get the impression Potter isn't a fan of our big  Saxon unit ?.
understandable when a beta  has an  Alpha to deal with.
 

[El Scorchio]

"It is a bit worry though that between all the players at the club there isn't a combo that at least works well temporarily"

This.  I don't believe that there is not a combo that can work.....or at least work alot better than it has been so far this season. I thought Potter had enough about him to find a solution or at least get the players playing better.  Playing that midfield 3 on sat for me rings massive alarm bells.  

Yeah I should have said 'seems to work' temporarily. I do find it a little odd that no combo offers what we need. I guess a lot of the players don't have that skillset. Alvarez is the only CDM we have- it's clear Guido isn't kicking a ball for us again barring a big injury crisis. JWP is the one he's settled on. He's got the technical tools to at least move the ball quickly, but just not the legs or physicality to drive forward. I guess the others just aren't decent defensively. It's hard to know what to do with Soler and Soucek and clearly Paqueta's best position in this formation hasn't been found yet. Going from 3 to 2 inthe middle of the park does require the two to be more complete than the ones we have. You can get away with masking things in a three a little more.

But I am a little surprised something a touch more effective hasn't been found. 

[Rossal]

"It is a bit worry though that between all the players at the club there isn't a combo that at least works well temporarily"

This.  I don't believe that there is not a combo that can work.....or at least work alot better than it has been so far this season. I thought Potter had enough about him to find a solution or at least get the players playing better.  Playing that midfield 3 on sat for me rings massive alarm bells.  

[Tomshardware]

I am (just) in the let's see early next season camp, based on the expected large turnover of players we are going to see, so logically imo if we have different types of players then we 'should' see a different style of play, with hopefully better players, as that is generally the idea when bringing players in.

One of the things I've been disappointed in his perceived lack of 'spunk' it all just seems too nice and monotone.  I appreciate most managers praise up the oppo in pressers etc but this fella seems to go ott with it, all you hear is 'expecting a tough game' ;they will be a tough opponent' etc, it just sends out a message of lacking belief and not being superior even when playing the likes of Wolves and Bournemouth. Fuck knows how scared of Liverpool he will be. I want a manager who worries the opposition.

No different to any other manager, even Slot and Pep say it in their press conferences.

[El Scorchio]

Huge gap to fill in the middle of the park. Unfortunately none of the players we have are what we need to be competitive there. None have the engine, speed and physicality you seem to need now to get from box to box, press, break up attacks and move the ball forward quickly.

Fix that and we will likely start to look somewhat more competitive and more of a force going forward.

It is a bit worry though that between all the players at the club there isn't a combo that at least works well temporarily. An actual presence up front like Fullkrug might make us look somewhat better. Looks like the Ferguson experiment is over seen as he didn't even get on the field and looks almost certain to not be here next season. Worth a roll of the dice but the bloke has offered absolutely nothing at all since he's rocked up. Fullkrug looks ten times the player TBH. Far hungrier and willing to get stuck in. Different level of professionalism, seemingly.

[Manuel]

I am (just) in the let's see early next season camp, based on the expected large turnover of players we are going to see, so logically imo if we have different types of players then we 'should' see a different style of play, with hopefully better players, as that is generally the idea when bringing players in.

One of the things I've been disappointed in his perceived lack of 'spunk' it all just seems too nice and monotone.  I appreciate most managers praise up the oppo in pressers etc but this fella seems to go ott with it, all you hear is 'expecting a tough game' ;they will be a tough opponent' etc, it just sends out a message of lacking belief and not being superior even when playing the likes of Wolves and Bournemouth. Fuck knows how scared of Liverpool he will be. I want a manager who worries the opposition.

[BRANDED]

Bloke's an absolute fraud. Fucking boring useless shitcuntery.

[Swiss.]

Luckily we have this 18 month clause so if he doesn't improve us by the end of next season we can sack him without compo.

I recon we'll be lower to mid table again next season so he'll be gone. 

 

[Rossal]

It was pretty obvious under Jlop that it wasnt going to last very long and he was the wrong guy. 

At the moment I feel like it's leaning towards that again with Potter rather than the resurgence we see when Moyes first came in. 

I thought he was/is a brilliant coach who would get an improvement out of many individuals in the squad but not seen it so far. Saturday was like Jlop, pick an awful starting 11 who play shit first half then raft of subs and save it in the second half 

People saying wait for the summer etc.....but if he can't get an improvement out of this squad which on paper is packed with talent then why give him the summer and many millions to spend? 

[Russ of the BML]

What worried me against Bournemouth was that, although we looked generally competitive, how fucking long it took us to have a proper chance. I am tyring to gauge what's worse, under Moyes just sitting back and playing with 30% possession and having only a few chances per game, or under Potter having most of the possession and having only a few chances per game. Both are infuriating. 

[nychammer]

I really want him to work out here but I think he has actually made us worse. We are not getting the 4 nil pastings anymore but it doesn't look like we can get a result of any kind at the moment

Couldn’t agree more - bring back Davey boy

There is no going back and we cant just keep binning managers because they haven't turned us into CL contenders overnight. The second half today and the second half against Wolves showed we are improving and transitioning from the Moyes low block style and trying to press a bit more and having more possession. Now, we don't have the dynamism and pace in midfield to move the ball forward as the first half showed. This quad is self limiting and he needs to target the right players over the summer. 

I will judge Potter after the summer window.