In the past he's favoured a 3-4-3 formation...hard to see how we can do that currently with only 3 senior CBs, one of whom is injured. He's also played wingers (Solly March as an example) in the wing back roles.
Typically when a 3-4-3 gets announced on a match day the manager is immediately described as being too negative, too cautious etc. I guess it depends on the composition of the 4.
He's given young players chances...hopefully that continues at West Ham.
Welcome Graham.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 21:00
by RootsRadical
He doesn't need to overhaul the squad, just needs to sign a couple of players for the key areas already mentioned, and get the team organised, motivated and working hard.
I'm hopeful he will use and get the best out of the players we already have as we just had a major overhaul in the summer.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:56
by El Scorchio
I’m working my way through that podcast with him. Some things to really like. Seems a very erudite and intelligent bloke. Struck me when he talked briefly about his Chelsea losing to Brighton and he says ‘i got it tactically wrong’ firstly it’s good he recognised that and secondly it suggests at least he’s flexible in thinking about that.
but then again there is a discussion about his it’s important to have a good chairman. So maybe scrap all of the above….
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:50
by Mad Dog
I'm hopeful it will work...but cautious.
This is west ham after all and no matter how many times I either get my hopes up or think it can't get any worse somehow it does.
As people say, it's the hope that kills you.
I just want to go over there and not think it's a fucking chore anymore. Its felt that way for a while.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:49
by Nutsin
Not the worst pick,
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:46
by zico
I'm fairly hopefull but he needs to be given time because these aren't his players and he isn't going to overhaul the squad in January. He has something to prove so fingers crossed. Lop just felt totally wrong, hopefully Potter will be a good fit.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:46
by twoleftfeet
I have visions of Anchorman 2. Potter is Ron Burgundy and he is driving round to find his old assistants “ lads let’s get the team back together, there’s work to be done “
Two were working in Tescos , his fitness coach was running a pure gym and his goalkeeping coach was working at a Pontins kids club.
eusebiovic wrote: ↑08 Jan 2025, 19:29
I'm expecting a lot of draws to begin with but I guess that would be a sign of stability before putting down the foundations for something better.
He will discover pretty quickly that he will desperately need a decent striker and a mobile defensive midfielder like a fish needs water.
Apparently he's already told the club where the squad deficiencies are and the player profiles he needs them to sign in January.
Let's hope his appraisal is more accurate than the presentation Lopetegui had apparently prepared for a the board at his interview in the summer because that was obviously horseshit
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:20
by ragingbull
Need him in the dugout Friday so we benefit from the new manager bounce.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:15
by Takashi Miike
no clue who Zekko is, so don't blame me if he gets everything wrong
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:11
by stubbo-admin
Per Steinberg is a 2.5 year deal with NO break clause around performances. He got what he wanted.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:09
by wils
Django wrote: ↑08 Jan 2025, 20:02
Good luck to him. Hopefully he can sort the central midfield out. Signing Rodriguez and soler was loppys undoing imho.
It’s good to have an English manager, not enough in the league. He needs to prove himself like Howe did, hopefully he does similarly well. COYI.
Totally agree about him being English being a positive . I think it suits better. I know technically it doesn’t matter. If you care about results and he is getting them, why would you care? But the manager being an Englishman just feels more West Ham. Leave the fancy foreign managers for likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 20:02
by Django
Good luck to him. Hopefully he can sort the central midfield out. Signing Rodriguez and soler was loppys undoing imho.
It’s good to have an English manager, not enough in the league. He needs to prove himself like Howe did, hopefully he does similarly well. COYI.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:48
by stubbo-admin
eusebiovic wrote: ↑08 Jan 2025, 19:29
I'm expecting a lot of draws to begin with but I guess that would be a sign of stability before putting down the foundations for something better.
He will discover pretty quickly that he will desperately need a decent striker and a mobile defensive midfielder like a fish needs water.
Apparently he's already told the club where the squad deficiencies are and the player profiles he needs them to sign in January.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:42
by Sydney_Iron
Well i wish him well and hope he can sort things out, sign a couple before the end of Jan and get a tune out of our lot, so will be optimistic for the remainder of the season.
Club have made a pig's ear out of all this, whatever you think of Lopi, this could have been handled better, mind you it's also about 6 weeks too late as well, he should have gone end of November at the latest was plainly obvious way before then he wasn't up to it.
COYI
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:29
by eusebiovic
I'm expecting a lot of draws to begin with but I guess that would be a sign of stability before putting down the foundations for something better.
He will discover pretty quickly that he will desperately need a decent striker and a mobile defensive midfielder like a fish needs water.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:24
by Jaan Kenbrovin
2 1/2 year deal makes me more confident in bringing him in. Rather them back someone properly than a 6 month firefighting job trying to look good personally.
At least we can get into important transfers on a longer term basis than short gap signings for a short gap manager
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:20
by Tomsdad
So, how long has he got?
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 19:12
by Jasnik
Lets see if he can get Kudus to pass.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 18:35
by Solidbond1
First job is to sort the midfield out , which won’t be easy with the players he has at his disposal.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 18:35
by Massive Attack
I understood the context fully which is why I mentioned what had previously been going on before and after Potters dogshit stint of which he got the sack after 7 months of fucking it right up.
Of course league position is a statistic. Probably the most important one, although you shouldn't make too much of it when talking about someone in charge for only some of the season. Tuchel may have left them in 6th place, but they had a piss easy start to the season in those first 6 league games he was in charge of and yet somehow lost to Southampton and Leeds (who finished bottom 2). As I said, there's a reason Tuchel was sacked, and they definitely weren't riding on a high like you're making out.
You're suggesting Tuchel somehow failed at Chelsea but Potter didn't? Tuchel won them the Champions League, finished a season in 3rd and they were in 6th position when he got laughably sacked by Boehly who was like a kid in a sweet shop and choose flavour of the month Potter over Tuchel. The geezer needed drug testing at that stage.
Clearly I'm not saying that. I literally said Potter didn't do any better. You need to get over this 6th position thing and understand the context. They should have been 1st or 2nd given who they played in those 6 games, and their mediocre form had carried over from the last 2 months of the previous season.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 18:28
by Texas Iron
Chaos of a club…WHUFC…
Amateur ownership and third rate management…
Poor planning and strategic development…
Only out for quick profits with minimal long term view…
Need Professional Management…not part timers like Sullivan and the Baroness Brady
Of course league position is a statistic. Probably the most important one, although you shouldn't make too much of it when talking about someone in charge for only some of the season. Tuchel may have left them in 6th place, but they had a piss easy start to the season in those first 6 league games he was in charge of and yet somehow lost to Southampton and Leeds (who finished bottom 2). As I said, there's a reason Tuchel was sacked, and they definitely weren't riding on a high like you're making out.
You're suggesting Tuchel somehow failed at Chelsea but Potter didn't? Tuchel won them the Champions League, finished a season in 3rd and they were in 6th position when he got laughably sacked by Boehly who was like a kid in a sweet shop and choose flavour of the month Potter over Tuchel. The geezer needed drug testing at that stage.
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 08 Jan 2025, 18:22
by Gaffer58
If the current squad have no pace and cannot be arsed t run then it really doesn’t matter who’s in charge!
