West Ham’s defeat of [Nottingham Forest](https://www.claretandhugh.info/nottingham-forest-0-2-west-ham-player-ratings-as-hammers-thump-forest/) helped halt the downward slide and steady the ship: A lot more will be demanded of the team and of Graham Potter’s tactical selections when the Premier League battle recommences next weekend. What is clear is that the Hammers side goes into the Autumn in better shape than 12 months ago: Perhaps West Ham fans – me included – are allowing last year’s terrible performances to cloud our judgement as to the likely outcome of the forthcoming campaign.
What is it those disclaimers say on radio adverts for financial services? “_Past performance is no guarantee of future results”_. Quite so. And in this case it is worth looking especially at the improvements made to the squad in the back line and midfield which offer real optimism that the days of regularly shipping two, three, four or more goals might be fading into the rear view mirror.
Two midfield additions look excellent acquisitions. Too early to tell exactly, but the willingness of the manager to change the playing style and personnel is certainly cause for optimism. No more stubborn intransigent picking the same under performing players – you’d hope. In particular, the re-emergence of Konstantinos Mavropanos as a solid centre back, whilst not headline news could be a major boost for West Ham’s back line.
_Indeed, playing for his country last night, Mavropanos enjoyed a full 90 minutes against modest Belarus, looking solid and without the trademark error or three._ Potter seems to be regaining confidence in the Greek, from his selection and performance against Nottingham Forest: Definitely he offered more strength in the aerial bombardment to which Hermansen was subjected early on, and not enough recognition was given to his resolute defending of set pieces.
The extra defensive depth added by the two new full backs, again evident in the ‘Forest game, is again cause for cautious optimism. A stronger midfield, too, will play its part in shielding the back four in a way which was invisible just 12 months ago.
Signalling nobody is un-droppable, Potter left Jean Clair Todibo on the bench and the duo of Kilman and ‘Mav’ looked less shaky. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, one win after three defeats could be a false dawn. However, if Potter gets his selection right, there just might be a more resolute defence taking shape for the Autumn.