Graham Potter, as usual, speaks a good game. West Ham’s manager provides polished management-style speaking ahead of every fixture and there’s -most of the time- a calmness which only occasionally gets ruffled after some monstrous defeat. However, speaking about the players’ mindset, Potter would do well to remember that many of the troubles were self inflicted.
“It’s an important game for us,” Potter said when addressing the media ahead of Saturday’s 5.30pm kick off. “There was a determination [against Nottingham Forest] from the players that was born from frustration, disappointment and anger about how the first two games had gone.” (whufc.com)
Much of that “frustration, disappointment and anger” was, I’d wager, borne out of negative set ups, team selections which were based on tried and failed personnel and it was only when Graham Potter abandoned his favourite ‘five at the back and two up front’ defensive formation that the results came. It was like taking off the hand brake: A more aggressive set up is certainly what the spectators paying good money would demand. After last season’s limp , passion – free encounter when it seemed that neither supporters nor players could wait for the end of the season, West Ham fans will surely be in no mood for a repeat.
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That ‘determination‘ Potter speaks about needs to be shown again. Not just by the players, but by the West Ham manager who needs to demonstrate an aggressive mindset from the off: Sit back and defend against Tottenham and the crowd will not forgive him. Nor should they.
He now has the personnel to be more adventurous, with Summerville fit, Mateus Fernandes already impressing and Magassa and Potts now ready to offer energy, bite and pace where none was present in midfield. Let us just hope that the Hammers manager doesn’t revert to type and set the Irons up to be masters of their own downfall with that awful line of five at the back, defending for their lives with no outlet or respite.