Most managers have their own ‘pet’ players about whom they can see no wrong. Usually there are stats or data to back up the manager’s choice: David Moyes had his Czech boys and before them at Everton his leggy midfielder Marouane Fellaini who was the first name on the team sheet.
Graham Potter, unfortunately, has a ‘thing’ for James Ward-Prowse. Everyone watching from the stands can see how immobile and ineffective the Hammers’ 30 year old £30 million man is these days. it seems that he is getting picked on reputation rather than on current performance. Now that the Hammers have Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes, there is no reason for JWP to get into the starting XI. His dead ball skills are worthless – he hasn’t scored a free kick for two years.
Summing up perfectly, footballfancast.com label Ward-Prowse a ‘dud’ – which sums him up well – their article :”Potter can save his job by dropping West Ham dud” continues by pointing the finger firmly at the three under performers that need axing: No surprise wit the first one:
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“*Mads Hermansen, as even though he wasn’t to blame for the loss away to Sunderland, and even pulled off a fine stop early on in that match, he’s since been a real hazard between the sticks.* For example, according to FBref, his save percentage has fallen from 64.5% for Leicester City last season to just 45% this year” Nobody is going to argue with that.
Mads Hermansen – dreadful start at West Ham
“Another struggling member of the defensive unit has been Max Kilman, (main pic) who has started all four league games this season, in which the team have conceded a whopping 11 goals. Moreover, in the game against Spurs, he lost 100% of his ground duels, misplaced five of six long balls, failed in 100% of his attempted dribbles and didn’t make a single tackle or interception.”
Kilman’s £40 million price tag is looking a colossal waste of money on his form this season and his meek surrender to the Tottenham attack.
And finally, of Ward -Prowse: “The former Southampton captain joined the Hammers for £30m in the summer of 2023, and while there have certainly been some decent performances from the 30-year-old since, it would be hard to describe his move as anything other than a failure.”
And with that trio replaced, there might be hope yet of a Potter resurgence. But on past performance, James Ward Prowse’s position as teacher’s pet just doesn’t look under threat. Potter’s blindness to what is staring him in the face could, in the end, cost him his career.