Pied piper Graham Potter has the West Ham squad following his tune as two U18 stars are rewarded with call-ups in training for Newcastle.
After 12 long days, West Ham are gearing up to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Monday night.
Graham Potter’s side are going in search of something very rare over the last year – three consecutive victories.
Newcastle, hit by the loss of a number of key players, are under pressure to win to keep their push for Europe on track.
West Ham can make a case to challenge for a top half finish during the run-in if they win.
Should the Hammers beat the Magpies, they will move up to 13th place in the table above Spurs and Man United.
Potter has been putting the squad through its paces ahead of the game.
West Ham have published video footage from Rush Green.
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Here’s five big things spotted in training for Newcastle as two Under 18 stars are rewarded with a first team call.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Chalk and cheese as Potter fosters happy Hammers camp
Don Hutchison claimed West Ham’s training ground was a dead zone under Julen Lopetegui.
The former Hammer revealed morale was through the floor leading up to Lopetegui’s sacking.
His claims were backed up when the Hammers would release footage from the training ground as it clear players were quiet and miserable.
One look at at the video ahead of Newcastle shows just how much that has changed under Potter.
The squad is buzzing, all smiles, enjoying the sessions and working hard.
There is lots of laughter and Pied Piper Potter has them on strings. It really is great to see.
Loan needed as West Ham trio struggle
Obviously the footage is only a sample of the training session.
But on this evidence, three players in particular struggled.
Luis Guilherme looked like he’d cracked it when he came on a substitute in the defeat to Chelsea last month.
Indeed reports have claimed his cameo in that game persuaded Potter to keep him at the club. Word in January was that West Ham’s owners were pushing to try and offload the Brazilian teenager to Saudi Arabia after a difficult first season following his £20m summer move.
Guilherme gives the ball away a couple of times and cannot beat marker Emerson or Guido Rodriguez. It perhaps explains why he has barely been seen since the Chelsea game. Let’s hope the longer he works with Potter the more he improves.
Another who struggled was new striker signing Evan Ferguson. The Irishman is yet to start since arriving from Brighton despite West Ham’s lack of forward options.
He has a particularly poor touch in one clip and is dominated by Konstantinos Mavropanos in the high intensity section of training, being bullied off the ball far too easily. Ferguson also struggles to get involved in the rest of the footage and also gives the ball away.
Promising midfielder Lewis Orford also looks like he may need to go out on loan. The youngster was given a couple of chances early on under Potter but looked a bit out of his depth. In training he takes too long on the ball and overhits a relatively simple through pass to Edson Alvarez. Although the Mexican’s lack of pace didn’t help.
A loan could do Orford the world of good this summer, as it has done for Freddie Potts at Portsmouth.
Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Potter rewards West Ham Under 18s duo with call-ups
Those watching training may have spotted two new faces.
Under 18s goalkeeper Lanre Awesu has been in and around the first squad of late.
The 17-year-old’s huge physical presence belies his young age.
Awesu signed a full-time Scholarship ahead of this season after two years with the Academy.
West Ham say he is commended for his attitude as well as his shot stopping.
Awesu has been described as a giant of a goalkeeper who commands his area with real presence.
Potter is clearly impressed by what he has seen, so Awesu could be one to watch in the coming years.
Another Under 18s star training with the first team squad ahead of Newcastle is Northern Irish defender Josh Briggs.
The centre-back, who turns 19 this week, signed from NIFL Premiership club Linfield in August 2022.
Briggs featured in 18 matches for the U18s during a superb 2022/23 season which saw the young Hammers win the FA Youth Cup as well as the U18 Premier League South. Briggs, pictured above, right, made an instant impact in the Youth Cup final, scoring with his first touch after coming on as a substitute at Emirates Stadium.
He signed his first professional contract with West Ham United on his 18th birthday last March.
Last week Briggs was shortlisted for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award alongside Hammers teammate Orford and former West Ham Academy star Divin Mubama – now at Man City.
His form has caught Potter’s eye as he was involved in the full training session.
It’s unlikely either will be in the squad but it’s great to see Potter rewarding young players with call-ups to the first team which can only be great for their confidence and development.
Bowen, Kudus and Paqueta streets ahead
If there is any doubt who West Ham’s most talented individuals are, just watch this session.
Captain Jarrod Bowen trains like he plays.
You cannot get the ball off him or Mohammed Kudus, who chipped it over Bowen before pulling off a nutmeg in one moment which drew cheers from his teammates.
Lucas Paqueta as the eyes of the world on him right now.
But it didn’t seem like it as he was enjoying his training, standing out by always creating space for himself and having time on the ball.
Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Emerson not getting Hammers place back anytime soon
Ollie Scarles is West Ham’s new number one left-back.
That comes through loud and clear in the training footage ahead of Newcastle.
Scarles looks assured, composed and – as Potter as said about him recently – like he’s been a first team player for years.
There may well be ups and downs to come for Scarles. But the way he plays and interacts with the rest of the team suggests he won’t be losing the shirt to Emerson Palmieri anytime soon.
West Ham vs Newcastle is the live Monday Night Football game on Sky Sports.
Kick off is at 8pm with the official team being named at 6.45pm.