The buzzword apparently is _‘team’_ – togetherness and ethos – which has been described by players and coaching staff alike as being something West Ham are building this season under [Graham Potter](https://www.claretandhugh.info/loan-move-blocked-as-potter-plots-longer-strategy/)‘s first preseason. And yes, of course this evening was ‘just’ a friendly but the way in which players were covering for each other was evident Ince they’d sorted themselves out after the now obligatory slow start.
The defence looked a _little more_ solid in the first half with the two wing backs: Bournemouth should have been ahead after somehow contriving to hit the post when it was easier to score, but West Ham went in ahead at the break.
Malick Diouff is one good crosser of a football: Early, accurate – suddenly showing West Ham one of the major characteristics that they’ve been missing and its was telling that both goals came from his early left footed in-swinging crosses. But there is substantially more to his game as a couple of last-ditch defensive interventions showed.
Freddie Potts, apart from a mystery yellow card simply for winning a header – must surely have played himself into the senior squad.
And it does look, overall, that the whole squad finally understands what Graham Potter wants from them with the ‘three at the backs plus wing backs’ system.
It’s not all rosy: The Hammers are still short of a midfielder to do the job which Ward-Prowse should be doing but cannot.
Controversially, I wonder how much Potter was thinking of Malick Diouff’s brilliant crossing when he agreed to take Callum Wilson on a year contract as one who would do better on the receiving end (if he can keep up) than youngster Cal Marshall who is more of a runner through the lines rather than an out and out target man.
And Lucas Paqueta- more involved: Flicks, tricks and running for 90 minutes – looking like he’s enjoying his football again. Cautious optimism reigns- for a couple of weeks anyway.