John Victor Graham Potter
(Credit: Imago)
Alex Charlton
Tue 5 August 2025 15:10, UK
West Ham must amend their defensive frailties if they are to improve on last season’s failings.
The Hammers had the sixth-worst defence in the Premier League, although Graham Potter did stem the flow of goals conceded.
Lukasz Fabianski departed the London Stadium, leaving Alphonse Areola as Potter’s best option between the sticks.
However, with West Ham closing in on John Victor, is he any better than the Frenchman?
John Victor playing for Botafogo West Ham
Victor is set to sign from Botafogo (Credit: Imago)
Statistics show West Ham have Areola upgrade
Areola may not stick around at West Ham if he wants guaranteed first-team football.
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The 32-year-old was the first choice for most of last season, although Fabianski did enjoy a run of games between the sticks.
However, doubts remain over Areola’s ability after he made three errors leading to goals in the Premier League. Recent footage shows John making a catastrophic error for Botafogo, meaning the Irons could face a familiar issue.
Areola John West Ham
(Credit: FBRef)
Victor is an upgrade on Areola, as shown by statistics from FBRef, provided by Opta.
When comparing Victor and Areola’s most recent league statistics, the Brazilian boasts significantly better goalkeeping figures. Victor far eclipses the former PSG man in terms of his save percentage, crosses stopped, and post-shot expected goals (xG).
These numbers reveal that the Botafogo man is more reliable and demonstrates a better command behind his defence. Areola only beats his competitor in terms of long-ball statistics, but this is not something to boast about.
Essentially, the Frenchman likes to go long with his passes, whereas John prefers to play out from the back.
Potter to play more progressive football with Victor foundation
When picking apart the numbers, it seems that West Ham are looking to play a more progressive game next season.
Areola is someone who wants to play long, and he has shown that he is shaky when playing out from the back.
On the other hand, Victor appears to be better suited to playing out, which means a change in play could be in the offing.
Of course, the whole backline will need to show their capability with their feet, but Victor can provide the perfect foundation to do so.
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