Graham Potter’s preferred playing style, borne out through pre-season fixtures in both the UK and across in the Premier League summer series, is the three central defenders plus wing backs formation using new recruit Diouf and Wan Bissaka as the wide players.
In that set up, Potter doesn’t have a need for traditional wingers a the wing-backs fulfil a dual purpose, covering kilometres in each game both galloping forward and tracking back in defence. Traditional winger Jarrod Bowen appears to be pushed more frequently into an ‘inside right’ or central striker role – whether best suited or not – and it is difficult to see how the traditional winger skills of Crysencio Summerville when he’s fit or Luis Guilherme would be incorporated in Potters chosen system.
Speculation has even been voiced that Potter may be trying to follow David Moyes’ example and turning ‘wingers’ into out and out strikers as Moyes did to great effect with Marko Arnautovic.
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Which makes the links between West Ham and Liverpool’s teen talent – winger Ben Doak – that much more puzzling. Yes he is a great player and a huge talent – indeed, could be Mohammed Kudus 2.0- but just how does Potter envisage using the 19 year old Liverpool Academy graduate when he doesn’t play a system needing wingers.
Confirmed again in the last couple of days in several outlets, West Ham’s interest appears genuine: But with funds so sparse why blow over £20 million on a winger when the midfield is now the urgent priority.
Described yesterday as a ‘Bowen understudy’ it seems unlikely that the Irons are already planning for Bowen’s decline by signing another left footed right winger to ‘mothball’ for three years plus. Talented yes. Priority this window? Unlikely.