Graham Potter is under pressure as West Ham boss.placeholder image
Graham Potter is under pressure as West Ham boss. | Getty Images
Graham Potter is under pressure as West Ham boss but isn’t helped by defensive performances against Chelsea.
West Ham manager Graham Potter is once again subject to speculation over his future at the London Stadium and may well be fuming at the performances of some of his first team players against Chelsea on Friday night.
The Hammers were beaten 5-1 by their London rivals with the boost of an early Lucas Paqueta strike from distance lasting just minutes before the Blues seized control. It was a capitulation from the hosts, whose ambitions of moving on from last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to newly promoted Sunderland were short lived.
While Enzo Maresca’s men were impressive in their pace and creativity, they were helped by some lacklustre showings from West Ham stars. There were few Hammers players who could hold their heads up high at full time but some of the worst outings came in defence.
Jamie Redknapp slams ‘scandalous’ two West Ham players
Speaking at half time on Sky Sports, former Premier League star and pundit Jamie Redknapp singled out two players for criticism. The ex Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder suggested that the player should shoulder the blame for pressure mounting on Potter’s shoulders.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka looked particularly suspect in the opening 45 minutes, flat footed when up against Joao Pedro for the first goal and caught sleeping as Pedro Neto stole in for the second. The former Crystal Palace and Manchester United man could also be criticised for the third but wasn’t helped by colleague Jean-Clair Todibo, £33 million this summer, losing his man.
Redknapp said: “Wan-Bissaka and Todibo in this first half have done a masterclass in how not to defend the area or your back post. It’s been scandalous defending.”
Graham Potter has ‘no chance’ with Hammers defence
When analysing the Neto goal, Recknapp added that Potter has ‘no chance’ of fending off critics with those defensive errors. He said: “Again, Wan-Bissaka at the back post. Watch him here. He gets back in with Neto, is in a good position, then he sleeps. Where do you think he’s going to make a run into the box? It’s such poor play from his perspective. Graham Potter is going to be getting a load of stick, when your players are defending like that you have no chance.”
Former West Ham goalkeeper was also on punditry duties and went as far as to suggest that Chelsea had spotted that Wan-Bissaka and Todibo weren’t at the races and targeted those defenders on purpose. He said: “Isolate the weakest player defensively and they’ve done that, executed it to perfection. The timing of the runs is absolutely textbook.”
In other news, Chelsea Player Ratings: 'Speed demon' 10/10 and 'phenomenal' 9 as West Ham battered.
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