Graham Potter is under pressure at West Ham.placeholder image
Graham Potter is under pressure at West Ham. | Getty Images
Wolves host an out-of-sorts West Ham on Tuesday night and Graham Potter must make an obvious team selection decision.
West Ham head coach Graham Potter must axe goalkeeper Mads Hermansen from the starting XI to take on Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night in a decision that would be best for both the manager and the player.
The Hammers paid £20 million to bring the 25-year-old to the London Stadium from Leicester City this summer with Potter looking for a new first choice instead of Alphonse Areola. Other candidates had included former Southampton man Aaron Ramsdale and Sheffield United star Michael Cooper.
The London outfit may be wishing they looked elsewhere after a very rocky start to life at West Ham from Hermansen. The goalkeeper was unconvincing in the 3-0 defeat to Sunderland and appeared short of confidence against Chelsea, failing to command his box and flapping at crosses.
West Ham goalkeeper struggles after £20m transfer
Prior to the game, Potter had backed the shot-stopper and rubbished any talk that he would be dropped. After the 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, he once again deflected attention away from Hermansen.
When asked what he thought about his goalkeeper’s performance, Potter said: “I think it’s unfair to single anybody out as an individual. Collectively, it was too easy to score against us. I take my responsibility and I have to look at myself and do better. I think that’ll be the case with all the players because I know they’re honest and want to do more than they are at the moment.”
As is often the case with cup games, Potter may have been planning to bring Areola back into the starting XI and that’s now a no brainer decision. Hermansen’s confidence appeared low against Chelsea and the player will be under even more scrutiny at Molineux on Tuesday.
Graham Potter must make ‘no brainer’ decision against Wolves
Another shaky performance and public shaming from pundits could have a detrimental impact on Hermansen’s season ahead. Speaking after the defeat to Chelsea, former Premier League star Jamie Redknapp said: “Confidence is low. The goalkeeper doesn’t make it easier. He’s having a really difficult time, he comes out and flaps at one just after half time. He probably needs to be changed.
“He’s not come here full of confidence, has made some high profile mistakes live on a Friday night on Sky isn’t going to help his cause. Areola might have to come in.
“Right now, I look at him, he need a bit of a rest. He’s already conceding so many goals, eight goals in two games, he’s got some high profile games coming up here. In goal, he doesn’t fill me with confidence. If you look at the eight goals conceded, he’s been at fault for quite a few of them. It was the same situation at Leicester last year. I’m not saying he can’t be a good goalkeeper and a success but sometimes you have to look at the situation and do someone a favour.”
Hermansen has been backed to succeed by Gary Lineker. Speaking about the goalkeeper on The Rest Is Football podcast following the Sunderland defeat, he said: “Yes, Hermansen was a Leicester goalkeeper of the previous season. They obviously spent quite a few quid on him.
“I mean, I really like him. He’s been a brilliant shot stopper, but it was an awful debut. You thought he could have got the first one, maybe not. But the third one went straight. He tried to push it out and missed it. Yes, he had a bad day. I’ve seen a lot of him and I’m confident for West Ham fans that you’ll see much better from him going forward. I think he’s a top keeper.”
There’s still plenty of time for Hermansen to find his feet but, for now, that needs to be on the training ground. The goalkeeper needs protecting from criticism and, ultimately, West Ham can’t afford any more mistakes.
In other news, West Ham to step up £13.8m transfer offer after Chelsea disasterclass and Jamie Redknapp warning.
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