Graham Potter Watch: It was all change for the new West Ham manager's first match in charge, writes JAMES SHARPE - except for the result!
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Graham Potter took to the dugout for the first time as West Ham manager on Friday evening but was unable to secure a win on his debut as his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa. The hosts at Villa Park spent most of the match playing catch-up, after Lucas Paqueta opened the scoring in just nine minutes to the delight of the travelling fans.
![[Unfortunately his side were unable to claim the win as they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Premier League rivals Aston Villa]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/22/93977543-14272519-image-a-2_1736546641394.jpg)
But after toiling for the remainder of the first-half and much of the second, Unai Emery's side were able to draw themselves level via a sneakily-taken shot from Amadou Onana. Just five minutes after the equaliser, Villa were able to finally pull ahead courtesy of Morgan Rogers' 76th-minute strike.
![[The former Chelsea boss was all change in the dugout but for now it yielded the same result]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/22/93977527-14272519-image-a-3_1736546646152.jpg)
But although he returns to the capital with the first defeat of his stint in charge under his belt, how did Potter fare in his new role?. Here, Mail Sport's James Sharpe zeroes in on the new manager, and what worked - and what didn't. Graham Potter kicked off his stint as West Ham manager at Villa Park on Friday evening.
![[Potter is rarely animated by spent a lot of time gesturing at his players and moving them about]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/22/93977521-14272519-image-a-4_1736546656907.jpg)
Unfortunately his side were unable to claim the win as they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Premier League rivals Aston Villa. The former Chelsea boss was all change in the dugout but for now it yielded the same result. Same players, same formation, different beast… but the same result.
![[As things got frantic in the second-half, out came Potter's hands in a bid to project calm]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/22/93977507-14272519-image-a-5_1736546661211.jpg)
Potter named a familiar-looking team to the one Julen Lopetegui had all season but from the off this felt like a new side. He’s only had one training session but this looked like a group of players actually trying to enact a tactical plan instead of hoping someone, usually the now-injured Jarrod Bowen, might make something happen.
![[The manager was forced into making an early substitution when Niclas Fullkrug was injured]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/10/22/93977705-14272519-image-a-7_1736546867125.jpg)
