Graham Potter’s West Ham in-tray: What new manager must do to turn fortunes around
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Graham Potter has a big job on his hands at West Ham after replacing Julen Lopetegui. Potter has signed a two-and-a-half year deal to take over from the Spaniard, who was sacked on Wednesday after only six months in charge, and will get straight down to work as he bids to lift the Hammers after a difficult first half of the season.
Here, Standard Sport assesses the main priorities for Potter at the London Stadium... The most obvious issue for West Ham has been their inability to win games regularly. Under David Moyes last season, the Hammers won 36.8 per cent of their Premier League matches. But only 30 per cent of Lopetegui’s 20 league games ended in victory, with six wins and points dropped against the likes of Everton, Crystal Palace and Leicester.
Grit and determination at testing times has been sorely lacking, and it is that togetherness and steeliness which Potter must immediately seek to restore. Only five European teams spent more (net) in the transfer market in the summer than West Ham, who lavished over £130million on 10 new signings.
But injuries to Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen have left them still short of forwards. Another midfielder must also be a January priority. The size of their transfer budget this month will have been one of the topics discussed when the job was first dangled in front of Potter, and his first six months in the role will be made much easier if there is scope this month to reinforce the weaker areas of the squad.
