Although Graham Potter’s first game in charge of West Ham ended in defeat, there were lots of positives to take from his side’s performance.
The 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa saw the Hammers crash out of the FA Cup in the third round. However, it was clear that some of Potter’s key tactical philosophies were already making their mark on multiple West Ham players.
Here’s five things we learned from Potter’s first game as West Ham boss.
Versatility tested immediately
Potter’s preference for versatile players was evident during his three years at Brighton and it seems he’ll want the same profile of players at West Ham.
This evening saw Mohammed Kudus start centrally behind Niclas Fullkrug, whilst Lucas Paqueta started on the left wing and dropped when West Ham lost the ball.
Additionally, despite starting at right wing, Crysencio Summerville took on a right-wing-back role out of possession.
Embed from Getty ImagesPaqueta and Summerville were excellent in the first half, linking up to score inside nine minutes. However, it was their off the ball work that stood out, as they seamlessly adapted to Potter’s tactics.
When Aston Villa came forward, Paqueta and Summerville dropped to support the back line and became wing-backs. This is very similar to how Potter previously utilised Solly March and Leandro Trossard at Brighton.
In the first half, the pair ranked highest for ground duels won, aerial duels won and tackles won.
Summerville suits Potter-ball superbly
Summerville was arguably West Ham’s best player in the first half both in and out of possession. He assisted Paqueta’s opener with a quick forward run and cut back.
Despite just playing 45 minutes, the Dutchman made a great first impression. He created two chances and made five passes into the final third, which was the same as match winner Morgan Rogers.
Summerville surprised many with his tracking back and defensive actions, suggesting he will slot into his potential new role as a right-wing-back out of possession very well.
Wing play a big focus
Using the width was predicted to be key under Potter, due to it’s importance in his approach at Brighton. That was the case and most of West Ham’s attacks were down the flanks, according to SofaScore
Their goal came from wing play too, Summerville drove down the right with pace before the cut back to Paqueta.
When Aston Villa had the ball, the wings were still a focus point for the Hammers, as they doubled up on their opponents and forced them wide. By squeezing the Villa players wide and doubling up, West Ham could restrict space and easily win back possession.
This defensive approach was very successful as Aston Villa’s wide players (wingers and full backs) lost possession 55 times.
Scarles will develop immensely under Potter
19-year-old Oliver Scarles made his mark this evening with a man of the match performance at left back.
He flourished in Potter’s system, bombing forward when West Ham had the ball to support attacks. Potter’s box midfield saw Paqueta drift centrally during build up play, which meant Scarles needed to act as the left winger.
Paqueta would come inside, dragging Matty Cash with him, allowing Scarles to exploit the space left out wide. His quick understanding of the role shows his maturity and tactical intelligence.
He was defensively solid too, winning four duels and making 11 defensive actions. The young Englishman is certainly a player to keep an eye out for during the remainder of this season.
Injuries could be West Ham’s downfall
The defeat did have many positives tactically, but one huge negative was the early injury to Niclas Fullkrug, who appeared to pull his hamstring just 16 minutes in.
He was replaced by Danny Ings who failed to make any kind of impact up top. He was toothless, meaning the Hammers had no real focal point.
Ings had a great chance in the fifth minute of additional time to equalise but squandered the opportunity. His rushed effort sailed over the crossbar.
With Fullkrug out and Jarrod Bowen already sidelined until at least February, West Ham need to bring in a striker this January to prevent a further decline.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Isabelle Newnham
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