What’s Next for West Ham as Problems Mount Off and On the Pitch | OneFootball

West Ham’s Poor Start Demands Urgent Analysis After Consecutive Defeats

Three games, three defeats, 11 goals conceded. West Ham have endured their worst opening to a league season since 1954, and the pressure on Graham Potter is intensifying. The Carabao Cup exit at Wolves has compounded the sense of crisis, particularly after captain Jarrod Bowen appeared to confront a supporter at full-time.

Former Hammer Nigel Reo-Coker summed up the mood bluntly: “It looks very bleak for West Ham right now. Things are looking tough. I think they will be in a relegation battle this season.”

So, what has gone wrong, and how can it be fixed?

Photo: IMAGO

Warning Signs Ignored for Too Long

As BBC Sport highlighted, the warning signs have been evident since Potter arrived in January. In a table including only ever-present Premier League clubs, West Ham would sit bottom based on results since March. Two wins in 13 league matches tell their own story, and Potter’s win rate of 25% ranks above only Avram Grant among managers to oversee at least 20 Premier League games.

Defensive frailties dominate the analysis. Only Tottenham and Brighton have conceded more goals in this period, while West Ham have allowed more shots on target than any other side this season, with 12. Dropping 15 points from winning positions under Potter speaks to a lack of resilience and control in key moments.

Recruitment and Structural Failings

West Ham’s summer business was supposed to provide stability, yet questions remain. Five new signings arrived, including Callum Wilson, Mads Hermansen and full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf. However, there was no direct replacement for Mohammed Kudus, sold to Tottenham for £55 million, and a failure to recruit a dynamic midfielder has left the squad unbalanced.

Reo-Coker was scathing in his assessment: “They just don’t have any legs or dogs of war to win the ball back. They look weak. They can’t get the ball up either because there’s no real target man. Recruitment has been a big problem at West Ham for some time now. They have no real direction in what they are trying to build or do.”

Potter’s demeanour has also drawn scrutiny. “You can always tell a lot by a manager’s body language,” Reo-Coker added. “Potter looked lost.”

From Prague Glory to Premier League Struggles

The current crisis feels like a hangover from the euphoria of Prague in 2023, when West Ham lifted the UEFA Conference League. The £105 million received for Declan Rice was supposed to spark a new era, but misaligned planning between David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten created chaos. Their departures did little to halt the slide.

Potter inherited a squad with structural weaknesses and has been cautious in his transfer demands. But as results worsen, tactical rigidity has become a major concern. Persisting with a failing back three and a static midfield suggests a reluctance to adapt.

As one supporter wrote this week: “It feels like the soul of that Prague team has gone. We’re now just hoping to stay up.”

The coming fixtures, starting against Nottingham Forest, could decide Potter’s future. Without reinforcements or a clear tactical shift, West Ham risk becoming embroiled in another relegation fight.