How many changes will Graham Potter make to his West Ham United line-up as the London Stadium outfit host Chelsea one week after that traumatising display at Sunderland?
That was the question on the lips of many supporters as Potter faced the media on Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, it is a question few of the reporters in attendance appeared interested in asking.
Instead, as Potter clarified the confusion surrounding Luis Guilherme’s absence last time out, as he was grilled once again on West Ham United’s transfer plans and that disastrous result on Wearside, anyone hoping for a sneak peek into his team selection would have been disappointed.
Guido Rodriguez and James Ward-Prowse struggled badly up against Sunderland’s dynamic, aggressive midfield. To add insult to injury, it is understood that head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay was interested in Habib Diarra before the £30 million signing from Strasbourg touched down at the Stadium of Light and charged through Rodriguez and Ward-Prowse like a runaway train.
Rodriguez and Ward-Prowse would be very fortunate to keep their places against Chelsea, particularly with Freddie Potts waiting in the wings.
One player who will definitely be part of Potter’s starting XI, though, is goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Graham Potter backs Mads Hermansen as West Ham United prepare for Chelsea challenge
Beaten three times on his Hammers debut, while debate has raged about whether he was at fault for Eliezer Mayenda’s opener, few would argue that Mads Hermansen should have done a whole lot better when Wilson Isidor took aim.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Clinton Morrison called it a ‘big mistake’. While a big fan of the Dane, even Leicester legend Gary Lineker admitted Hermansen’s debut couldn’t have gone worse.
But when it was put to Potter that he may be tempted to consider his options, the manager insisted that Hermansen’s place is safe.
“I don’t think I need to have a one-to-one chat with him,” Potter said firmly. “Of course, he’s got goalkeeping coaches who support him. I’ve been checking in and he’s absolutely fine.
“[Hermansen] trained really well and he will play tomorrow.”
Potter demands defensive improvements after Sunderland nightmare
In his defence, Hermansen did make one superb early save to deny the aforementioned Diarra with less than ten minutes on the clock.
When discussing the goals which put Sunderland 2-0 up on the afternoon, meanwhile, Potter pointed the blame at West Ham’s central defenders rather than their new goalkeeper.
Neither Jean-Clair Todibo, Nayef Aguerd nor Max Kilman managed to prevent Eliezer Mayenda from rising highest inside the box. Big Dan Ballard then doubled the lead, drifting to the back stick with Lucas Paqueta his closest challenger.
“I think they are two different situations. One is an open-play goal. The ball comes in from 30, 40 yards. It’s not a good action from us. the ball goes between our two centre-backs to a centre-forward that is falling back,” Potter sighs.
“It’s a header from heaven. It’s a one in a million header. Its brilliant. [But] it’s not good from our perspective. When the cross goes in, you think we should be able to deal with that. But we don’t.
“I don’t think there was happening all the time. It wasn’t like there were ten crosses and in the end they got one goal. It’s one action. I think that is also a learning point for us in this league.
“Then, the second goal, we get our organisation wrong off a second-phase corner. We are all coming out a bit too quickly because we’ve lost the logical part of our brain. We need to react better in those situations. But I don’t think they necessarily [show] a pattern.”
West Ham boss expects a big challenge against Chelsea
While Enzo Maresca ruled out Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson amongst a handful of other players made available for transfer, Potter knows that his under-fire backline cannot afford to repeat such lapses up against the likes of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Liam Delap.
“It will take a huge effort [to beat Chelsea]. A fantastic team performance. Always a bit of luck, whenever you play football you need a bit of that,” adds Potter, who spent a brief and unsuccessful spell in the Stamford Bridge dugout a couple of seasons ago.
“But it’s very simple, we are playing against a top team in a really good moment. A talented squad. So, we have to perform well as a team, the balance between attack and defence has to be really good, and we have to give everything.
“All I know is that Chelsea have a very, very talented manager, a talented squad off the back of a successful summer period, constantly investing in the team. So, we expect a big challenge.”
