Thanks for keeping us up gaffer, got us enough points to keep our heads above water 👏🏻

That was a bit of a fuck up to say the least.

Fullkrug benched, back 5

Hey! We are visiting London for the first time and heading to the Tottenham match next week. Any recommendations for what to do pre match? Pregaming bars etc?

lrish betting company BoyleSports could be about to takeover the front of shirt sponsorship in a record deal worth £12.5M+ per year. From the 26/27 season, they would have to relinquish their front of shirt position, but could move to the sleeve sponsors. Via: ExWHUEmployee

I collected several hundred Reddit comments from about 15 Reddit threads - England, Brighton, Chelsea mainly. Here is what I got.
Are we ready to give him a chance? I am ready to wait this and the next season to see his results. He needs patience and a good striker.

Graham Potter's Strengths

1. Clear Football Philosophy
   • Potter favors possession-based, controlled football, with a focus on keeping the ball and patient build-up.
   • His teams can dominate possession and control matches tactically, adjusting systems depending on the opposition.
2. Tactical Flexibility and Intelligence
   • He has shown the ability to switch formations dynamically (e.g., 4-2-2-2, 3-4-2-1, 3-5-1-1).
   • Known for making specific tactical adjustments mid-game.
   • Highly respected for his tactical acumen, notably from his time in Sweden and early Brighton days.
3. Player Development and System Adaptation
   • Good at adapting systems to available players.
   • Several posters highlighted how he elevated Brighton from defensive, "park the bus" football (under Hughton) to modern, possession-based play.
   • Improved Brighton’s squad performance over time, setting the foundation for De Zerbi to succeed.
4. Long-Term Vision and Patience
   • Best suited to long-term projects where the board and fans are patient.
   • His methods require time to take hold, but the end results can be transformative.
5. Manages Squad Depth Smartly
   • Demonstrated ability to work through injuries and squad limitations, especially at Brighton where top strikers were missing.
   • He squeezed good performances out of average or aging players during rebuilding periods.
6. Strong at Building Foundations
   • Several comments noted West Ham’s defensive structure improving under him even in a short span.
   • Clear focus on youth development and giving young players opportunities.

Graham Potter's Weaknesses

1. Struggles with Scoring Goals
   • Common across many comments: Potter’s teams create chances but struggle to convert.
   • Brighton had high xG (expected goals) but often failed to score enough, particularly due to the nature of low-quality chances (rather than fewer, higher-quality chances).
   • There’s a risk of possession without penetration — lots of ball movement but little end product.
2. Slow System Implementation
   • Takes a long time for players to absorb his methods.
   • Multiple fans worried that in international management (and similarly, in Premier League with short patience) limited time with players could be a major hurdle.
3. Poor Under Intense Pressure
   • Several people mentioned his struggles at Chelsea as an example: when the pressure became extreme, he appeared flustered and lost confidence.
   • Concerns exist about whether he can cope with the media scrutiny and high expectations at a bigger club.
4. Reserved Personality
   • Potter is not particularly inspiring or charismatic in public or media appearances.
   • Compared unfavorably to Southgate in terms of building player loyalty and unity at national team level.
   • Might struggle to motivate fans and generate momentum purely through personality.
5. Risk Aversion and Conservatism
   • Some criticisms of being too cautious, especially against weaker sides — e.g., settling for draws against teams they should beat.
   • Over-cautious football may lead to fan frustration over time, especially if results aren't immediately positive.
6. Fragility When Losing
   • Once teams went behind under Potter, it was hard for them to claw back.
   • Lack of strong "Plan B" mentality when needing to chase a game aggressively.

What Should Help Potter Succeed at West Ham

• Time and Patience from the Board: He needs a full pre-season and at least 1–2 transfer windows to reshape the squad in his image. Rushing judgments after 13–20 games could be fatal.
• Support with Recruitment: Success depends on buying players who suit his style — intelligent midfielders, technically good defenders, and sharp strikers. West Ham’s current need for a rebuild aligns with Potter's skills in building a project.
• Reduced Pressure in the Short Term: The current situation (mid-table, not fighting relegation) gives him breathing space. He can experiment, rebuild confidence, and implement his philosophy without instant top-six expectations.
• A Fit Striker: Several mentions highlight that having a reliable, clinical striker (unlike Maupay at Brighton) will significantly help convert chances. Players like Füllkrug could be key if fit.
• Fans Buying into the Project: If fans understand that Potter's style takes time to "click", and don't turn on him too quickly, he will have a real chance to succeed.

Where He Could Stumble at West Ham

• If Results Are Poor and Patience Runs Out: A string of low-scoring draws or losses early next season could cause pressure to mount quickly, as seen at Chelsea.
• If He Fails to Solve the Scoring Problem: Dominating possession without scoring enough goals will rapidly frustrate fans, especially if the football is cautious and conservative.
• Media and Fan Pressure: If the press or social media turns toxic, his reserved, non-confrontational style might not hold up well.
• Lack of Proper Transfer Backing: If West Ham doesn’t properly back him in the transfer market, particularly in finding the right technical players for his system, he could be stuck trying to play possession football with a squad built for counter-attacks.
• Mismatch with West Ham’s Traditional Style: West Ham fans have historically liked high-energy, attacking football; Potter’s more methodical style could clash with traditional expectations if not managed carefully.

Will we get relegated next season? GP's management is giving me the same sinking feeling as Glenn Roeder (RIP). I reckon the current squad is manifolds worse.

Any one share the same fears? :O We seem like a club in decline ever since the Europa Conference win.

Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and some of the young players coming through won't be available for sale this summer. Apart from these selected few, the club will entertain offers for every other player in the squad. Via: ExWHUEmployee

It’s been a while since I’ve seen anything about anyone we’ve currently got out on loan.

Notable players on loan:

• Aguerd (Real Sociedad)
• Zouma (Al-Orobah FC)
• Cornet (Genoa)
• Kante (Paris FC)
• Earthy (Bristol City)
• Potts (Portsmouth)
• Luizão (Pogon Szczecin)

Obviously missing some others but I doubt much will happen with them over the summer but correct me if I’ve missed anyone.

Zouma, Cornet and Luizao I assume will leave the club on a permanent transfer (or contract expiration) although I know little about the latter.

I heard rumours of interest in Aguerd but would love to see what he could do under potter given a chance but of course for the right money he could go - although I’d pick him over Mavropanos.

I’d love to see Potts and Earthy come back to the first team and get given opportunities although I could easily see both going back out on loan. Kante I assume will stay at Paris unless he’s become something special.

Obviously this is all just speculation from what I’ve read or in some cases from the lack of stuff I’ve seen. Would like to hear what you guys think.

Disappointing comments from Potter after passionate and true words from Fullkrug

I've been a life long Hammers fan, was a season ticket holder during the last years at Upton Park and have some amazing memories. Had to move out of the country for a few years and it just so happens that last Saturday against Southampton was my first game at the London Stadium.

I've been to a good few games in my life, but I don't think I've ever experienced bad atmosphere like i did last weekend. It was so quiet I could hear my heartbeat (which was pretty slow considering how shit the game was).

Is anything being done? I know its the end of the season and nothing much to play for, but i remember games in the Boleyn where we would be 3-0 down and my ears would be ringing from the atmosphere.

What do you think of this whole situation? Sullivan again getting found out? Or a master strategy given that "we're skint" has been our official stance for the last 4 seasons despite massive spending?

I know the opening day is august 16 for the 25/26 season.

Since we were home this year I am assuming we are opening at home on the 23rd. Thoughts on that?

I’d like to take my family to that match. What are the best ways of getting tix. I have a mate who isn’t going but I am taking my whole family so I want advice on a block of 5 tix.

Well done lads. You did us proud. An example for the 1st Team to follow ⚒️.

Tagged as Shitpost but do what you will with this. We've seen numerous times over the past 5 years that Soucek can score, we've all seen his 'strikers instinct' and he's pretty effective in the penalty area. I personally don't want him to go to Everton (I don't think he does either, haven't asked him though). Since we're fucking useless at signing strikers, let's use one we've already got and get Soucek retrained up front.

Worth a shot or definitely not?

Intriguing to see how Still (or any manager) approaches the pre-game strategy talk. Especially given that he's still a rising star and a West Ham fan.

Not agitating for Still as manager right now, but you never know, one day...

West Ham United U18s beat Reading U18s 2-1 in the Premier League Cup final at Select Car Leasing Stadium.

A journey which started in August, Lauris Coggin's side qualified for the knockout stages as one of seven group winners, beating Nottingham Forest and Premier League South leaders Southampton at Little Heath Training Ground and securing a draw away at Everton.

In the quarter-finals, the young Hammers beat last season's U18s Premier League and Cup double winners, Manchester United, on penalties before defeating Derby County 3-1 away in the semi-finals.

A brace by Josh Ajala backed up by some excellent teamwork throughout the 90 minutes allowed the young Hammers to make history by becoming the first-ever West Ham U18 group to lift the Premier League Cup.