Opinion: Potter’s gamble could seriously backfire as West Ham XI confirmed vs Bournemouth
Graham Potter will be aware that his West Ham United side must deliver a response against Bournemouth on Saturday.
West Ham suffered another frustrating setback with a 1-0 defeat to Wolves, as their poor run under Graham Potter showed no signs of improvement.
With just two wins in their last nine Premier League outings, the Hammers are languishing in the bottom half, with little sign of upward momentum.
The home fixture against Bournemouth on 5 April offered Potter a fresh opportunity to spark change.
However, despite making four alterations from the Wolves game, his team selection once again raised eyebrows—especially in attack.
Notably, Potter left Niclas Fullkrug on the bench, even with Evan Ferguson also among the substitutes.
Instead, he chose to lead the line with Mohamed Kudus, who has yet to replicate the form he showed earlier in the season.
Alongside Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta started in attack, while Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez, and Jean-Clair Todibo were brought into the lineup in other areas.
The decision to field an attack without a recognized striker left many supporters questioning Potter’s strategy, particularly as Fullkrug is now back to full fitness and fans have been eager to see him get his chance.
To be fair to Potter, he inherited a team with little to play for in the final stretch of the season.
Had the bottom three shown stronger form, West Ham might have found themselves in real danger.
Fortunately, a 14-point cushion above the relegation zone has spared them from that fate.
Now, it’s more about salvaging pride and climbing a few spots in the lower half of the table.
Still, that doesn’t mean Potter can afford to coast through the remainder of the campaign.
The team needs a spark, and momentum at this point could set the tone heading into next season.
All eyes will be on whether his striker-less approach can finally deliver results.
