West Ham United’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last Friday ended their hopes of making a deep run in the FA Cup this season.
The Hammers were eager to impress new manager Graham Potter and looked the better side as they edged ahead in the first half.
However, Villa stepped things up after the break and ultimately got their noses in front to secure a place in the fourth round.
With silverware now out of the equation, Potter’s primary aim will be to guide West Ham into the top half of the Premier League by the end of the season.
‘Top ten finish’ is one of the most popular football betting markets and odds of 7/1 for West Ham to achieve the feat may tempt punters looking for a value bet.
Despite the defeat at Villa Park, Potter says he was happy with his team’s performance having had a limited amount of time to work with them.
“The emotions were excitement,” Potter said, when asked about his first game in charge. “Friday night, Villa Park, full house – 6,500 West Ham fans who were amazing.
“Our performance gave me a lot of encouragement – the way the players tried to do what we asked them to do. We’re just disappointed now because we’re out and wanted to go through.
“We just try to get the team into a good shape. The talent is there but it’s just about trying to get the team together as a collective. That’s what we’re trying to do.”
Potter faces a tough task at West Ham, with expectations at the club understandably high after the sizeable investment in new players last summer.
Previous manager Julen Lopetegui never looked the right fit for the club and it was no surprise when the club decided to explore alternative options.
Potter built up a solid reputation in Swedish football, before impressing in subsequent stints with Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion.
His efforts were enough to persuade Chelsea he was the right manager for them, but he lasted less than a season before being axed in April 2023.
The 49-year-old has rejected several opportunities to return to management, but is relishing the chance to work with the Hammers’ talented squad.
“The club have made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on,” Potter told the club’s official website.
“You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen, and the challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a club that the supporters can be proud of.”
While Potter’s positivity will enthuse West Ham’s fanbase, it would be foolish to think that his arrival at the club is guaranteed to deliver success.
The defeat at Villa highlighted some of the issues he faces. West Ham can be devastating in attack, but their flaky defence leaves a lot to be desired.
Potter will need to implement a system that resolves the defensive struggles without impacting their ability to cause problems further forward.
The fact that Potter has a point to prove after a disappointing spell at Chelsea could ultimately work in West Ham’s favour.
The Hammers now have the ‘forward-thinking’ manager the fans have been craving. Time will tell whether Potter is capable of living up to their expectations.