Graham Potter baffled by something he saw in West Ham win v Everton
West Ham upped their pre-season with a narrow victory over Premier League rivals Everton in the United States.
Some coined the encounter the ‘David Moyes derby’, but it was Graham Potter who was smiling after a 2-1 win.
Lucas Paqueta showed his class for West Ham, proving that he could play a pivotal role for the Hammers next season.
While the result was just what Potter needed, he was left rather bemused by something in particular at Soldier Field.
Potter bemused by incidents given weather conditions
West Ham lost to Man United in their first clash of the Premier League Summer Series, falling to a 2-1 defeat.
In the early hours of Thursday (31 July), the Irons fielded a mixed team, combined with senior figures, fringe players, and those who are primed for a bright future.
New West Ham signings Kyle Walker-Peters and El Hadji Malick Diouf also started as they press their claims for a place in Potter’s side.
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Wes Foderingham |
| Defenders | Kyle Walker‑Peters, Kaelan Casey, Dinos Mavropanos, Maximilian Kilman |
| Midfielders | Freddie Potts, James Ward‑Prowse (captain), Andy Irving |
| Forwards | Lucas Paquetá, Callum Marshall, El Hadji Malick Diouf |
However, the Hammers boss said he could not understand why there were water breaks, given the conditions, according to Simon Stone (31 July).
The temperatures at Soldier Field were in the low twenties, while humidity was over 80 per cent, according to the National Weather Service.
Perhaps the decision was taken due to the high humidity levels rather than the actual temperature, but the breaks essentially stopped the flow of the game.
And as reported by the BBC’s Simon Stone via X (31 July), Potter could not understand why there were water breaks, given the pretty nice playing conditions.
Potter out to prove West Ham doubters wrong
It is fair to say that the pressure is on Potter next season, and many are predicting he will continue to struggle.
However, while that is maybe an easy prediction to make, he will be striving to make progress next season.
The Hammers face Sunderland in their first Premier League match, and a loss would certainly dent their cause.
After that, the East London outfit face tricky tests against Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham.
West Ham fixtures to begin Premier League campaign:
- Sunderland (a)
- Chelsea (h)
- Nottingham Forest (a)
- Tottenham (h)
That difficult run emphasises the need for a result in the first game, otherwise things could snowball for Potter.
The former Brighton boss knows he must improve and will want to keep the pre-season momentum going against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Sign up for the West Ham Zone WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking West Ham United news sent straight to your phone.