Graham Potter is itching to get stuck back into Premier League action when his West Ham United troops entertain Leicester City on Thursday night, looking to build on Saturday’s success at Arsenal.
The Hammers brought a four-game winless run to a welcome close with a 1-0 victory at the Emirates last time out, as Jarrod Bowen’s 44th-minute goal, and an outstanding defensive display, helped upset the odds.
Potter’s little under seven weeks in the Head Coach hotseat have yielded mixed results and flashes of quality, but the performance and result in north London showcased the squad’s true potential, and has left him wanting more.
While he acknowledges there will be further bumps in the road throughout the remaining 12 games of the 2024/25 season, the 49-year-old is excited to see his players back in action against the Foxes under the London Stadium lights, as they aim for another full share of the spoils.
There is plenty of confidence within the camp as they aim to eradicate a two-game losing streak at home, with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s charges having claimed just one three-point haul in the top flight in 12 outings.
Despite Leicester's 19th-place standing in the table, though, five points adrift of safety, Potter is wary of a side fighting for their lives, and who downed the Irons 3-1 in the teams’ reverse fixture in December.
Little over 48 hours ahead of kick-off, the boss sat down with the gathered press to reflect on the Arsenal win, the impact of Maximilian Kilman and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Thursday’s upcoming opponents…
Promising signs
I understand that results are the key thing in football, and it was great to get a good one on Saturday.
You know you have to get results, and it’s always a question of how you do that. We’ve focused as much as possible on our daily work, because that’s what you can control, and I think if you keep doing that then you’re able to get the rewards.
It doesn’t happen overnight, because that would be too easy. It can take a while, but the performance and the result at the weekend gives us confidence going forward.
That’s not to say we’ve cracked it. We have to keep working, but at least we’ve had an indication of what’s possible.
Backline improvement
I was really pleased with how we defended against Arsenal.
There was an understanding and a willingness. It’s never going to be perfect, but you have to go with the right intention, and I thought the players did that really well. They covered each other and didn’t leave anyone on their own.
There was always a support there, and that’s what you want to see in a team. I think the way our defence played enabled us to get the result we did.
Wonderful Wan-Bissaka
He’s been really impressive.
I think the wing-back role probably helps bring the best out of him. Away at Aston Villa in the Premier League, and then against Arsenal at the weekend, I thought he was brilliant.
He can do both sides of the game, he’s working away and I’m delighted to have him here.
Kilman stepping up
Max is a leader, and I think that’s something he can develop more.
I think sometimes it helps when the team is functioning well and the environment is stable, and out of that leaders can emerge, and I think that’s the case with Max.
He’s got the potential to do it. He’s quite a quiet guy, so he’ll lead in his own way, but the good thing about Max is that he’s available all the time. He’s there, he’s ready, he trains every day and he plays all the games, which is a good starting point.
Focused on the Foxes
Every game in the Premier League is complicated, and it’s going to be another tough test against Leicester.
The opponent’s always got something to fight for, something to prove and quality, and that’s the case with Leicester. They’ll be looking to turn their fortunes around, for sure.
Anything can happen in football. Just when you think there’s no way forward, something can come up, and vice versa. So we need to have humility and respect for the opponent, which we have.
We’ll need our supporters and a little bit of luck, like you do in every Premier League game, because we know it’s going to be a challenge.
Eye on the opposite dugout
I understand what Ruud’s [van Nistelrooy] going through, and he’ll be looking for a positive result.
As a manager you know you need results in the short term to give you an opportunity to do something in the medium and long term, and if you don’t do that it can be challenging.
There’s always a relationship between reality and expectation, and everyone has to fight with that. Everyone’s job - including mine and Ruud’s - is complicated for different reasons.
I’ve got enough to worry about, and I have to focus on my own job, that I’m really enjoying and really excited about. I’m sure that’s the same for Ruud.
Looking for London Stadium success
I think every team wants to do well at home in front of their own supporters.
It’s not that straightforward in the Premier League, but it’s something we’re concerned with, and something we want to improve.
We want to play better, but again it’s a process. As I said, to be able to get the results you want, you need to perform in a way you can recognise and build some consistency around performance.
For different reasons, we haven’t been able to do that. It hasn’t been for the want of trying, but we’re still finding a lot of things out. Obviously, the Leicester game is an opportunity to put that right.
We’re looking to play well and win the game, which in turn helps you connect with your supporters and build that togetherness, which is really important.
Weekend break post-Leicester
We’ve got over a week between games, after we play Leicester, and we’ll look to do a combination of things.
We’ll make sure everyone’s recovering properly, and then we’ve got a bit of time to build up to the next match.
First though, we’ve got to fully focus on Leicester. We’ve got a plan to make sure we hit the next game in the right way, and then after that we’ll look at what we’re doing.
