Graham Potter insists there’s still plenty more to come from his West Ham United side, as we look to extend our ongoing winning run to three games when Newcastle United visit London Stadium on Monday night.
The Hammers recorded back-to-back Premier League wins for the first since March 2024 when we toppled Leicester City 2-0 on home turf last time out on 27 February, having upset the odds by triumphing 1-0 away at title-chasers Arsenal five days earlier.
Though the east Londoners sit 15th in the ranks, such a promising run has lifted us 16 points above the danger zone with eleven games remaining, level on points with both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United and just five off Brentford in eleventh.
Indeed, Potter’s troops could bridge the gap between them and Newcastle, who are sixth ahead of the weekend’s action, to eight points by the full-time whistle on Monday, should they take the full share of the spoils under the lights.
With UEFA Champions League qualification still in their sights, the Magpies are sure to promise a tough test, particularly as they will be hoping to boost their momentum in their last match before contesting the 2025 Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday 16 March.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Potter lauded the job his counterpart Eddie Howe has done since he took his place in the St James’ Park dugout in November 2021, and recognised the level of performance his troops will need to produce if they are to emulate their 2-0 win in the reverse clash in November.
While also answering questions about the break between games and skipper Jarrod Bowen, when speaking to members of the press, the Head Coach discussed how settled he feels at the Club little under two months since his arrival.
Though results were initially mixed, flashes of quality have translated into an encouraging run of form of late, and the 49-year-old has challenged his team to go again against one of the league’s big hitters, and to keep climbing the standings...
Still a work in progress
We’ve been here a couple of months now, which isn’t that long, but I’ve been pleased that we’ve been able to do a lot in that time.
I know there’s a lot we can still improve. Whenever you start a job, you don’t know everything straightaway, but largely the surprises we’ve had have been positive.
This is a really big Club, with a massive fanbase and a unique family feel. I’ve really enjoyed that, and though the timing coming in might not have been exactly ideal, I’ve been really impressed with how everyone’s adapted. That includes the fans, who have been incredibly understanding and supportive.
The players have responded really well, too. It can be hard when you don’t have lots of time to retune, prepare or get to know each other, and they’ve had to play games quickly and work hard. They’ve trained well, and they’ve taken on board a lot of the stuff we’ve asked them to do and to think about.
We’ve picked up a couple of good results in our last two games, and we want to build on that now.
Feet under the table?
‘Feet under the table’ sounds a bit too comfortable - it’s far from that, and we constantly want to improve.
But, I’m understanding the Club more and more, and I’m understanding the ambition and potential, which is exciting. Now, it’s a case of keep working, focusing on every training session and game, and trying to get better.
Adapting to the schedule
You can’t do anything about the schedule, and that’s how the Premier League is. In the first week it was three matches in eight days or something like that, and now there’s a bit of a gap between the games.
That’s out of our control, and you just have to make the best of the time you’ve got, which is what I think we’ve done.
We’ve tried to refresh the team, after two difficult matches against Arsenal and Leicester, and at the same time we’ve been working hard on the training ground. We’ve had a nice balance.
Toon Army test
They’re in the top six of the table, they’re fighting to qualify for the Champions League, and they’ll be looking for the best possible way to prepare for their cup final.
So, I’m expecting a tough game against a highly-motivated team. They’re well-organised, and they play with huge intensity.
Hats off to Howe
I only know Eddie [Howe] from playing and managing against him. I’m good friends with a member of his staff, but while I don’t really know Eddie personally I have huge respect for him and for what he’s done at various clubs, how many years he’s been in the Premier League, the type of teams he has produced and what he’s achieved.
He had a bit of time off when he left Bournemouth to refresh and regenerate, and I think he’s come back stronger. The job he’s done at Newcastle speaks for itself, from where they were to where they are now, so yeah I have huge respect for him.
I think when you have a break from football, you’re maybe not seen in the same regard, and you almost have to prove yourself again when you go back to work. So, I think by going to Newcastle and then getting them into the Champions League, he’s maybe become a lot more highly-rated than he was all of a sudden, when in reality he always had that quality.
He's someone for everyone to look up to, certainly from an English perspective, in terms of longevity, working at the highest level for so long, how his teams play and the way he goes about his work.
Bowen back at his best
Jarrod’s been fantastic. He’s only human, and when you have a number of weeks off, it’s hard to expect that you’re going to be on your absolute top form in your first game or two back.
I think he’s contributed to the team in a really good way since coming back, and there’s still room for him to improve which is really exciting. He’s always a huge influence on the team, and to have him on the pitch is massive for us.
It’s credit to him and how he conducted himself throughout the rehab process that he’s come back in such a good way. I think he’ll get even better as he continues to build his rhythm with more games and training, so yeah we’re delighted with him.
