If Graham Potter did not know exactly what he is up against at West Ham then he does now after a dismal defeat to Crystal Palace.
Things got off to a good start for new West Ham boss Graham Potter against Aston Villa and Fulham.
The first half performance at Villa was excellent until injuries saw the Hammers succumb in the FA Cup.
But West Ham got Potter’s Premier League return off to a winning start by beating Fulham 3-2 in midweek.
Many have joked that the Hammers need Harry Potter not Graham Potter to turn their woeful season around.
They’re not far wrong.
If it wasn’t before, West Ham’s season is all but over now after the demoralising 2-0 home defeat to London rivals Palace.
West Ham failed to register a single shot on target in the entire game.
The London Stadium atmosphere is pretty poor most weeks – especially given what the Hammers faithful have had to watch over the last year.
But it plumbed new depths against the Eagles – the Stratford ground was like a morgue.
The performance followed an all too familiar pattern since the start of last year.
Sullivan must unceremoniously sack West Ham man after defeat
West Ham were devoid of energy, ideas, guile and effort. Coupled with the usual defensive fragility and it ended in yet another defeat.
The Hammers have conceded an average of two goals a game this season.
That has continued under Potter.
But after Julen Lopetegui, there is only one man to blame for this sorry mess and he needs to be given his P45.
David Sullivan must unceremoniously sack West Ham man after the dismal Crystal Palace defeat.
Make no mistake, Lopetegui deserved to be axed last week.
West Ham waited far too long to pull the trigger and it will now be a wasted season as a result.
But someone who must shoulder an equal share of the blame and follow him out of the Hammers exit is Tim Steidten.
When West Ham fans saw their teamsheet and squad for the game, most knew what was coming.
There was so much talk about the big summer rebuild as 12 players went out and nine arrived.
‘Pearl diver’ Steidten was in full control of recruitment and the football operation and went about his business.
The German pledged to build a new-look West Ham side around young, exciting, energetic and versatile players.
That is absolutely nowhere to be seen.
Steidten must pay the price for abysmal Hammers rebuild
Alarm bells should have been ringing when it emerged West Ham went from having the second oldest squad in the Premier League to THE oldest squad in the top flight bar none after their summer “rebuild”.
The average age of West Ham’s squad has gone up by more than a year on last season to 28.4.
And it shows on the pitch.
There is not a slower, more immobile squad of one-paced footballers in the entire Premier League.
West Ham look like a bunch of geriatrics.
From 40-year-old Lukasz Fabianski in goal to mistake-per-game Konstantinos Mavropanos and Max Kilman looking like Roger Johnson regens in defence.
Guido Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez must be the most static, least dynamic midfield partnership in the world’s best league.
There is not an ounce of power or pace between the pair of them.
Potter was forced to draft in 35-year-old Aaron Cresswell for the Palace clash – just in case the average age wasn’t high enough.
Tomas Soucek is a Hammers hero. But games like this show his limitations. Will Hughes did a Cruyff turn 15 yards away from Soucek as he closed him down at one point and the big Czech still couldn’t adjust his feet and momentum, being sent completely the wrong way.
With nothing working, all Potter had to turn to was 32-year-old misfit striker Danny Ings.
The forward did at least show some thrust and purpose.
But my goodness this was a chastening eye-opener for Potter about what he has to work with.
Geriatric West Ham squad is totally unforgivable
And as the man heading up the rebuild, there are simply no excuses for Steidten that West Ham are in this position after spending £155m.
Yes there are a few injuries at the moment. But all clubs have injury issues.
In fact West Ham are among the six clubs least impacted by injuries in the division so far this season.
And when you sign a 31-year-old striker with a history of serious injuries as long as your arm, then you can’t complain when he misses six of his first nine months at the club injured.
The way this squad has been put together by David Moyes and then Steidten is unforgivably bad.
Sullivan is said to be so angry with how the money was spent in the summer he has reassumed ultimate control of recruitment.
It has been claimed by a top Hammers insider that demoted Steidten is now 50 per cent gone at West Ham as a result.
Well it should be 100 per cent after this debacle.
He has set the club back years with this abysmal squad composition.
And his top “talent scout” is reportedly targeting a striker who has scored two goals in over a year? Give us strength.
Steidten must be sacked and replaced by a young director of football with fresh ideas who can start planning yet another rebuild in the summer.
A Potter and Dan Ashworth reunion anyone?
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