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Potter wants more dynamism from misfiring West Ham

Potter wants more dynamism from misfiring West Ham

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West Ham are winless in three Premier League matches following their midweek loss at Wolves, with Bournemouth next up this weekend.

Graham Potter believes West Ham have made strides in some areas since his January arrival, but he wants to see more dynamism in attack ahead of Saturday's clash with Bournemouth.

West Ham slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Wolves at Molineux on Tuesday, extending their current winless streak in the Premier League to three matches.

The Hammers have taken 11 points from 10 games since Potter arrived in the wake of Julen Lopetegui's January dismissal, recording three wins, two draws and five defeats.

Only the bottom three have fewer victories in that time, while West Ham's win percentage under Potter is identical to their ratio under Lopetegui (30%). 

Potter's Irons have also averaged just 0.9 goals per game, compared to the 1.2 they averaged under Lopetegui, leading to a call for attacking improvements.

"I think we need to attack better. That's something we have to do, we know that," Potter said. "We want to be a bit more dynamic, we want to be a bit faster with our attacks.

"I think we need to manage the game a little bit better, understand when we can go forward, when we can go a bit more direct, move a bit more vertically. 

"We're sort of finding our way with each other still, and I think it's a bit of work in progress.

"Some things have improved, some things have gone in the right direction, but still, we need to do more."

On Saturday, they return home to face Bournemouth. Since opening Potter's reign with a 3-2 home victory over Fulham, they have only beaten Leicester at the London Stadium (2-0 in late February).

"We want to play well in front of our supporters and get three points. Every game in this league, you can see how it is, it's so competitive," Potter said.

"As a team, we have to stick together and suffer. That's normal. Then we have to show our character and our quality on Saturday."

Bournemouth, meanwhile, followed up their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester City with a surprise 2-1 loss to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Wednesday.

The Cherries are now winless in five league matches, losing four of those and seeing their aspirations of European qualification fade.

Head coach Andoni Iraola said: "We are in a bad period. It's a bad result for us, but we need to stay together and focus on the things we can improve. 

"We need to improve defensively and not make any mistakes or concede chances, so we don't have to get three or four goals to win a game."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

Since a run of three goals and two assists across five Premier League home appearances between October and early December, Bowen has gone five games at the London Stadium without a goal or assist. 

Bowen has never previously gone six in a row without doing so, while he will also be keen to halt a four-game goal drought overall in the competition.

Bournemouth – Justin Kluivert

Kluivert has had a hand in 14 goals in 14 away Premier League games this season (10 goals, four assists), the joint-most by a Cherries player in a single top-flight season, along with Callum Wilson in 2018-19 (nine goals, five assists). 

The Dutchman has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six league matches on the road (six goals, three assists). He missed Wednesday's game with a knock, but Iraola will be desperate to have him back for this one.

MATCH PREDICTION – BOURNEMOUTH WIN

West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games against Bournemouth (three wins, four draws), with each of the last three meetings finishing 1-1. However, the Hammers have lost three of their last four home Premier League games, failing to score in each defeat in that run. 

They have failed to score in six home league games this season, their most in a campaign since 2018-19 (also six games), last doing so more often in 2008-09 (eight).

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have picked up 23 away Premier League points in 2024-25, their most in a top-flight campaign, while their 30 goals are also a top-flight club record.

A fast start will be vital. At the London Stadium this season, West Ham have won all five of their Premier League games when they have opened the scoring, compared to eight defeats in nine games when conceding first (one draw). 

Entertainment could be on the cards. None of Bournemouth's last 67 away Premier League games have ended goalless, since a 0-0 draw at Watford in October 2019. 

In Premier League history, only Sheffield Wednesday (70 between 1996 and 2000) and Manchester United (99 between 1999 and 2004) have gone longer without a 0-0 on the road.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 31.8%

Bournemouth – 42.5%

Draw – 25.7%

Potter wants more dynamism from misfiring West Ham

West Ham are winless in three Premier League matches following their midweek loss at Wolves, with Bournemouth next up this weekend.

Graham Potter believes West Ham have made strides in some areas since his January arrival, but he wants to see more dynamism in attack ahead of Saturday's clash with Bournemouth.

West Ham slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Wolves at Molineux on Tuesday, extending their current winless streak in the Premier League to three matches.

The Hammers have taken 11 points from 10 games since Potter arrived in the wake of Julen Lopetegui's January dismissal, recording three wins, two draws and five defeats.

Only the bottom three have fewer victories in that time, while West Ham's win percentage under Potter is identical to their ratio under Lopetegui (30%). 

Potter's Irons have also averaged just 0.9 goals per game, compared to the 1.2 they averaged under Lopetegui, leading to a call for attacking improvements.

"I think we need to attack better. That's something we have to do, we know that," Potter said. "We want to be a bit more dynamic, we want to be a bit faster with our attacks.

"I think we need to manage the game a little bit better, understand when we can go forward, when we can go a bit more direct, move a bit more vertically. 

"We're sort of finding our way with each other still, and I think it's a bit of work in progress.

"Some things have improved, some things have gone in the right direction, but still, we need to do more."

On Saturday, they return home to face Bournemouth. Since opening Potter's reign with a 3-2 home victory over Fulham, they have only beaten Leicester at the London Stadium (2-0 in late February).

"We want to play well in front of our supporters and get three points. Every game in this league, you can see how it is, it's so competitive," Potter said.

"As a team, we have to stick together and suffer. That's normal. Then we have to show our character and our quality on Saturday."

Bournemouth, meanwhile, followed up their FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester City with a surprise 2-1 loss to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town on Wednesday.

The Cherries are now winless in five league matches, losing four of those and seeing their aspirations of European qualification fade.

Head coach Andoni Iraola said: "We are in a bad period. It's a bad result for us, but we need to stay together and focus on the things we can improve. 

"We need to improve defensively and not make any mistakes or concede chances, so we don't have to get three or four goals to win a game."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Jarrod Bowen

Since a run of three goals and two assists across five Premier League home appearances between October and early December, Bowen has gone five games at the London Stadium without a goal or assist. 

Bowen has never previously gone six in a row without doing so, while he will also be keen to halt a four-game goal drought overall in the competition.

Bournemouth – Justin Kluivert

Kluivert has had a hand in 14 goals in 14 away Premier League games this season (10 goals, four assists), the joint-most by a Cherries player in a single top-flight season, along with Callum Wilson in 2018-19 (nine goals, five assists). 

The Dutchman has been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six league matches on the road (six goals, three assists). He missed Wednesday's game with a knock, but Iraola will be desperate to have him back for this one.

MATCH PREDICTION – BOURNEMOUTH WIN

West Ham are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games against Bournemouth (three wins, four draws), with each of the last three meetings finishing 1-1. However, the Hammers have lost three of their last four home Premier League games, failing to score in each defeat in that run. 

They have failed to score in six home league games this season, their most in a campaign since 2018-19 (also six games), last doing so more often in 2008-09 (eight).

Bournemouth, meanwhile, have picked up 23 away Premier League points in 2024-25, their most in a top-flight campaign, while their 30 goals are also a top-flight club record.

A fast start will be vital. At the London Stadium this season, West Ham have won all five of their Premier League games when they have opened the scoring, compared to eight defeats in nine games when conceding first (one draw). 

Entertainment could be on the cards. None of Bournemouth's last 67 away Premier League games have ended goalless, since a 0-0 draw at Watford in October 2019. 

In Premier League history, only Sheffield Wednesday (70 between 1996 and 2000) and Manchester United (99 between 1999 and 2004) have gone longer without a 0-0 on the road.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 31.8%

Bournemouth – 42.5%

Draw – 25.7%

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