At this point, Graham Potter claiming that West Ham United’s Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Wolves was a performance with ‘lots of positives’ feels like a poking of the proverbial hornet’s nest.
Yet, he is not entirely wrong.
While Guido Rodriguez and Alphonse Areola combined to gift Wolves a first-half lead against the run of play, and Max Kilman’s late cameo coincided with Jorgen Strand Larsen’s match-winning brace, a manager less-maligned might have been forgiven for highlighting a few plus-points.
Yet, as the away fans expressed their fury at full-time – a third successive defeat to start the season with eleven goals conceded – Potter’s positivity is likely to slam down to earth like a lead balloon. A lick of flame expunged by a flood of criticism.
If the fans and their under-pressure coach are aligned on one thing, however, it’s that both agree Kyle Walker-Peters looks well-suited to a wing-back role in a back five. The England international assisted Tomas Soucek as the Czech’s back-post header drew West Ham United level just after half-time.
Hammers legend Tony Gale was delighted to see Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta link up brilliantly for the goal which put the visitors’ 2-1 up as well – as was the man in the dugout – before Strand Larsen’s introduction turned the scoreline on its head and ensured another miserable evening for Potter.
Graham Potter highlights the ‘positives’ of West Ham United’s Carabao Cup exit
Speaking at full-time, any hopes West Ham may have had of ending their domestic cup drought over in round one, Graham Potter felt the nature of Wolves’ opener rather epitomised how Lady Luck feels about the Hammers right now.
Then again, one man’s misfortune is another’s mistake. Rodriguez gave away a penalty with a lazy trip. And, after Hwang Hee-Chan’s spot kick rebounded off the post, Alphonse Areola could not react quickly enough to prevent Rodrigo Gomes’ follow up slipping through his grasp.
“I thought there were lots of positives. First-half, we were probably the better team, unlucky to go a goal down,” Potter sighs, far more upbeat than he was after defeat to Sunderland and Chelsea.
“The manner of the first goal I think sums up where we are at the moment. It hit the post and rebounds straight to them and goes in.
“But I thought the performance in the first-half was solid, the response in the second-half was good. We scored two good goals but then the substitutions for them probably turned the game a little bit.
“We weren’t able to hang on and it’s disappointing to go out.”
Potter praises Jarrod Bowen, Kyle Walker-Peters and James Ward-Prowse
Gale feels that Bowen’s wicked delivery to set up Paqueta was a firm reminder as to why the West Ham captain is far more effective on the right than when played through the middle.
Potter, however, insists that Bowen drifting into the number nine role during the opening 45 minutes at Molineux was not by design. Merely a man looking to make space for James Ward-Prowse and the impressive Walker-Peters to deliver from out wide.
While Walker-Peters assisted Soucek, Ward-Prowse did provide one trademark whipped cross which Paqueta guided narrowly wide.
“We had that idea [of using Bowen on the wing] in the first-half, but I think just Kyle and James grew into the game a little bit more,” Potter adds. “But yeah, it is nice to see him influence the game. Fantastic cross for the first goal.
“[I was] pleased for Kyle as well. I thought he did well.”
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