Gabriel Agbonlahor thinks he knows exactly when West Ham will decide to sack Graham Potter and it sums up the farcical situation that’s unfolding at the London Stadium.
The outspoken pundit has delivered his verdict on struggling West Ham boss Graham Potter as speculation continues to swirl.
There are few, if any, Premier League clubs where a manager would retain his job after winning just six games from 25 in nine months.
Julen Lopetegui certainly didn’t when he was axed by the Hammers after just 192 days following six wins from 20 matches.
The fact Potter’s dismal record stretches over two different seasons – and that he took over midway through last term has probably kept him in the West Ham job.
Potter’s stay of execution sums up farce at West Ham
But things appear to be even worse at the start of his new campaign with five defeats from six games.
The insipid manner of West Ham’s hammerings to rivals Chelsea and Spurs piled pressure on the head coach.
And Irons fans fully turned on Potter during the 2-1 home defeat to Palace last weekend.
Chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ and ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ rang out around the London Stadium as Potter was jeered for substituting Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville at the same time when West Ham were chasing the game at 2-1 down.
The fact he’d already taken Callum Wilson off only added to the frustration among fans, who have been calling for Potter’s head ever since.
A host of managers have been linked as potential replacements with Nuno Espirito Santo the leading candidate.
West Ham fans protesting against the owners cite the fact Potter remains in post as further evidence of gross board mismanagement.
Especially as it has been claimed the owners are delaying sacking Potter until after tough back-to-back away games against Everton and Arsenal next.
There have been conflicting reports over when Potter could be axed.
Some state defeat to David Moyes’ Everton will spell the end for the manager.
Agbonlahor thinks he knows when West Ham will sack Potter
Others claim West Ham are essentially writing off the next two matches by leaving Potter in charge so they can make the change during the two-week October international break.
In the meantime Potter has become a viral meme at West Ham, from which there appears to be no way back.
Troy Deeney thinks Potter is ‘too nice’ and will be fired by West Ham imminently as he is not the right fit for the club.
Damningly, leading pundits Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ian Wright are all surprised Potter is still manager of West Ham and predict he won’t be for much longer.
Now Gabriel Agbonlahor has revealed when he thinks West Ham will decide to sack Potter.
The former Premier League striker believes things will get even worse for West Ham in the next two weeks which will ultimately lead to change in the dugout.
West Ham will sack Potter by October 5th says Agbonlahor
“It could be a while, mate,” Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT.
“They’re 19th position in the league after five games, minus eight goal difference, (just) three points (on the board).
“Next game is Everton away. You lose that and then the game before the international break next weekend is Arsenal away.
“So you could have seven games Graham (after Arsenal on October 4th) with probably minus 10 to minus 13 goal difference and you could have three points.
“I think that’s a bye-bye.”
It seems widely accepted given the reporting around his future – and the fact West Ham have met with Nuno Espirito Santo twice – that the only thing which could save Potter is two positive results at Everton and Arsenal.
That’s not impossible given West Ham’s best results and performances under the Englishman have come away from home – including a 1-0 win at Arsenal.
But the way West Ham are playing this season and their vulnerability from set-pieces against two expert exponents of set-plays makes that highly improbable.
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