There has been a sudden and seismic shift at West Ham according to respected journalist Henry Winter as he delivers an exciting update that gives huge hope for the season ahead.
It never ceases to amaze how one game can make such a difference to West Ham.
The Hammers have a history of lurching from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Even after the success of recent years with the Europa Conference League triumph, West Ham managed to lurch pretty quickly into a crisis.
That was certainly the feeling around the start of the new season under Graham Potter.
Winter delivers exciting update on seismic shift at West Ham
Three defeats, 11 goals conceded and a plethora of top pundits and journalists predicting West Ham are certainties for relegation had dark clouds gathering over the London Stadium once again.
Then came rumours Lucas Paqueta wanted out, not long after West Ham took the hard decision to sell Mohammed Kudus to bitter rivals Spurs.
The double signing of £60m duo Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa lifted spirits around the Hammers heading into a crunch game at Nottingham Forest, though.
And it showed on the pitch with Fernandes superb on debut as he helped West Ham to a 3-0 win which boosts the whole club heading into the international break.
West Ham can now start looking up instead of fretting over relegation.
Now Henry Winter has delivered an exciting update on a sudden seismic shift at West Ham.
It has been difficult to find any leading football journalists with much good to say about the Hammers.
The truth is there has been little for them to go on in that regard.
But the Forest result and manner of the performance has seriously caught Winter’s eye.
Especially the performances of Fernandes and Paqueta, who is staying after links to Aston Villa.
Winter sees ‘significant strides’ at West Ham
As well as praise for captain Jarrod Bowen, Winter has also picked out the returning Crysencio Summerville and West Ham new boy Mads Hermansen following his difficult start.
And he says Potter deserves credit too with the reporter sensing this could be a season-changing moment for the Hammers and their head coach.
“What a huge, mood-changing performance and result for Graham Potter,” Winter said.
“Pressure was on after two Premier League defeats and going out of the League Cup but Potter delivered with his decisions, and his players delivered, especially second half.
“Absolutely no doubt that they are playing for him. Potter’s lucky to have a player of Bowen’s determination and dynamism, a player who never gives up, a captain who leads by example.
Potter, Fernandes, Paqueta and more singled out for praise
“New signing Fernandes did well, bringing more bite, pace and mobility in midfield. Paqueta: outstanding for 90 plus minutes, showed his class with his work-rate and confident pen and seemed to signal his commitment to the club with his goal celebration badge worship.
“Potter’s subs made a huge difference: Summerville one assist (for Bowen) and won a pen (for Paqueta to convert), Wilson scored. Showed Potter can influence games. Three goals in seven minutes, a magic spell for Potter, has West Ham up and running for the season.
“After conceding eight goals in the opening two Premier League games, West Ham have a clean sheet, dispelling some early doubts around Hermansen. (He is a) good ‘keeper simply needing to bed in with a new side and previously uncertain defence.
“This transforms the mood around Potter and West Ham going into the international break. Have to maintain this level of intensity on their return, resuming Premier League action with two home derbies vs Spurs and Palace.
“The London Stadium will have more confidence after this win at a disappointing Forest. West Ham fans still have issues with the board, and perhaps some still with Potter, who needs more displays like this but this was a significant stride in the right direction.”
That makes great reading for anyone connected with West Ham and raises many salient points.
West Ham must not let standards drop now.
And with one or two new deadline day additions, it could be onwards and upwards for the Hammers for the rest of the campaign.
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