West Ham faces midfield gaps as Potter fixations raise concerns

An early look at West Ham after a Lille friendly shows a mix of positives and persistent issues, with questions about midfield depth and squad balance.

West Ham faces midfield gaps as Potter fixations raise concerns

West Ham drew 1-1 with Lille and then won on penalties in a pre-season friendly. The mood around the club has brightened recently, partly because Graham Potter has tried to build a sense of togetherness. He had hoped to bring in new players early in the window to work with them in pre-season, and Mads Hermansen joined as the club’s fourth signing with three weeks to go. The result and performance offered a mixed picture.

There were clear positives in the second half, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Malick Diouf, Freddie Potts, Jarrod Bowen, Niclas Fullkrug and Jean-Clair Todibo showing their class. Areola earned praise for his two penalties saved and Fullkrug scored late, yet missed a decisive spot kick in the shootout. The first half was compareably flat, and the defense looked exposed in central areas. Kilman and Aguerd struggled together, while Todibo stood out as the best of the trio. Ward-Prowse’s influence remains a talking point, and the midfield overall looked light on pace and ball speed.

The match underscored a broader worry: in a league as demanding as the Premier League, West Ham need more pace and power in midfield and up front if they want to push higher than midtable. The club will also monitor potential targets like Ramsey and Fernandes, with Sanchez or Fearon among the younger options. Overall, pre-season has offered some encouragement but it also highlighted clear gaps that need filling before the season starts.

West Ham’s current build leans on team spirit more than on a proven, high-velocity spine. The lineup questions around Ward-Prowse and the defensive trio of Kilman, Todibo and Aguerd reveal a club trying to balance experience with speed and mobility. If Potter is serious about competing for a top-eight finish, he must translate the unity on the training pitch into a more flexible, fast-moving attack and a sturdier center of defence. The rise of youth like Fearon and the late showing from Soucek hint at options beyond the first XI, but depth remains a real concern.

The bigger takeaway is risk amid ambition. Ward-Prowse has character and quality, but his style may not suit a system built for rapid midfielder-to-forward transitions. If Ramsey or Fernandes arrives, Potter will have to rethink midfield balance and perhaps shift Paqueta into a more adventurous role. The season will test whether the squad can sustain effort and intensity for 90 minutes week after week, or if the current plan collapses under the league’s pressure.

Highlights

The next window will show if West Ham can turn potential into a sustained push.