Graham Potter has been urged to signal a striker as Darren Bent outlined what he should do to remodel West Ham’s fortunes.
The Englishman was appointed because the Irons’ new boss on Thursday after Julen Lopetegui was relieved of his duties following a disappointing begin to the season.
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Potter, who opened his spell at West Ham with a defeat to Aston Villa within the FA Cup, has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Hammers, who presently sit 14th within the Premier League desk.
That is the previous Brighton head coach’s first managerial position since his dismissal from Chelsea in April 2023, and he definitely has his work reduce out to issues round on the London Stadium.
The east London outfit, who’ve requested to learn of Marcus Rashford’s state of affairs at Manchester United, sit seven factors above the relegation zone, with simply six league wins to their title all season.
And talkSPORT’s Bent admitted there’s loads of room for enchancment, as he recognized as many as seven key areas which Potter should develop to show the tides at West Ham.
Talking on Drive, the previous Tottenham striker acknowledged addressing West Ham’s techniques is a high precedence for Potter.
He mentioned: “The very first thing I would say he is received to do is repair the type of play.
“I believe whenever you take a look at West Ham below David Moyes, that was the one factor that the West Ham followers had been speaking about.”
He went on: “I simply assume the type of play simply wasn’t adequate. Have a look at the place they’re by way of common possession, they’re 14th. Their common is 46.7 per cent possession.”
Regardless of hopes that Lopetegui would introduce a extra entertaining strategy on the London Stadium, the Hammers have did not kick on on this regard.
This season, they’ve scored simply 24 objectives, putting them within the backside six of the entire Premier League groups.
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Nonetheless, with Potter incomes plaudits for his possession-based sport while in command of Brighton, Bent was optimistic that he’ll assist to get the most effective out of West Ham’s gamers.
He continued: “Now, Potter, with him in cost, that can enhance fairly considerably.
“The best way that he performs – entrance foot soccer, getting your attacking gamers to ball in the proper areas.”
Subsequent on Potter’s to-do listing was bolstering their attacking choices.
Winger Jarrod Bowen has shouldered the goalscoring accountability for West Ham this season, with summer time signing Niclas Fullkrug managing simply two league objectives all season.
And with Michail Antonio out for an prolonged interval, Bent admitted that the Irons might do with a brand new focus up entrance.
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He mentioned: “I believe Jarrod Bowen’s their high goalscorer with 5. Then it is [Tomas] Soucek and [Mohammed] Kudus.
“Kudus has received three objectives – he’s so significantly better than that, than three objectives!”
“The rationale why I say signal a high quality centre ahead, I actually like Niklas Fulkrug, I assumed he was good on the Euros for Germany. He scored a great aim of their final sport.
“However he is 31-years-old now. That is a short-term repair. That does not inform me you are going to be a centre ahead for the following 5, six years.
“So I might exit and attempt to signal a correct centre ahead.”
Amongst Potter’s different key focus areas had been enhancing West Ham’s residence type, and getting the most effective out of playmaker Lucas Paqueta.
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Stressing the significance of enhancing residence type, Bent mentioned: “They have to make the London Stadium a fortress. Make it strong, a tough place to go.
“On the minute, they’re fifteenth within the residence desk. There isn’t any approach you may ship the products or have a great season when you’re residence type, you’re solely fifteenth within the Premier League desk.
“You need to be higher than that. In order that they’ve received three video games at residence all season within the Premier League. That is not adequate.”
And Bent believes Potter should get the most effective out of Paqueta, who scored in 2-1 defeat to Villa, if he needs his time within the capital to be a hit.
The previous England striker urged: “You have to re-find Paqueta’s type. I believe he’s a high, fine quality participant, however this season we’ve not seen the most effective of him.
“He is received a lot means, a lot high quality. I believe you have to discover the most effective place for him and get the most effective out of him. As a result of as soon as he will get them taking part in, then they’re a greater group with him.”