West Ham United Premier League 2025-2026: Crisis Toàn Diện – Potter Worst Manager, Nuno Struggling, Fans Protest

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I. Crisis 2025: Potter Disaster + Nuno Struggling

1.1. Fewest PL Points In Calendar Year 2025

Across calendar year 2025 (Jan-Dec), nếu exclude promoted/relegated clubs, West Ham có FEWEST points trong Premier League. Worse than Everton, worse than Leicester (relegated), worse than Southampton (relegated). This is unprecedented crisis.

West Ham 2025 = losing habit. 3 managers trong 12 tháng:

• David Moyes – Left summer 2024 (successful, finish 9th 2023-24 after winning Conference League 2023)
• Julen Lopetegui – Sacked January 2025 (9 months, finish 14th)
• Graham Potter – Sacked September 2025 (8 months, worst manager ever)
• Nuno Espírito Santo – Current (since 27/9/2025, struggling)

Instability = relegation recipe. No time to build, no cohesion, players confused.

1.2. London Stadium: 8 Games Winless At Home

Winless run at home: 8 games! Chelsea 1-5, Spurs 0-3, Palace 1-2, Brentford (fans boycotted!), Brighton 1-1. London Stadium = fortress no more. Attendance dropped, atmosphere toxic, fans chanting “sack the board” every game.

Compare với David Moyes era: London Stadium was intimidating. Now? Opposition teams love coming here. Easy 3 points.

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II. Graham Potter: Worst Manager Trong 130 Năm

2.1. Potter Record: 26.1% Win Rate

Graham Potter (50 tuổi, ex-Brighton, ex-Chelsea) appointed January 2025 replacing Lopetegui. West Ham 14th khi ông đến. Hy vọng: Potter tactics từ Brighton, possession football, youth development.

Thực tế = disaster hoàn toàn:

Period	Games	W-D-L	Win %	Pts/Game
Potter Era Total	23 PL	6-3-14	26.1%	1.0
Second Half 2024-25	18 games	6-3-9	33.3%	1.2
Start 2025-26	5 games	1-0-4	20%	0.6

Potter = second-worst manager in West Ham PL history, only better than Avram Grant (2010-11, relegated). Worse than Lopetegui, worse than Bilic, worse than Pellegrini.

2.2. 2025-26 Start: Nightmare

Potter’s 5 games 2025-26:

Date	Opponent	H/A	Score	Result
16/08	Sunderland	Away	0-3	❌ THUA (promoted team!)
22/08	Chelsea	Home	1-5	❌ HUMILIATED HOME
31/08	Nottm Forest	Away	3-0	✅ Thắng (Nuno’s Forest)
13/09	Tottenham	Home	0-3	❌ SOUČEK RED CARD
21/09	Crystal Palace	Home	1-2	❌ Final straw – SACKED

3 points from 5 games. 19th position. Defensive disaster: 13 goals conceded (worst in PL). Fans sang “sacked in the morning” WITH Palace fans tại London Stadium. Humiliation complete.

2.3. Tại Sao Potter Thất Bại?

**1. Wrong Philosophy:** Potter muốn possession football (55-60% possession). Nhưng West Ham squad = old, slow, can’t press. Defenders (Kilman, Todibo) exposed khi playing high line.

**2. Squad Selection Bizarre:** Potter start Guido Rodríguez và James Ward-Prowse over Tomáš Souček và Freddie Potts. Fans furious. Why bench fan favorites?

**3. Set-Pieces Ignored:** West Ham conceded 7 goals from set-pieces under Potter! Corners, free-kicks = nightmare. No coaching, no organization. Nuno later exposed: “Potter paid no attention to set-pieces.”

**4. Back 5 Disaster:** Potter favored 5-2-3 formation. But West Ham never comfortable. Gaps everywhere, slow transitions.

**5. Home Form Collapse:** 0 wins in 8 home games spanning Potter era. Fans stopped coming. Atmosphere dead.

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III. Nuno Espírito Santo: Rescue Mission Khó Khăn

3.1. Nuno Appointed: 27/9/2025

Nuno Espírito Santo (51 tuổi, Portuguese) appointed cùng ngày Potter sacked. Ironic: Nuno just sacked by Forest 18 days trước! Forest finish 7th under Nuno 2024-25, qualify Europa, but board wanted more attacking football → sacked start 2025-26.

West Ham desperate: 19th position, defensive disaster, fans furious. Nuno = proven survival specialist:

• Wolves 2017-20: Championship → PL promotion → 7th place (Europa League) → 7th again
• Spurs 2021: Failed (sacked after 4 months)
• Forest 2023-25: 17th (survival) → 7th (Europa!)

Track record = reactive football, defensive solid, counter-attacks. Style opposite Potter’s possession game.

3.2. Nuno Record So Far: Still Struggling

Nuno’s West Ham (27/9 – current, ~10 weeks):

Date	Opponent	H/A	Score	Result
29/09	Everton	Away	1-1	Hòa (debut, vs Moyes!)
04/10	Arsenal	Away	0-2	❌ Thua
20/10	Brentford	Home	1-1	Hòa (fans boycott!)
27/10	Man United	Away	1-1	Hòa (good point)
02/11	Leicester	Home	2-1	✅ First win!
09/11	Newcastle	Home	2-0	✅ Back-to-back wins
22/11	Bournemouth	Away	2-2	Blew 2-0 lead!
30/11	Brighton	Home	1-1	Hòa (blew 1-0 lead again)

Nuno record: 2W-5D-1L (8 games). Better than Potter but still not enough. Currently 18th, 13 points, still relegation zone. Lost just 1 of last 6, but draws killing them.

3.3. Nuno’s Problem: Can’t Hold Leads

Nuno’s biggest issue = can’t hold leads. Bournemouth: 2-0 up at HT → draw 2-2. Brighton: 1-0 up → draw 1-1. Every time West Ham lead, Nuno goes ultra-defensive (like Moyes used to), invites pressure, concedes.

Fans frustrated: “We finally score, then sit back and suffer!” Nuno defensive mentality = good for survival, bad for winning games.

3.4. Player Improvements Under Nuno

Credit where due: Nuno improved some players dramatically:

• Jean-Clair Todibo: Lost cause under Potter → solid defender under Nuno. Finally looking like £40M player.
• Alphonse Areola: Benched by Hermansen under Potter → Starting GK, making crucial saves
• Callum Wilson: Ignored by Potter → Starting striker, scoring goals (despite being 33 và injury-prone)
• Mateus Fernandes: Wasted £42M under Potter → Key midfielder, winning duels, ball recoveries

But overall team = still struggling. Defense better (1.0 goals/game vs Potter’s 2.6), but attack toothless (0.88 goals/game).

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IV. Mohammed Kudus Sold: Loss Lớn Nhất Summer

4.1. Kudus to Newcastle £55M

Mohammed Kudus (24 tuổi, Ghana) = West Ham’s best player 2023-24 và 2024-25. Mùa 2023-24: 14 bàn + 6 assists. Mùa 2024-25 dưới Lopetegui/Potter: 8 bàn + 5 assists despite team struggling.

Summer 2025: Newcastle mua Kudus £55M! West Ham reluctantly sold (need money after Potter spending). Huge loss:

Lose Kudus = lose creativity, goals, pace. Jarrod Bowen now isolated, no support. Potter misjudged, board prioritized money over success.

4.2. Replacement: None

West Ham không replace Kudus properly. Crysencio Summerville (bought 2024, injured January-September 2025) supposed to fill void, nhưng still returning fitness. El Hadji Malick Diouf (£15M Senegal) young, raw, not ready.

Result: No pace on wings. Counter-attacks slow. Possession pointless without creativity.

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V. Chuyển Nhượng Thất Bại: Hermansen, Wilson, Fernandes

5.1. Summer 2025 Signings

Cầu Thủ	Vị Trí	Từ	Phí	Đánh Giá
Mads Hermansen	GK	Leicester	£25M	⭐ FLOP! Awful, dropped by Nuno
Mateus Fernandes	CM	Southampton	£42M	⭐⭐⭐ Improving under Nuno, was lost under Potter
Callum Wilson	ST	Newcastle	FREE	⭐⭐ 33yo, injury-prone, scoring but can’t last
Kyle Walker-Peters	RB/LB	Southampton	FREE	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best signing! Versatile, solid
Jean-Clair Todibo	CB	Nice	£40M (perm)	⭐⭐⭐ Finally good under Nuno
El Hadji Diouf	RW	Slavia Prague	£15M	⭐⭐ Young (21), raw, 3 assists but inconsistent
Igor Julio	CB	Brighton	LOAN	⭐ Bench player, not impacting

Total spent: ~£122M. OUT: Kudus £55M, Kurt Zouma, Danny Ings, Aaron Cresswell. Net spend £67M.

5.2. Mads Hermansen: £25M Disaster

Mads Hermansen (24 tuổi, Denmark, Leicester relegated 2024-25) = Potter’s priority signing summer. £25M GK supposed to replace Łukasz Fabiański (39yo retiring).

Disaster from Day 1:

• Debut Sunderland: Concede 3, poor positioning, flappy hands
• Chelsea 1-5: Concede 5, no command of box, distribution awful
• Spurs 0-3: Benched by Potter!

Nuno immediately dropped Hermansen, recalled Alphonse Areola (ex-PSG, 31yo). Hermansen = £25M bench warmer. Worst GK signing West Ham history?

5.3. Callum Wilson: 33 Years Old & Injury-Prone

Callum Wilson (33 tuổi, England) joined FREE from Newcastle. On paper: experienced PL striker, 157 career PL goals. Reality: Injury nightmare.

Wilson’s Newcastle record: Missed 114 games in 5 seasons! 2024-25: Started only 2 league matches (injuries). West Ham gamble: 1-year contract, heavily incentivized on appearances/goals.

So far: 3 goals in 8 starts (including vs Forest, vs Newcastle). Decent return BUT can he last? Already needed rest vs Brighton. Niclas Füllkrug (£27M 2024) perpetually injured, so Wilson = only striker. Dangerous.

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VI. Đội Hình 2025-26: Old & Slow

6.1. Đội Hình Chính Nuno (3-4-3)

6.2. Average Age: 28.1 – Too Old

West Ham starting XI average age: 28.1 years – one of oldest in Premier League. Only Everton older. Problem = lack pace, lack stamina, can’t press high.

Key players over 30:

• Callum Wilson: 33
• Alphonse Areola: 31
• Lucas Paquetá: 27 (but playing like 32)
• Guido Rodríguez: 30

Young players (under 23): Mateus Fernandes (21), Crysencio Summerville (23), El Hadji Diouf (21), Callum Marshall (20). Not enough youth.

6.3. Jarrod Bowen: Isolated & Ineffective

Jarrod Bowen (28 tuổi, England) = West Ham’s captain và best player remaining (after Kudus sold). Mùa 2023-24: 20 bàn + 10 assists. Hero Conference League 2023 (scored in final).

Mùa 2025-26: Only 4 bàn + 2 assists in 14 games. Isolated. No Kudus support. Opponents double-mark Bowen, no one else creates. Potter relied on Bowen 100% (14 of 27 goals involvement), unsustainable.

Bowen frustrated, rumored wanting leave January. If Bowen goes, West Ham finished.

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VII. Defensive Disaster: 13 Goals In 5 Games Under Potter

7.1. Set-Pieces Nightmare

Under Potter: 7 goals conceded from set-pieces in 5 games! Corners, free-kicks = automatic goals for opponents. No organization, no marking, chaos.

Nuno exposed post-appointment: “First thing I noticed = set-piece defending was problem. Potter paid no attention to it. Everyone in game knows set-pieces crucial.”

Under Nuno: Improvement. Only 3 goals from set-pieces in 8 games. Still not great, but better.

7.2. High Line Exposed

Potter’s insistence on high defensive line = disaster với West Ham’s slow CBs:

• Max Kilman (£45M Wolves 2024): Slow, gets turned easily, can’t play high line
• Jean-Clair Todibo (£40M Nice): Athletic but positionally naive under Potter
• Konstantinos Mavropanos (£20M Stuttgart): Sold summer because Potter didn’t rate him!

Nuno switched to back 3, deeper line. Immediate improvement: Concede 1.0 goals/game vs Potter’s 2.6.

7.3. Goalkeeping Crisis

GK situation = mess:

• Łukasz Fabiański: 39yo, retired summer 2025 (legend, 7 years service)
• Mads Hermansen: £25M flop, dropped after 2 games
• Alphonse Areola: 31yo, recalled by Nuno, making crucial saves
• Wes Foderingham: 34yo backup (FREE from Sheffield United)

Areola performing well now, but he’s not long-term solution (31yo). Need new GK January.

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VIII. Fan Protests: Sack Sullivan & Brady

8.1. “Sack The Board” Chants Every Game

West Ham fans = furious không phải chỉ với Potter, nhưng với board:

• David Sullivan: Chairman, 15 years ownership (since 2010)
• Karren Brady: Vice-chair, businessman/TV personality

Fans’ complaints:

1. 9 managers in 15 years: No stability, constant sackings
2. London Stadium: Soulless, poor atmosphere, moved from Boleyn Ground 2016 (fans never forgave)
3. Ticket prices: Expensive, poor value, team underperforming
4. Transfer policy: Sell best players (Declan Rice £105M Arsenal 2023, Kudus £55M Newcastle 2025), buy wrong replacements
5. No ambition: Content with mid-table, no investment in infrastructure/youth

8.2. Brentford Game Boycott (20/10)

20/10/2025: Brentford (H), some fans staged BOYCOTT to protest Sullivan/Brady running of club. Attendance down, empty seats visible. Draw 1-1, poor performance.

Fans chanting “sack the board” louder than supporting team. Toxic atmosphere. Brady refused comment. Sullivan invisible.

8.3. Compare Với Moyes Era: Stability Lost

David Moyes (second spell 2020-2024): Stability, success, Conference League winners 2023! Finish 6th (2022-23), 9th (2023-24). Fans loved Moyes despite boring football.

Why not keep Moyes? Board wanted “more attractive football”. Hired Lopetegui (Spanish, stylish). Disaster. Hired Potter (Brighton style). Worse disaster.

Lesson: Stability > Style. Moyes knew how to survive, how to win cups. Board’s ambition = relegation recipe.

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IX. Fixtures: Tough December Ahead

9.1. December 2025: Must Win 6-Pointers

Ngày	Đối Thủ	Sân	Độ Khó
06/12	Brighton	Away	❌ Tough, bright attack
14/12	Wolves	Home	✅ MUST WIN (relegation rival)
21/12	Liverpool	Away	❌ Impossible
26/12	Southampton	Home	✅ MUST WIN (bottom team)
29/12	Leeds	Away	⚠️ 6-pointer! Both struggling
01/01	Ipswich	Home	✅ MUST WIN

Target December: 10 points minimum từ 6 trận. Lose vs Wolves, Southampton, Ipswich = disaster.

9.2. January Window: Nuno Needs Reinforcements

Nuno confirmed: “January window priority = striker.” Targets:

• Ivan Toney (Al Ahli): England striker, experienced, but wages £300k/week (impossible)
• Che Adams (Torino): Ex-Southampton, knows PL, affordable
• Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahçe): Morocco striker, aerial threat

Also need: CB (Max Kilman struggling), LB (Emerson gone), backup GK (Hermansen leaving?).

Board confirmed to Hammers News: “Both permanent and loan signings being identified. Nuno will be backed.”

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X. Dự Đoán: 17th, 37 Điểm, Survive Sát Sao

10.1. Prediction: 17th, 37 Points

10.2. Scenarios

10.3. Key Factors For Survival

**1. January Striker ESSENTIAL:** Wilson can’t play 38 games (33yo, injury history). Need backup/competition. Nuno confirmed priority.

**2. Summerville Fitness:** If Summerville returns to 2024 form (Leeds star, 19 goals Championship), West Ham have pace/creativity. But injured since January – fitness question.

**3. Bowen Stays:** If Bowen leaves January, West Ham doomed. He’s captain, best player, leader. Without him, no chance.

**4. Avoid Manager Change:** Nuno MUST stay. 4th manager in 12 months = relegation certain. Board must give Nuno full season.

**5. Beat Bottom 6:** West Ham face Wolves (H), Southampton (H), Ipswich (H+A), Leeds (A), Burnley (A), Everton (A). MUST win 4-5 of these. Lose = relegation.

10.4. Sullivan & Brady: Sacked In Summer?

If West Ham survive, Sullivan/Brady likely stay (they own club, can’t be “sacked”). But pressure immense. Fans want them gone. Some rumors:

• Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský interested (owns 27% stake already)
• American consortium monitoring situation
• Saudi interest (unlikely, Premier League rules)

Sullivan 74 years old, Brady 55. Both been at West Ham 15 years. Time for change? Fans say YES. But owners rarely leave voluntarily.

Realistically: Sullivan/Brady stay, hire director of football summer (fans demand), give Nuno 2nd season. Cycle continues.