“‘Says It All’ – Sky Sports Pundit Left Stunned as Graham Potter’s Bold Move Leaves West Ham Star Humiliated Against Southampton”
Evan Ferguson moving on loan to West Ham United in the winter transfer window made perfect sense when the switch reunited him with Graham Potter.
It was Potter who offered the Irish striker his debut as a 17-year-old with Brighton back in 2021, and from there he went from strength to strength, proving himself a real handful in the Premier League.
Ferguson had only scored once in the league this season for the Seagulls when he came to East London on a temporary deal, but his stint with the Hammers has fizzled out in the same way as their season.
Ferguson moment from Potter summed up by Sky Sports pundit
West Ham fans headed home from the London Stadium underwhelmed yet again this season on Saturday (19 April), as their side were unable to overcome an abysmal Southampton outfit.
Saints earned a point in the third minute of stoppage time as Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu found the net to cancel out Jarrod Bowen’s opener.
The 1-1 draw means Southampton will not finish the campaign as the Premier League’s outright worst-ever-performing side, accumulating 11 points with five games to play.
West Ham temporarily move up to 16th, after a summer which appeared to promise so much.
Speaking live on Sky Sports News (19 April, 16:43), Michael Dawson claimed live on Soccer Saturday that one moment has summed up Ferguson’s loan spell.
Instead of Potter bringing on the young forward when he took off Niclas Fullkrug in a like-for-like change, he brought on Tomas Soucek to defend the one-goal lead they had at the time.
“Niclas Fullkrug has come off, and you’d think Evan Ferguson would be brought on – just as a straight swap,” Dawson said.
“No. Tomas Soucek’s come on. And I think that says it all about Evan Ferguson at West Ham.”
Two minutes later, Ferguson was, in fact, introduced in place of Bowen.
West Ham have serious summer to succeed
West Ham have been safe from relegation for a long time, but realistically, this is down to the gulf between the three sides promoted last term and the rest of the league.
This has been a reoccurrence of last season’s pattern, and offers some forgiveness to the Irons for their dreadful campaign.
It’s clear last summer with the money spent – over £80million as a net spend figure – that West Ham wanted European qualification this season. They have won nine games in 33, and are yet to hit the 40-point barrier with five to play.
Potter knows next season can be a blank canvas – but many of the current crop he is working with are not doing enough to prove they can be part of the project longer-term.