Nuno Espírito Santo was having a miserable time at West Ham United until he started playing a certain young midfielder.
His tenure as West Ham manager got off to a solid start when he drew 1-1 with Everton after taking over from Graham Potter just two days before the fixture. However, the Hammers then went on to lose three games on the bounce to Arsenal, Brentford, and then Leeds United.
Nuno’s fortunes began to turn around when he started Freddie Potts against Newcastle United, which the Hammers won 3-1. Potts then played 90 minutes in West Ham’s 3-2 win over Burnley just before the international break.
The break has come at a bad time for Nuno’s side, as they were just starting to hit form. Following the international fixtures, West Ham will face a tough run of games, which include matches with Bournemouth, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
Are West Ham United too over-reliant on Freddie Potts?
Prior to Potts starting regularly for West Ham, they had to rely on an ageing midfield. Thomas Soucek and Guido Rodríguez are both now in their thirties. Andy Irving is only 25, but has yet to stamp his mark at the London Stadium.
James Ward-Prowse clearly did not make a good impression when Nuno had him on loan at Nottingham Forest, as he has been frozen out by the new West Ham boss.
Potts is only 22 and has the legs that many of West Ham’s current midfielders do not have anymore. Alongside the 21-year-old, Mateus Fernandes, the Hammers look like a different team. The 22-year-old Soungoutou Magassa, who joined from AS Monaco last summer, could also help complement their midfield.
Potts comes from a West Ham family. His father, Steve, is a West Ham legend who made over 400 appearances for the club. He won the Second Division twice with the Hammers and is now Nuno’s assistant.
There can be no claims of nepotism when it comes to the Potts family, as Freddie is showing his class for West Ham. Nepotism had previously been a theme at the club when a young Frank Lampard was breaking through with his father (also Frank) and uncle Harry Redknapp as West Ham’s coaches.
Potts’ older brother, Dan, also played for West Ham. However, he made just 13 first-team appearances before joining Luton Town. Freddie appears to be set to eclipse his older brother if he can help keep West Ham in the Premier League. However, he has a long way to go before he lives up to his father’s legacy at the club.