Chelsea Thrash West Ham 5-1, Increasing Pressure on Former Boss Graham Potter
Chelsea came from behind to demolish West Ham United 5-1 at the London Stadium on Friday night, intensifying the scrutiny on former Blues manager Graham Potter just two games into the Premier League season.
Graham Potter, who has struggled since taking charge of West Ham in January, has now won only five of his last 21 matches. His tenure has started poorly, highlighted by a 3-0 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland last weekend. The mounting pressure on Potter is palpable, with fans and pundits questioning his tactical acumen and ability to turn things around.
The match began with a sensational strike from Lucas Paquetá, who opened the scoring for West Ham in the 12th minute. Paquetá, recently cleared of spot-fixing allegations, celebrated his goal passionately, pointing to the badge on his chest as a gesture of gratitude to the club that stood by him during turbulent times. The 27-year-old’s long-range effort gave the home side early hope.
However, the joy was short-lived as Chelsea quickly equalized just nine minutes later. Joao Pedro, who has been in fine form since joining the club, scored his first Premier League goal by heading in a flick-on from Marc Cucurella during a corner. With their tails up, Chelsea seized control of the match. Pedro assisted Pedro Neto, who found the net at the far post to give the Blues a 2-1 lead. Estevao, making his first Premier League start, showcased his explosive pace, setting up Enzo Fernandez to extend Chelsea’s advantage to 3-1 just before halftime.
West Ham’s goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, signed for £20 million from Leicester City, had a night to forget. Following a series of blunders, he dropped a corner, allowing Moises Caicedo to score Chelsea’s fourth goal. Hermansen’s struggles continued as he failed to deal with another corner, which led to Trevoh Chalobah scoring the Blues’ fifth goal.
As Chelsea racked up the goals, thousands of West Ham supporters began to leave the stadium with over 30 minutes still remaining, a clear indication of their frustration. Those who remained greeted the final whistle with loud boos, signaling their dissatisfaction with the team’s performance.
Chelsea now sits atop the Premier League for the first time since December 2021.
