Graham Potter has urged his players to build on their impressive Premier League triumph at Nottingham Forest last time out when they host Tottenham Hotspur in an enticing London derby this Saturday tea-time.
The Hammers emphatically bounced back from a tricky start to 2025/26 by firing three goals past a helpless Forest side in the final six minutes at the City Ground, with Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá and Callum Wilson strikes sparking wild celebrations in the away end.
Such a performance and result marked the perfect way to sign off for the first international break of the campaign, with ten members of the first-team squad leaving to join up with their countries brimming with positivity.
There has been a balanced sense of excitement and determination at Rush Green over the last fortnight, with Potter and the members of the squad who remained in the English capital eager to really kick on as the season gets into full swing, and start to climb up the Premier League table.
Next up, the Irons welcome Thomas Frank’s Spurs to London Stadium for their second home derby in a row, and both sides will be desperate to end a run of three successive 1-1 draws in this fixture by claiming the full share of the spoils.
Having gone in a new direction under former Brentford boss Frank, following their UEFA Europa League title-winning exploits under Ange Postecoglou last term, Tottenham raced out of the blocks in August, notching five unanswered goals to see off Burnley and Manchester City, before they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by AFC Bournemouth late last month.
As both teams gear up for what promises to be a thrilling encounter, West Ham Head Coach Potter sat down with the gathered press for his pre-match press conference on Thursday, during which he was asked about recent transfer business, individual members of his squad and Saturday’s opponents.
Below are the main talking points…
Transfer business
As you can imagine, you have to be on your toes during the transfer window. An opportunity came up for Nayef [Aguerd] to leave, which was good for both him and us.
That then opened up an opportunity for Igor [Julio] to come in. He’s trained really well and fitted well into the group so far. He’s a really positive character, and I think he adds good balance and competition to the back line, because he can cover centre-back and full-back.
Łukasz [Fabiański] has come in, and again it was after an opportunity came up for Wes [Foderingham], which he felt was the right thing for him. That meant we were looking for someone to support the goalkeepers, like we’ve had, and Łukasz was the perfect candidate.
When you know Łukasz as well as we do, and who he is - as a footballer and as a person - it was an obvious choice for us. He certainly brings a lot of character, personality and high standards to the group, and I think that applies both on and off the pitch. He’s not at the start of his career, but there’s still life there yet, and I think his role here now can add another dimension to his development.
Back after the break
About half of the team went away, so we were left with a decent number. We’ve trained well and used the time well, and then it’s been nice to see the other players again as they’ve come back in.
As always, we kept up with the action we could, and watched the highlights and different things. Niclas [Füllkrug] is the only one who has picked up a slight issue, so things are good in that respect.
So far we’ve prepared as well as we can for the weekend, as some of the players continue to recover from their games and travel, but by Saturday, we’ll be ready for sure.
Looking to build on Forest feel-good factor
There were lots of things that contributed to the result at Forest. Mateus Fernandes came into the team just after we’d signed him, and he gave us an extra dimension, as did Crysencio Summerville, who did really well after coming off the bench.
Playing against a team in a different moment can also help, but there was a determination from the players that was born from the frustration, disappointment and anger after the first two games.
We knew we needed to do something about that, and that’s why after the match I said I was delighted for them. We had had to suffer, which isn’t pleasant, but the players did it together, and they did it well.
After a victory like that, you almost want to play again rather than go into an international break, but we’ve just had to use the time as well as possible and we’re all excited to get out there again.
Wilson and Summerville looking to go again
Callum’s [Wilson] been great, as we expected. He’s a fantastic professional, and a brilliant person to have around at the training ground.
We’re still building him up, because he arrived late and missed most of pre-season, but I thought the impact he made at Forest was fantastic. We’re delighted with him, but at the same time we understand what we’ve got to do to carry on helping him.
In terms of whether he’s ready to start, it’s important we do the right thing for him and the team. I think he’s the type of professional that can make a big impact, regardless of whether he starts or finishes.
The Forest game was the first time that we had Cry [Summerville] available since our first game in charge, ironically, so it was great to have him back. He gives us another dimension, and it’s good because he’s worked so hard to get back.
It’s been a long road for him, with a couple of setbacks, so credit to him for keeping going and showing great mental strength. We just need to help him enjoy his football, because if he does that, he’s going to be a big help for us.
Captain fantastic
I think Jarrod’s [Bowen] record (nine goal contributions in his last nine Premier League appearances) speaks for itself. He’s a goal threat.
His finish at Forest was at a very, very high level, with the way he took it early and showed incredible movement. He is a killer around the box.
He’s a great captain for us. He’s a great leader, and he speaks really well in small groups as well as to the wider team. He’s been a joy to work with, and I think everyone knows how important he is for us.
With those goals and those assists, there’s not too much else to say. It’s a great record.
Ready for Tottenham test
I think the motivation is clear for us. We know how important this game is for the Club and the fans, so we’re going to go out there and do the best we can to win.
There isn’t a big sample to look at from the season so far. We’ve played three Premier League games, and in this league you know that every match is going to be a challenge.
I’ve played against Thomas’ [Frank] teams a lot over the years, and there’ll be some things there like there was previously. He’s a very well-respected coach, and it’s going to be a tough game, but it’s one we’re looking forward to.
We want to carry on the feeling of positivity we had after Forest, do our best, and try to come away with all three points.