Evan Ferguson ‘big surprise’ at West Ham as Graham Potter does ‘something strange’
West Ham manager Graham Potter shocked Sky Sports Michael Dawson pundit during his side’s clash with Southampton.
The former Brighton and Chelsea boss took charge of the Hammers back in January, when he replaced Julen Lopetegui, but has struggled to deliver positive results since his arrival.
Going into this weekend they had won just three of their last 12 league games, leading to some West Ham fans already asking questions of Potter.
A clash at home to already relegated Southampton on Saturday (19 April) therefore looked like a perfect opportunity for the 49-year-old to pick up a welcome win, with the Saints looking to avoid being the Premier League’s worst ever relegated side.
In the end though the Hammers were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw afternoon conceding a late equaliser, while Dawson was left surprised about how Potter used Ferguson in that match.
Evan Ferguson initially snubbed by Graham Potter
Brighton striker Ferguson attracted interest from several Premier League clubs in the January transfer window after falling down the pecking order at The AMEX Stadium.
In the end, the Ireland international joined West Ham on a loan deal until the end of the season, but he has continued to struggle for game time at the London Stadium.
That would continue in this clash with Southampton when, with ten minutes of normal time remaining, Potter brought off starting centre-forward Niclas Fullkrug.
But instead of introducing his other attacking option in the form of Ferguson, it was midfielder Tomas Soucek who was introduced into the game.
| Evan Ferguson West Ham record | Total (as per Transfermarkt) |
| Appearances | 7 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 |
| Red Cards | 0 |
| Minutes Played | 141 |
It was a move that Dawson did not expect as he provided updates on that game for Sky Sports Soccer Saturday.
Giving his reaction to that change, the former Tottenham and Nottingham Forest centre-back said (4.42pm): “I found something strange. Fullkrug has come off and you think ‘Evan Ferguson is on the bench, surely it’s going to be a straight swap’.
“No, Tomas Soucek comes on. I think that says it all for Evan Ferguson, really disappointing for the young man not to get the opportunity. For me it was an easy, straight swap. Big surprise.”
West Ham unlikely to sign Brighton striker permanently
Football Insider Verdict
Admittedly, Ferguson did still come off the bench in this match, replacing goalscorer Jarrod Bowen with four minutes of normal time remaining.
Even so the striker is simply not getting the amount of game time he would have wanted to when he completed his move to West Ham.
Given the promise he previously showed under Potter at Brighton, the fact he is not getting more chances under him is a surprise.
Indeed, Fullkrug has only just returned from injury while Michail Antonio remains absent, so the fact Ferguson has not played more amid a lack of other natural centre-forward options is telling.
It does seem to suggest that he is not in the long-term plans of those at West Ham, and so not many are likely to expect him to return to the London Stadium come the summer.
He could though still be in demand when the transfer window reopens, with Everton among those understood to be interested in Ferguson, but that could change based off an extremely underwhelming spell with the Irons.