West Ham United

James Jones
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Another week down and another week closer to a much-needed break for West Ham fans.

This season has been a cocktail of disappointment, anger, frustration and disbelief. It is fair to say every West Ham supporter on the planet will be overjoyed when the final whistle blows at Portman Road on Sunday.

Having parted ways with David Moyes last summer, there was an element of excitement and anticipation for what the future might hold, especially after new boss Julen Lopetegui wasted no time in splashing almost £150m on new players.

The Spaniard flopped, though, and despite impressive away wins at Crystal Palace and Newcastle, failed to convince anyone he was the man to lead the club into a new era.

Graham Potter has also struggled to convince many fans at this stage, but it is still very difficult to make a fair judgment on him, given he is working with a squad of players who were on the decline under Moyes and struggled for any kind of form under Lopetegui.

It will take at least one transfer window, if not more, for Potter to really put his own stamp on this team.

That is why I am trying so hard to remain positive about what next season might bring. I know many are pessimistic and many have already written Potter off, but I am reserving my judgement until we are able to see a squad of players built by Potter playing in Potter's preferred system.

Until then, I am just looking forward to the final whistle this weekend. Because I need a break from this team after this season.

We go again next season.

Find more from James Jones at We Are West Ham, external

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League match between West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Mark: Sack the board, manager and all the players - woeful display.

Steve: Same old West Ham, a season to forget. Too slow and negative in the build-up and really not got going after Forest scored their second goal. So much money spent on average players, aside from Wan-Bissaka, although there are a couple of hopeful names like Guilherme and Summerville who look promising.

Peter: Thank goodness the season is over and we can put it behind us, get a complete makeover and claw our way back to where we belong.

Forest fans

Callum: Nottingham Forest played well - we really needed that win! Here's hoping we can get a win next week against Chelsea at home, I look forward to being there at the world famous City Ground cheering them on! YOUUUUU REEEEDS!

Ben: It is a simple formula for Forest: score first, and you win. And so it proved. A dogged performance from them (despite a late wobble) gives us the final day showdown we were all hoping for. Now if one of the other contenders could play their part and lose then we can all finish the season happy!

John: Phew! When the second goal was finally confirmed that should have been it. But substitutions, indiscipline, VAR and a brilliant volley from Bowen made for a very nervy extra time but, Forest held on to do the double over a questionable West Ham. Too busy bringing their kids on beforehand after beating Manchester United to really get anywhere in this game.

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

Saturday 17th May

FA Cup final: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City - 5 LIVE

Sunday 18th May

West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest - 5 LIVE

Brentford 2-3 Fulham – SPORTS EXTRA 2

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle - 5 LIVE

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Graham Potter spoke to BBC Match of The Day after West Ham's defeat against Nottingham Forest: "We started the game well. Had a good chance with Tomas [Soucek] and Vlad [Coufal] we're competing against a good team competing for the Champions League. It was an even game, we concede the early goal from a mistake which is disappointing then we made changes and they scored straight after. Marginal offside that took a while to sort out. Credit to the players they kept pushing, they gave everything we just came up a bit short.

"Forest going for what they are and we wanted three points and it was a bit stop start. The goal makes it difficult for the referee and it was stop-start.

"They scored after the subs but then we pushed and pushed, scored a good goal and had other opportunities but fell short."

"It is [frustrating day] when you want to finish with a win at the last home game of the season with some players making their last appearance you want to go out in a positive. We have to lick our wounds and go again next week.

"We focus on Ipswich first because we have another week and we ant to finish with three points. We use the summer to try to improve it's as simple as that."

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist at London Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

In the 58th minute of this near two-hour epic, Graham Potter made a quadruple change and it worked - West Ham became much more flowing and dangerous.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus flanked Niclas Fullkrug to great effect, and the change of shape from 5-3-2 to 3-4-3 caused Forest serious problems.

Which raises the question as to why Graham Potter left all those attackers on the bench, naming nine defensive-minded players in the starting XI.

It meant West Ham struggled to respond to going behind early on. And soon after the change was made, Forest scored their second goal which proved decisive.

There is no question that West Ham need to rebuild in the summer, and Potter can only be judged at London Stadium once he has a full pre-season.

But he could help his cause, and win over a few Hammers fans already tired of their poor form, by taking off the handbrake and letting the attackers free.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

What did you make of West Ham's performance?

Have your say on how well Nottingham Forest played

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v Southampton (12:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• West Ham v Nottingham Forest (14:15)

• Brentford v Fulham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Leicester v Ipswich

• Arsenal v Newcastle (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

This is a huge game for my boyhood side, Nottingham Forest.

They need to win to keep their hopes of a top-five finish alive, but my fear is they have already blown it.

I played at the City Ground many times but I think my stint there as a Sky pundit for last weekend's draw with Leicester was the first time I've watched a game there rather than been on the pitch, and it was not enjoyable viewing for us fans.

I thought that game was a must-win for our Champions League hopes, and if they drop more points here they could drop out of contention completely.

I've heard some people say that Forest have bottled it, but I don't agree. They have just run out of steam.

Forest's aim now is to get to next weekend and still be in touch before they host Chelsea in their final game of the season, but whether that happens or not relies on which West Ham team turns up.

The Hammers were on a poor run before they went to Old Trafford last weekend and won. That would usually be an impressive result but it is not much of an achievement at the moment.

I know who I want to win but, for different reasons, it is hard to back either side here.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Image source, PA Media

West Ham United head coach Graham Potter is confident that midfielder Tomas Soucek will still be a Hammer next season.

The 30-year-old is contracted with the club until June 2027 and Potter is more than happy to continue the West Ham project with him, despite Soucek being linked with moves to the likes of Everton and Leeds.

"He's been a fantastic signing for the club, first and foremost, to deliver what he has delivered over a period of time," he said.

"He's a top professional, he has been a fantastic servant to the club, and I am looking forward to working with him in the short, medium and long-term future."

Potter tried to sign the Czech Republic international five years ago during his spell with Brighton and his opinion on the player hasn't changed in that time.

He added: "What did I see in him at Brighton? The same. The same that West Ham have seen in him, and what he has developed in fairness.

"He's a midfield player that can do both sides of the game. Affects the game. Scores. In the boxes, he's fantastic, defence and attack, set pieces.

"Add to that, a really, really good professional. He is a quiet man but leads by example in terms of how he conducts himself every day."

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we asked you to identify the current West Ham player.

The answer is Crysencio Summerville.

West Ham boss Graham Potter has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest (kick-off 14:15 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news: "We are pretty much as we were last game. There are no injuries and everybody has been training well."

• There is still lots to play for and West Ham want to "finish as high as we can. Potter is focusing on Nottingham Forest who are challenging for Champions League football, but wants to "finish the season with two wins."

• The most important relationship a team has is that with its fans. For a while West Ham's performances "haven't been what we wanted", says Potter, so it is hard to get that connection. "We'll try to improve to the best of our ability on Sunday but it is a process of work."

• When asked about Mohammed Kudus' improvement, Potter said "He has been working hard all season. Individuals can suffer when the team doesn't play well, but he has given his best and has been rewarded for his work."

• On what it has been like to work with Tomas Soucek: "He has been a fantastic signing for the club, to deliver what he has delivered. He helps defensively; in the boxes; in set pieces and contributes to goals in mid-field. He goes about his work in a quiet way and has been fantastic to work with."

• When asked about the possibility of finishing the season above Manchester United and Tottenham, Potter made clear that "the team name doesn't mean anything because clubs are well organised and use resources well. You can see what a competitive tournament the Premier League is."

• Asked about opponents Nottingham Forest, his response was that they have had "a fantastic season and Nuno [Espirito Santo] and his team have done an excellent job to bring stability. They have a very clear plan on what they want to do from a football perspective and have made the step from the Championship to the Premier League really well. You can see why they have the points they have."

Full commentary of West Ham v Nottingham Forest from 14:15 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Follow all of West Ham's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Guess the current West Ham player from these three clues:

• I have played in the Premier League for a club other than the Hammers.

• I am Dutch, but I am yet to make my senior debut for my nation.

• I was the top scorer for a Championship club in 2023-24.

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer

Image source, PA Media

West Ham's Jarrod Bowen has been involved in six goals in his past six Premier League games (four goals, two assists), scoring in each of his past three at London Stadium. The Hammers player to score in four consecutive home league games most recently was Jesse Lingard in April 2021.

West Ham have not lost their final home league game in any of the past seven campaigns (W5 D2), since a 4- 0 loss against Liverpool in 2016-17.

They have won five of their six Premier League home games against Nottingham Forest, the exception being a 1-0 defeat in January 1997.

Image source, Getty Images

For the players and fans, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi getting this injury in a situation where the offside flag should have been raised is so frustrating.

The frustration is when it is clear and obvious. Officials have been overseeing games for many years and they would always flag whether they were right or wrong.

Now technology has come into it, they are very reliant on VAR to make the right decision, the factual decision, about an offside. But, I think when an offside is so clear and obvious, it should be the duty of the assistant referee to put their flag up and stop play from the off.

When it is marginal, I understand we are a bit more hesitant when there are really fine margins, and we have seen those fine margins when goals have been given and it is a toenail to keep them on-side. I would understand it from that point of view, but it was on the halfway-line where the offside happened on Sunday, only for play to be allowed to continue.

It has been a matter of time. It has been a time bomb waiting to go off for somebody to get seriously injured. Awoniyi is the one that has got that injury - that horrific injury - because of it. Some will say it is only the first time it has happened in the duration of this rule, but it should never happen. That is how players will be looking at it, how fans and managers will be looking at it and saying 'it should never happen'. We should not wait for something to happen to reassess rules like this.

I don't like the ruling of it - it is on the halfway-line, it is clear and obviously offside, everybody in the stadium could probably see it. It should be for the assistant referee to make the decision. There are small margins in the box, I understand why they are a bit hesitant, but in open play, if somebody is sprinting, you could cause hamstring, quad, and all types of muscle injuries.

I am totally against this rule of waiting to put up the flag and I think most players and managers are as well. It's disappointing. I think it's a rule that nobody likes, and I'm sure in the summer off the back of this injury, one that will probably be reassessed.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Will Pugh
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

Before this season it was hard to imagine a world where West Ham fans would struggle to care about doing the double over Manchester United.

Of course it was great watching us win 2-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, after our 2-1 victory in October at London Stadium. But given how woeful United's Premier League season has been and their upcoming Europa League final against Tottenham (come on you Reds, by the way!) their players could not have cared less, and it showed.

However, arguably the most important factor, and the most disheartening, in why there was a feeling of general apathy after the win is how abject 2024-25 has been for West Ham - proven by the fact the victory moved us to the heady heights of 15th!

It's a shame really and sadly I can't see next season or beyond being much better.

We also bid farewell to some club legends at the end of the season, with Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal and Lukasz Fabianski all leaving when their contracts expire.

Even in my 30s, I still feel emotional saying goodbye to players who have given so much to our club. All three were integral in our recent historic European runs while Cresswell is the only player, along with Michail Antonio, who was there for the iconic last season at Upton Park.

Although I can't help but feel Coufal's departure is a little premature, I wish them all the very best for the future and thank them from the bottom of my heart for everything they have done for West Ham.

Find more from Will Pugh at We Are West Ham, external

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone has been answering your questions on the transfer window.

Andy, Surrey: I'm a West Ham fan and we need a squad overhaul. I was wondering how you think we should strengthen the squad and which players we'll have to sell to bring players in?

Simon: I touched on this in my match report on Sunday. Clearly, the much-hyped recruitment campaign under Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui last summer went badly wrong. Aaron Wan-Bissaka did well and Max Kilman was OK but Crysencio Summerville, Guido Rodriguez, Luis Guilherme and Niclas Fullkrug failed to reach the heights expected on a consistent basis.

Evan Ferguson came in as an answer to striking issues in the winter window, but couldn't establish himself. Now, West Ham need to find a way of funding Graham Potter's squad-building plans because the Declan Rice money has gone, there is no European football and West Ham's league position is costing them Premier League prize money.

With Lucas Paqueta's future still uncertain, selling Mohammed Kudus is now a distinct possibility. The massive concern for me is around skipper Jarrod Bowen. West Ham could get a lot of money for him, but he feels like someone you build a squad around.

Head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay will be a key figure in identifying potential targets, having worked with Potter since his days in Sweden. I would think more dynamism in midfield will be a major aim, as well as a consistent goalscorer.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Man Utd and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Man Utd fans

Danyal: I completely understand that we won two European games with an aggregate score of six plus, and beat teams with aggression. But seriously, how can these players have such a drop from the Europa League? Regardless of being in the Europa League final, to play like that in the league is embarrassing - especially at home. If we win the Europa League, I could forget some part of the season we have had in the league. But for a club of United's stature, it is very poor. However, Ruben Amorim knows this and in his post-match interview he was clear. So there's still good signs!

Debbie: I would rather be 16th in the league and be in a final of a major competition than just fighting for pointless points in the league. We have nothing to play for and they were all worried about getting injured today. Roll on the end of the Premier League and let's win the Europa League!

Keith: This Manchester United side is so poor, but why do they seem to lack the intensity in Premier League games. They get out-fought and out-run. Pass completion is abysmal, as is their decision-making. Forgetting the obvious lack of quality in the squad, they are so weak mentally. How can you not get gee yourself up for a home game? I cannot wait for this season to be over, so the clear-out and rebuild can start properly.

West Ham fans

Tom: A good performance and hopefully will mean we can end this season on a bit of a high. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been the signing of the season in my eyes, another emphatic performance today - definitely my Hammer of the Year!

Richard: Excellent game of football, both teams playing some good stuff but West Ham were superior in both attack and defence. It was the best game West Ham have played this season!

William: A better performance, although, not much opposition. A bit late in the season, but it was nice to see some fight within the team. Time will tell if Graham Potter is right for the club.

Saad: With our best players available, we beat the second XI of a team that absent-mindedly interrupted its focused preparations for a European final to have a bit of a light warm-up kickabout with us in a meaningless fixture. How does this mean we have turned a corner? I mean, well done lads and it is better than losing from two-nil up in the final 60 seconds of a match. But breaking out the champagne?

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Southampton 0-0 Man City

• Bournemouth 0-1 Aston Villa

• Manchester United 0-2 West Ham

• Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

• Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal