West Ham Manager Graham Potter Focused on Building Team Collective

West Ham United manager Graham Potter remains optimistic despite the team's FA Cup exit, citing the squad's talent and his focus on building a cohesive unit.

New West Ham United manager Graham Potter saw plenty of positives in his side's FA Cup third-round defeat by Aston Villa on Friday. Despite the loss, Potter was encouraged by the team's performance and believes there is no shortage of talent in the squad. “The emotions were excitement,” Potter told reporters. “Friday night, Villa Park, full house, 6,500 West Ham fans who were amazing.”

Potter, who took over from Julen Lopetegui on Thursday, was impressed by the players' efforts to implement his tactics. “Our performance gave me a lot of encouragement, the way the players tried to do what we asked them to do,” he said. However, Potter acknowledged the disappointment of being knocked out of the FA Cup. “We're just disappointed now because we're out and wanted to go through.”

Potter's primary focus is on getting the team to gel collectively, rather than relying on individual talent. “We just try to get the team into a good shape. The talent is there but it's just about trying to get the team together as a collective. That's what we're trying to do,” he explained. West Ham will look to bounce back from their FA Cup exit when they host Fulham in the Premier League on Tuesday.