What to expect from Graham Potter at West Ham: Tactics, play style, formation

Dismissing Julen Lopetegui following an ill-fated six-month spell, West Ham United acted quickly to appoint Graham Potter as the Spaniard's successor and we've looked at what the former Brighton and Chelsea boss will bring to the London Stadium.

Graham Potter achievements and trophies

Hanging up his boots at the age of 30, Potter climbed an unconventional ladder on his way into management.

Working in a football development role at the University of Hull, he later performed a similar role at Leeds Beckett University while completing a Masters degree, which is where he unearthed a managerial position with Northern Counties East League Division One side Leeds Carnegie.

Two years passed when an opportunity arose in Sweden with Ostersunds FK, prompting Potter to up sticks and relocate himself and his family.

Previously loitering in the fourth tier of Swedish football, the former Birmingham and Stoke left-back guided the club to successive promotions. A season later and Potter had orchestrated Ostersunds promotion to the Allsvenskan for the first time in the club's history.

Competing with opposition who possessed far superior budgets, Potter helped the club lift the Svenska Cupen in 2017 and secure a place in the Europa League, where they would later seal an historic win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

It was the stuff of Football Manager dreams and enough to prompt Swansea City to make an approach in the summer of 2018.

Potter outlined his credentials and caught the eye in his debut campaign in the Football League, responding to the setback of several high-profile departures by integrating academy players and restoring the club's identity.

Following the sacking of Chris Hughton, Brighton had Potter at the top of their shortlist and a £3m compensation package was arranged for his services.

Potter's managerial trajectory mirrored that of the Seagulls, who were looking to take an important step in evolving from Premier League strugglers to regulars.

Shifting the style of play at the Amex almost immediately, Brighton secured 15th- and 16th-place finishes, but it wasn't until his third year on the Sussex coast that the club started to achieve the results their performances merited.

Brighton were fourth at the time Chelsea swooped in, announcing him as the successor to Thomas Tuchel on a five-year deal: the first managerial appointment of the Todd Boehly era. £320m spent and 12 wins later, Potter was dismissed seven months into his tenure with Chelsea in 11th, though the bizarre nature of the Boehly reign suggests not all the blame lay at Potter's door.

He's been out of work since, rebuffing approaches from Leicester City and Ajax in that time.

Graham Potter formation, tactics and philosophy

A meticulous operator, Potter has been commended for implementing an attractive, possession-based approach at his previous employers but unlike some of his managerial peers, he's not entirely one-dimensional.

Tactically versatile and unopposed to making alterations, Potter would adjust the formation and setup dependent on the opposition, yet the principles of attacking with fluidity and playing through the lines largely remained.

At Swansea he implemented an attack-minded approach focused on creating overloads through the middle of the pitch. At Brighton he demonstrated greater experimentation, rotating between a back-three system with a catalogue of attacking shapes and the more customary 4-2-3-1, but it was a 3-4-2-1 which he used most frequently.

The unpredictability of Brighton's shape made them difficult to contain. The two wide centre-backs made runs forward to help support the wing-backs while one of the midfield double pivot slotted in, and the attacking duo behind the lone striker were permitted to free roam and create overloads in the middle with the support of the other midfield pivot.

Potter preferred positionally flexible players and wasn't afraid to select certain individuals in a variety of different roles, with the likes of Leandro Trossard and Solly March being utilised across all forward areas. Alexis Mac Allister was deployed as a ten, while Moises Caicedo didn't have the same restrictions that he currently adheres to as the six at Chelsea.

With such great commitment to attacking numbers, Potter's Brighton were also aggressive when out of possession. Engaging in a high press with a focus on narrowing the pitch and constricting, the Seagulls would look to prevent opposition from initiating any sudden attacks on transition.

Against sides who were expected to dominate the ball for large periods, his Brighton side were capable of standing in a mid or low block to stifle their opponents, which again is an example of his flexibility.

Who will play under Graham Potter?

Mohammed Kudus has been the shining light of an otherwise bleak campaign for West Ham and it would be no surprise to see Potter make the Ghanaian the focal point of his attack with the freedom of a role behind the striker.

Jarrod Bowen would have been the prime candidate for the leading striker were it not for a fractured foot he sustained in the defeat to Liverpool before the New Year.

In the meantime, it will be fascinating to see whether Niclas Fullkrug, who is the subject of transfer interest from Serie A, is given the nod in light of his lack of mobility, though injuries have left options limited in attack.

Crysencio Summerville is another who may flourish under Potter's tutelage with the former Leeds United winger used sparingly by Lopetegui.

That could lead to Lucas Paqueta being deployed in the midfield pivot alongside one of Edson Alvarez or Tomas Soucek, while Potter's tendency to rotate his personnel will no doubt provide ample opportunity for Carlos Soler.

An abductor injury to Jean-Clair Todibo leaves Potter's central defensive personnel scarce at the time of his appointment, but the Frenchman would likely be utilised in an advancing centre-back role with Max Kilman mirroring his endeavours on the other flank.

The wing-backs are also key to the system and the athleticism of Aaron Wan-Bissaka will endear him to his new manager, while Emerson's offensive qualities will be utilised, if the Brazilian is fit.

Possible strongest West Ham starting XI under Potter (3-4-2-1): Fabianski, Mavropanos, Todibo, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Alvarez, Paqueta, Emerson, Kudus, Summerville, Bowen.