Graham Potter's introduction as West Ham United's latest full time 'Head Coach' came just a little too late for the club's FA Cup hopes this season.
Yet in the handful of training sessions he has enjoyed with his new squad since defeat at Villa Park last Friday, the 49-year-old has managed to mould an inconsistent, unconfident squad in to a largely well-drilled unit that just about overcame an in-form Fulham in what proved to be a rare treat for the spectators in Stratford. (Neutrals and purists no doubt equally impressed.)Potter's influence on proceedings was clear from the moment his bold decision to feature Lucas Paqueta at the forefront of a striker-less attack was announced an hour ahead of kick off. Enforced as a result of the absent half-a-team's worth of recognised first team players - Messrs. Summerville, Antonio, Fullkrug and Bowen - the HC ran with Paqueta as a focal point.
It was a decision which initially appeared to have failed to pay dividends as Fulham made the early running, with Paqueta left mostly chasing shadows being, as he was, often left isolated in a manner which may have suited Michail Antonio - but not a player like the fleet-footed South American.
Yet Fulham's profligacy - which in truth by the interval amounted to a bunch of off-target efforts which, to give due credit, included a couple that skimmed off the woodwork - was to West Ham's considerable gain, as the Hammers flipped the game on its head by hitting the back of the net three times within just minutes.
The first occasion drew premature elation from the crowd as Max Kilman's 26th minute header was, following an(other) unnecessarily long VAR review - ruled out for offside - the defender marginally ahead of the deepest defender.
But West Ham had the momentum now and within five minutes the opening goal arrived, via an enforced error, as Edson Alvarez's close attention forced Andreas Pereira to play a square ball directly into the path of an attentive Carlos Soler. The midfielder pounced and fired the Hammers ahead with a classy, controlled effort across the body of 'keeper Leno, racing back towards his empty goal.
The crowd has barely ceased celebrating Soler's brilliant goal before they were applauding another, in which he was also involved.
Little more than two minutes since he sent West Ham ahead, the Spaniard - played in by Mo Kudus - picked out an advancing Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the opposite side of the six yard box. The defender controlled the ball before pulling the ball back for stand-in skipper Tomas Soucek who fired the ball into the ground and up into the roof of the net. 2-0 to West Ham.
Old habits die hard. And even though it was still a metaphorical kick to the stomach, there were few surprised faces in the stands when Fulham halved the deficit after just five minutes of the second period. Alex Iwobi’s speculative centre was missed by everyone, including Lukasz Fabianski as it sailed into the net. Don't panic.
Fortunately for Potter's men, even though Christmas came and went three weeks ago (already!) Fulham's belated presents kept on coming.
Just at the stage when a West Ham team might've folded in the recent past, Fulham stopper Leno came to the rescue with a gift-wrapped blunder. Dallying on the ball allowed Danny Ings to get a toe on the ball which squirted directly into the path of the industrious Paqueta, who mirrored Soler's first half effort by firing into an empty net.
Time to relax? Don't be silly, this is West Ham. Fabianski was in similarly benevolent mood to that of his opposite number when he allowed Iwobi to find the net from a carbon-copy effort of his first goal, leaving West Ham a goal ahead but 12 minutes shy of the 90.
To which, an additional six minutes were added as many fingernails were bitten while collective thanks were offered to double subs Cresswell and Scarles - the pair combining to deny Fulham what would've been a heart-breaking leveller for the Hammers deep into added-on time.
The three points ensured West Ham moved back above Manchester United and Tottenham to 12th place in the Premier League, with 26 points from 21 games played.
Yet of far greater significance tonight was the much-improved effort of a seemingly refreshed, rejuvenated and inspired squad, an ensemble shorn of several key players yet a collective still able to produce a memorable, winning performance - and the positive effect that had on a home crowd, for whom Prague 2023 already seems so very long ago.
An exciting glimpse into a more exciting and entertaining future for the club under Graham Potter and his team, perhaps? Here's hoping.
West Ham Utd: Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson (Cresswell 81), Rodriguez (Scarles 81), Alvarez, Soucek, Soler (Irving 72), Kudus (Ings 63), Paqueta
Subs not used: Foderingham, Coufal, Casey, Orford, Guilherme
Goals: Soler (31), Soucek (33), Paqueta (67)
Booked: Paqueta, Soucek, Wan-Bissaka
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Lukic, Pereira (Cairney 68), Wilson (King 85), Smith Rowe (Traore 68), Iwobi (Muniz 85), Jimenez
Subs not used: Benda, Sessegnon, Cuenca, Diop, Reed
Goals: Iwobi (51, 78)
Booked: Castagne, Lukic
Possession: WHUFC 44%-56% FFC
Shots/on target: WHUFC 4/3-21/5 FFC
xG: WHUFC 0.94-2.84 FFC
Referee: Craig Pawson
Tickets sold: 62,456
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