'it's Very Bleak' - What's Gone Wrong At West Ham?

Three games, 3 defeats, 11 goals conceded. West Ham's commencement to nan play could not person been overmuch worse - and it has piled nan unit connected head Graham Potter.

The latest nonaccomplishment - against Wolves successful nan Carabao Cup - ended pinch skipper Jarrod Bowen appearing to face a instrumentality astatine afloat time, adding to nan consciousness of crisis.

Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker described nan business arsenic "very bleak". But what tin beryllium done to move nan business around? Do nan issues spell beyond conscionable nan manager?

BBC Sport analyses nan reasons down nan Hammers' struggles.

Matthew Hobbs, BBC Sport journalist

The overriding interest for West Ham fans is that nan informing signs person been location for immoderate time. Since Potter took complete connected 14 January, nan Londoners would beryllium bottommost of a Premier League array featuring only nan ever-present clubs and person person won conscionable 2 of 13 Premier League matches since nan commencement of March (D4, L7).

Of managers to return complaint of 20 Premier League matches aliases more, only Avram Grant has a worse triumph percent than his 25%. That includes predecessor Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked pinch nan nine 14th and 7 points supra nan relegation area aft winning six of his 20 convention games successful charge.

A batch of attraction has been connected their defending. Only Tottenham and Brighton person conceded much goals among ever-present Premier League clubs since Potter took complete and they person faced nan astir shots connected target successful nan top-flight this play (12).

The Hammers person besides dropped 15 points from winning positions nether nan erstwhile Brighton and Chelsea leader – nan astir of immoderate Premier League squad during his tenure. Meanwhile, 2 defeats - and 8 goals conceded - constitutes their worst commencement to a convention play since 1954.

The mediocre commencement has understandably put attraction connected nan club's summertime recruitment.

West Ham person made 5 signings truthful acold pinch highly rated full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and erstwhile Newcastle striker Callum Wilson among those to arrive.

However, they person yet to bring successful a nonstop replacement for winger Mohammed Kudus - who joined London rivals Tottenham for £55m, and person truthful acold grounded to bring successful a cardinal midfielder.

Former West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker told nan BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast: "It looks very bleak for West Ham correct now. Things are looking tough. I deliberation they will beryllium successful a relegation conflict this season. There was conscionable nary conflict aliases togetherness against Chelsea. They looked for illustration a bunch of individuals.

"The biggest interest is midfield because they conscionable don't person immoderate legs aliases dogs of warfare to triumph nan shot back. They look weak.

"They can't get nan shot up either because there's nary existent target man. Recruitment has been a large problem astatine West Ham for immoderate clip now. They person nary existent guidance successful what they are trying to build aliases do.

"You tin ever show a batch by a manager's assemblage connection and facial expressions and a mates of times erstwhile nan cameras panned to him, he looked for illustration he had nary thought what to do.

"Potter looked lost. I deliberation astir West Ham fans will conscionable beryllium happy to spot them enactment up this season. There is nary different ambition than endurance successful nan Premier League."

In a sense, West Ham's problems day backmost to nan aftermath of that euphoric nighttime successful Prague, erstwhile nan nine ended its 43-year hold for a trophy by beating Fiorentina successful nan Uefa Conference League final.

Owner David Sullivan announced virtually instantly that Declan Rice would beryllium leaving and Tim Steidten came successful arsenic method head to thief reshape nan Hammers squad pinch nan £105m received from Arsenal.

Except it didn't rather activity retired arsenic planned.

For a start, Steidten and David Moyes were not aligned successful their thinking, which yet resulted successful nan German being banned from nan training ground.

West Ham spent nan Rice money and much connected 4 signings, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Kostantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus, each of whom initially flattered, past became either inconsistent aliases ineffective. Kalvin Phillips arrived mid-season connected indebtedness but made nary impact. Kudus was sold this summer. Alvarez has near connected loan.

When Moyes near successful 2024 – a move astir accepted had to hap – Julen Lopetegui was chosen arsenic his replacement by Steidten. Another £140m was spent connected caller players but, arsenic a collective, made constricted impact.

Lopetegui was sacked successful January. Steidten near nan pursuing month.

It was into this maelstrom that Potter stepped.

As is his way, Potter has played down a desire for caller signings. He is not nan type to bemoan his batch publicly. He prefers to activity pinch players to effort and amended nan corporate group. That will not alteration nary matter what unit he comes under.

The reality is that West Ham still trust connected Jarrod Bowen, Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, conscionable arsenic they did connected their tally to that celebrated nighttime successful Prague. The awesome quality is Rice is not location to clasp it each together.

Potter is moving difficult to correct nan situation. However, galore West Ham fans person mislaid patience.

They besides know, heavy down, nan players that person travel successful since nan astir celebrated nighttime successful their modern history, are simply not bully capable to springiness anyone a chance of important success.

James Jones from We Are West Ham

Three games into nan caller play and nan guidance successful which West Ham is heading has ne'er been much alarming.

Potter was fixed nan use of nan uncertainty aft he arrived astatine nan nine successful January. He inherited a squad of players which was successful diminution nether nan erstwhile 2 managers, but he still managed to steer nan nine distant from relegation problem and oversaw awesome distant wins against Arsenal and Manchester United successful nan process.

But now, pinch nan nine conceding 11 goals successful 3 games and looking obscurity adjacent bully capable to compete astatine nan apical level of English football, nan unit is rightly building connected Potter's shoulders.

There are respective factors to see successful this situation, though. Indeed, tactically West Ham person been very mediocre complete nan past mates of weeks. The backmost 3 don't look suited to their jobs, nan midfield is slow and cumbersome, and nan onslaught is acold excessively reliant connected 1 subordinate delivering each week.

Elsewhere, you person to wonderment really this summer's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) restrictions person hindered Potter's recruitment wishes. That isn't his responsibility and location is simply a belief that nan nine wouldn't beryllium truthful hopeless for reinforcements successful nan last week of nan play had he had a spot much state to spell retired and get whoever he wanted.

But bully managers accommodate and astatine nan moment, Potter isn't adapting. He's sticking pinch a statement that isn't moving and a midfield that isn't bully enough.

Can he salvage it? It each rests connected nan last fewer days of nan window. But if location is nary motion of betterment this play against Nottingham Forest, it's difficult to spot really he survives beyond nan world break.