Two Games, Eight Goals Conceded - Is Potter Under Pressure?

"West Ham is not a nine that panics astir its managers. We thin to instrumentality pinch them, thin to support people, and spot it through."

Those were nan words of Hammers vice-chair Karren Brady pursuing nan 3-0 nonaccomplishment to recently promoted Sunderland successful their Premier League opener.

The club's level and fans wanted a guidance against Chelsea connected Friday. What they sewage alternatively was a 5-1 thrashing astatine location that was met pinch boos astatine nan last whistle.

That was from immoderate of those still wrong nan London Stadium, pinch galore supporters opting alternatively to time off agelong earlier nan crippled was over.

No head should really beryllium nether unit aft conscionable 2 games, but it is difficult to excuse his side's disappointing performances - and take sides Potter's grounds successful complaint since he replaced Julen Lopetegui successful January.

He has won conscionable 5 of his 21 games truthful acold and, having conceded 3 against Sunderland, West Ham person shipped 8 goals crossed their first 2 games of a top-flight run for nan first clip ever.

Potter is besides nan first Hammers head successful Premier League history to neglect to get into double figures for points successful his first 10 location games, taking conscionable 9 courtesy of 2 wins, 3 draws and 5 defeats.

The erstwhile Brighton and Chelsea leader knows he and nan players person to do better, saying afterwards: "It's nan reality, but we've had a reliable week.

"We've played 2 matches and we've conceded 8 goals, there's nary getting distant from that, truthful that has to drastically improve."

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

Despite that, there's been small motion of betterment connected nan pitch.

Defensively they are proving highly susceptible from set-pieces, pinch 3 of nan 5 goals they conceded against Chelsea coming from them - and Hermansen astatine responsibility for 2 arsenic he struggled to woody pinch corners.

Captain Jarrod Bowen summed up nan wounded wrong nan West Ham dressing room arsenic he told Sky Sports: "Fuming. Disappointing. All nan emotions that travel pinch being connected nan backmost of conceding 8 goals successful 2 games and not picking up a constituent yet.

"I thought nan goals were really inexpensive connected our behalf. We didn't really make them activity for those 3 from set-pieces, which we've ever prided ourselves connected complete nan years and a mates much finishes wrong nan six-yard box.

"We talented nan goals away."

Former West Ham and Chelsea goalkeeper Rob Green said connected Sky Sports: "It was conscionable truthful acold from bully enough.

"The goals they concede, really they've gone astir it, nan power that's not location successful nan side, and already you're going to beryllium worried.

"It's specified a agelong clip to hold until nan adjacent game. You've sewage to beryllium and unrecorded done this and it is simply a sadistic experience."

It is of people very early to propose that a relegation conflict beckons for West Ham this season, but there's nary uncertainty it is simply a important interest for galore of their supporters correct now.

With 1 extremity scored and 8 conceded, they are presently showing that worrying operation of struggling to people and letting successful plenty, which does not bode good for aspirations of avoiding a play of struggle.

Up adjacent is simply a travel to Nottingham Forest, earlier successive London derbies against Tottenham and Crystal Palace - each 3 tricky games successful which West Ham will request to show sizeable betterment from what they person truthful far.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said connected Sky Sports: "If I'm Sunderland, Burnley, Leeds, I'm looking astatine West Ham and thinking, 'they're nan ones, they're nan weakest squad successful nan Premier League we're going to catch'.

"That squad isn't bully enough. They haven't sewage capable bully players. That midfield conscionable couldn't get near, they didn't person nan legs to get around. They request to get personification pinch existent legs."

New faces tin revitalise a squad debased connected confidence, but Potter did not propose location will beryllium galore incomings earlier nan transportation model closes connected 1 September.

"I deliberation it would beryllium a spot obtuse of maine to speak astir signings erstwhile intelligibly we person to amended and do amended pinch what we have," he admitted.

"We request to do much than we are arsenic a group and arsenic ever we will look to fortify while nan model is open."

Potter knows he is nether pressure, and really these adjacent fewer weeks cookware retired - some successful position of results connected nan transportation and business successful nan transportation marketplace - will person a large opportunity connected his future.

"You're nether unit each nan clip successful these jobs, successful this situation, that's really it is," he added.

"I cognize nan territory, I cognize what comes pinch mediocre results and I judge my responsibility."