Two games, eight goals conceded - is Potter under pressure?

Graham Potter was named West Ham boss in January

"West Ham is not a club that panics about its managers. We tend to stick with them, tend to support people, and see it through."

Those were the words of Hammers vice-chair Karren Brady following the 3-0 loss to newly promoted Sunderland in their Premier League opener.

The clubs hierarchy and fans wanted a reaction against Chelsea on Friday. What they got instead was a 5-1 thrashing at home that was met with boos at the final whistle.

That was from some of those still inside the London Stadium, with many supporters opting instead to leave long before the game was over.

No manager should really be under pressure after just two games, but it is hard to excuse his sides disappointing performances - and defend Potters record in charge since he replaced Julen Lopetegui in January.

He has won just five of his 21 games so far and, having conceded three against Sunderland, West Ham have shipped eight goals across their first two games of a top-flight campaign for the first time ever.

Potter is also the first Hammers manager in Premier League history to fail to get into double figures for points in his first 10 home games, taking just nine courtesy of two wins, three draws and five defeats.

The former Brighton and Chelsea boss knows he and the players have to do better, saying afterwards: "Its the reality, but weve had a tough week.

"Weve played two matches and weve conceded eight goals, theres no getting away from that, so that has to drastically improve."

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West Ham made five signings in the summer, with highly rated full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and former Newcastle striker Callum Wilson among those to arrive.

Despite that, theres been little sign of improvement on the pitch.

Defensively they are proving extremely vulnerable from set-pieces, with three of the five goals they conceded against Chelsea coming from them - and Hermansen at fault for two as he struggled to deal with corners.

Captain Jarrod Bowen summed up the hurt inside the West Ham dressing room as he told Sky Sports: "Fuming. Disappointing. All the emotions that come with being on the back of conceding eight goals in two games and not picking up a point yet.

"I thought the goals were really cheap on our behalf. We didnt really make them work for those three from set-pieces, which weve always prided ourselves on over the years and a couple more finishes inside the six-yard box.

"We gifted the goals away."

Former West Ham and Chelsea goalkeeper Rob Green said on Sky Sports: "It was just so far from good enough.

"The goals they concede, how theyve gone about it, the energy thats not there in the side, and already youre going to be worried.

"Its such a long time to wait until the next game. Youve got to sit and live through this and it is a brutal experience."

It is of course very early to suggest that a relegation battle beckons for West Ham this season, but theres no doubt it is a significant concern for many of their supporters right now.

With one goal scored and eight conceded, they are currently showing that worrying combination of struggling to score and letting in plenty, which does not bode well for aspirations of avoiding a season of struggle.

Up next is a trip to Nottingham Forest, before successive London derbies against Tottenham and Crystal Palace - all three tricky games in which West Ham will need to show considerable improvement from what they have so far.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports: "If Im Sunderland, Burnley, Leeds, Im looking at West Ham and thinking, theyre the ones, theyre the weakest team in the Premier League were going to catch.

"That squad isnt good enough. They havent got enough good players. That midfield just couldnt get near, they didnt have the legs to get around. They need to get someone with real legs."

New faces can revitalise a squad low on confidence, but Potter did not suggest there will be many incomings before the transfer window closes on 1 September.

"I think it would be a bit obtuse of me to speak about signings when clearly we have to improve and do better with what we have," he admitted.

"We need to do more than we are as a group and as always we will look to strengthen while the window is open."

Potter knows he is under pressure, and how these next few weeks pan out - both in terms of results on the pitch and business in the transfer market - will have a big say on his future.

"Youre under pressure all the time in these jobs, in this situation, thats how it is," he added.

"I know the territory, I know what comes with poor results and I accept my responsibility."