West Ham lost 5-1 at home to Chelsea after a 3-0 defeat by newly promoted Sunderland, leaving the team with eight goals conceded in two opening Premier League matches. The club's home form under manager Graham Potter is poor: he has won five of his 21 games since replacing Julen Lopetegui and collected only nine points from his first ten home league games. Defensive vulnerability to set-pieces has been exposed, with three goals conceded from set plays against Chelsea and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen struggling to deal with crosses. Several summer signings have yet to produce on-field improvement, and supporters reacted with boos and early departures.
No manager should really be under pressure after just two games, but it is hard to excuse his side's disappointing performances - and defend Potter's 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: "It's the reality, but we've had a tough week. "We've played two matches and we've conceded eight goals, there's no getting away from that, so that has to drastically improve."
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