West Ham manager Graham Potter insists the club is hurting from recent results but remains confident they are close to turning things around. Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash against Nottingham Forest, Potter acknowledged the disappointing start to the season, which saw the Hammers lose their opening two Premier League games and get knocked out of the Carabao Cup.
"We're all hurting, because the pre-season was encouraging," Potter admitted. "But the results haven't been what we want and we are not shying away from the fact that things haven't been good."
Despite the setbacks, Potter emphasized the positive work happening behind the scenes. "We have done a lot of good work. We have stabilised things a lot," he said. "The culture is a lot better and the foundation within the group is better. The togetherness at the club is better."
Potter believes these foundations, laid during pre-season, will ultimately help West Ham reverse their fortunes. He also highlighted the recent signing of Portuguese midfielder Mateus Fernandes from Southampton, a deal worth over £40m, as a boost to the squad. "He'll add a different dimension to his squad," Potter explained.
Furthermore, Potter hinted at the possibility of more signings before the transfer window closes. "We'll always look until the end of the window," he stated. "You never know what's going to happen. I think it'll be one of those windows that's going to be a lot of activity late. We need to make sure we're aware and aligned to make the right calls."
West Ham fans will be hoping Potter's optimism translates into a positive result against Nottingham Forest as they look to kickstart their season.