West Ham take on Bournemouth with Graham Potter under some pressure for the first time since taking charge.

Graham Potter is being given this season as grace by most rational West Ham fans.

Many supporters feel it would be unfair to judge the Hammers boss too harshly until he has his own players in the side.

That will of course pile the pressure on next season.

But the 49-year-old is already feeling the strain with murmurings about his tactics and style of play from some fans.

There is no hiding the fact Potter has failed to really get lift off since replacing Julen Lopetegui three months ago.

West Ham went out of the FA Cup in his first game and have won just three of 11 under the ex Chelsea boss so far.

Time to start giving West Ham fans some hope

The defeat at Wolves, the only team separating West Ham from the relegation zone, in midweek was another uninspiring performance.

That’s after it emerged the Hammers have an 18-month break clause in the manager’s two-and-a-half-year contract.

West Ham fans want to be given something to get behind. Some hope that things can and will get better next season with the right additions in the summer.

Potter has consistently talked about building a connection with fans by performing better at the London Stadium.

West Ham only have four games at home now to do just that before the pressure really kicks in next season.

The line-up he named at Wolves was so surprising, some fans thought it was an April Fool’s prank.

Two of the changes were enforced but the decision to drop the likes of Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez, leaving James Ward-Prowse completely exposed, backfired badly.

Bournemouth are on a run of bad form themselves, having won just once in their last seven games.

Andoni Iraola’s side have lost to Wolves, Brentford and Ipswich in that run.

So West Ham should be looking to win the game, especially at home.

It’s time for the manager to really set his stall out now.

Potter must make six West Ham changes for Bournemouth

Potter must make six West Ham changes for Bournemouth or serious questions need to be asked.

First of all the five at the back needs to go.

It has made West Ham a painful watch going forward and while it may have helped the team tighten up, Potter has only won three games. So it has hardly been game-changing.

It’s understandable against some of the top sides, especially away from home.

But at the London Stadium, West Ham need to be more on the front foot and attacking the opposition to get fans interested again.

The Hammers boss needs to revert to a back four, it’s as simple as that.

Evan Ferguson missed a sitter at Wolves to play his way straight back out of the Hammers line-up.

Niclas Fullkrug impressed as his replacement in the second half.

He is one of one of the six changes Potter needs to make from the start.

Konstantinos Mavropanos was again at fault for the only goal at Molineux.

The big Greek has had more than enough time and chances now. Jean-Clair Todibo is back after illness and must start in his place in change two.

With the switch to a back four, out goes Aaron Cresswell in change three, allowing Soucek to come back into the side in midfield.

Emerson Palmieri should be fit and has to start after performing well at Wolves when replacing Ollie Scarles.

Serious questions need to be asked at West Ham if Potter doesn’t make wholesale changes

If Scarles does keep his place he must start showing more going forward if he wants to be a starting Premier League full-back.

Ward-Prowse was one of the worst players on the pitch at Wolves, killing delusions his return to the team was the answer to West Ham’s problems.

He needs to be dropped with Alvarez coming back in – but with everything to prove himself after a dismal 15 months in a West Ham shirt.

Finally Mohammed Kudus looks likely to play after being rested due to fatigue in his hip muscle.

Kudus comes in for Luis Guilherme.

The West Ham team Potter must start vs Bournemouth:

Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson or Scarles, Paqueta, Soucek, Alvarez, Kudus, Bowen, Fullkrug.

That is the only acceptable team Potter can put out to start if everyone is available.

Even then big changes are clearly needed in the summer.

But for now he has to go for it and give supporters some long overdue excitement.