Graham Potter believes Albion can play better than they did at Watford – and still lose.

Which is why the head coach has had plenty to focus minds ahead of the first home fixture of the season against West Ham today.

With typically dry and deadpan delivery, Potter told The Argus this week he has not been measuring public reaction to the Vicarage Road success because he doesn’t get out much.

But he will be aware of enthusiastic – and perhaps surprised - reviews both by public and media to that 3-0 success last Saturday.

He is equally keen to stress there is a lot to work on as he moulds his team for the long Premier League season.

Asked at the training ground whether he was aware of a buzz going into the West Ham game, Potter said: “I lead quite a boring life. I just go from here to my home.

“I don’t go out too much. It’s not like I’m wandering around the streets.

“Unfortunately, again it’s my personality. The win doesn’t last too long for me.

“Then I start to panic about the next game or start to think about the next game. It’s just how it is.

“But I think the people I have spoken to, yes, we’ve won the opening game and it’s nice.

“In football you should enjoy those moments because you know there are going to be some bumpy ones along the way.

“West Ham will be looking to respond to a difficult afternoon against the champions. We have to respond to that.

“We know we are playing a good team. A different type of opposition to when we faced Watford.

“The front four especially are really technically gifted.

“They are a top-ten team who have continued to try and improve, who have invested well.

“They have a really experienced, knowledgeable coach, and very good individual players and an organised team structure.”

Potter’s initial reaction after the Watford game was that Albion could have made more of some good situations going forward.

That they had to defend well and that they had a bit of luck.

That he loved his team’s attitude but there was plenty of room for improvement. That has not changed on closer analysis during the week.

He said: “I think my reflection straight after the game was what I thought when I watched it back.

“We weren’t brilliant. We didn’t create chance after chance after chance. We had to survive some moments.

“There was one time where Solly (March) decides to let it run and maybe that’s not the best decision and then they nick in and we have to survive that moment.

“In terms of our display overall, we were quite solid, we had an idea of what we were trying to do.

“We can do that better in terms of our build-up, in terms of getting to the final third more often and in a better way.

“But it was a performance you can’t complain about because we scored three goals, kept a clean sheet and won 3-0 away in the Premier League on the opening day.

“I’m probably expecting we will play better over the course of a season and not get any points.”

Now comes the home league debut.

A taste of what the Amex can be like during the friendly against Valencia has whetted the appetite.

The build-up included a team-building exercise on Tuesday which was being kept under wraps straight after the Watford game.

It turns out the squad went out for dinner together.

“Italian,” Potter said, apologising for any disappointment.

It didn’t quite live up to one or two fanciful suggestions among the press pack after the game at Watford.

But it’s all part of that building process which continues against the Hammers.