West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun has offered an outspoken assessment of the club's chances of Premiership survival, after claiming they 'played like a bunch of drunks' on New Year's Day.
A sobering 6-0 defeat on their travels to Reading has brought to light the full extent of the problems at Upton Park and Benayoun accepts they have it all to do if they are stave off the threat of relegation.
The diminutive schemer was 'ashamed' of the abject nature in which they capitulated at the Madejski Stadium and he accepts things must improve dramatically between now and the campaign's close.
Alan Curbishley is armed with a healthy transfer chest in the January transfer window and is set to invest in fresh faces, but Benayoun has called on the players already at the club to raise their own games respectively.
"I am ashamed. I am shocked at the way we played. We played like a bunch of drunks," said Benayoun.
"If we keep on playing like this, we will definitely be relegated.
"The situation is very bad. I felt like crying."
West Ham's next Premiership game sees them pitted against capital neighbours Fulham and should they lose again, Benayoun believes their top flight days could be numbered.
"If we lose against Fulham, we will be digging a grave for ourselves," he added. It's become the most important game of the season.
"Hopefully, everyone will wake up now and give more than 100 per cent of their ability.
"We must take courage out of the mud on the football field."
While speculation has been of a possible player exodus, with talk of internal disputes rife, Curbishley has refuted any such suggestion and insists no-one will leave.
However, after the defeat at Reading, Benayoun is not so sure: "Curbishley said to the players that no-one will go - but who knows after this game?
"At the moment, I am not going. The fans like me, I have had no offers."
go join bolton. he is too good for west ham