Manager Alan Curbishley has demanded a response from his West Ham side after two thrashings against the Premier League's elite.After a season of steady if not spectacular progress to a healthy mid-table position, West Ham have slumped to two 4-0 defeats in five days against Chelsea and Liverpool.

It has been a wake-up call for Curbishley and he has challenged his team to put things right in Sunday's derby clash with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Curbishley instigated a clear-the-air meeting with his players in the Anfield dressing room on Wednesday night and afterwards said: "I am really disappointed with the last five days. This cannot continue, so Spurs is an even bigger game for us on Sunday.

"Expectation is always high at West Ham. We survived last season after a tough time. Then we had high hopes in the summer with the new players we brought in.

"But it hasn't materialised. The injuries have wrecked us, so we have had to do what we have had to do to get ourselves where we are.

"People should not take this for granted. We must not allow the rest of the season to drift, it is as simple as that."

He added: "In our last six games we have played Liverpool twice and Chelsea, that is hard for anyone. But in our run-in we must attack sides and pick up points.

"The application was not there and that is what we had a discussion about in the dressing room afterwards. I wanted to discover why it had happened and now I want a response on Sunday.

"But they are a good bunch of lads. If we can finish the season strongly it will bode well for next season.

"After what happened to us last season, and the way we have played for most of this season, I feel we have done all right but we want a bit more."

West Ham could be without defender Matthew Upson (calf) at Spurs and Curbishley said: "We must move on. We have a very big game at Spurs and we must improve to get back on track.

"Chelsea and Liverpool have demonstrated why they are top sides. Their finishing was clinical and they have been stronger than us all over the park. It is something we must think about.

"We have let ourselves down. People who know our club know we have had all sorts of problems with injuries, our big summer signings have barely played for us."

Scott Parker, who could return at Spurs, Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer and Julien Faubert who cost a total of £26million, have started only 21 matches between them this term.

Curbishley experienced some vocal criticism from Hammers fans at Anfield but he was defiant, saying: "The fans feel that 4-5-1 is negative but it suits certain people and the fact is that it suits the fit personnel that are available.

"I have had to do what I think is right for the club. We are 10th and there are 10 below us who would want to be where we are.

"Considering the problems we have had, with the people we have signed not being fit, it has been difficult for us.

"This team, though, has got us points and results. This has been the first time it has looked as if we were not going to get anything in these last two games. We must turn it around and I am sure we will do that."

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