Manager David Moyes said he feels “really sorry” for West Ham fans after watching his side fall to a 5-0 loss at the hands of Chelsea.
West Ham have conceded five goals in each of their last two away games, losing 5-2 against Crystal Palace on 21 April, and are now almost certain to miss out on a fourth successive season in European competition.
They have won just one of their last eight fixtures in the Premier League, losing four times during that sequence, although they did draw with Liverpool last time out.
“The fans have been great but I feel bad for them,” Moyes told Sky Sports.
“I don’t normally have teams who get beaten like this but we are lacking some ingredients – mental toughness and leadership to get better results, or at least not get hammered.
“The fans played their part and I can only say I’m really sorry for how it played out.”
It is the latest bump in the road during a rocky season for Moyes, who appears to be on his way out after West Ham held talks with former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui earlier this week.
Moyes, 61, returned for his second stint in charge of West Ham in December 2019 and has overseen a largely positive period in the club’s history.
The Scot led the Hammers to the Europa League semi-final in 2021-22 and they went on to win the Europa Conference League in 2022-23, ending a 43-year wait for a major trophy.
But his days appear to be numbered with the current campaign fizzling out and widespread frustration among the fanbase.
The sheer amount of goals conceded, 70, has left them fighting a losing battle, with only Burnley (74), Luton (78) and Sheffield United, who all sit in the bottom three, holding a worse defensive record.
“We’ve had too many games this season where we haven’t shown any toughness, togetherness, leadership, or taken ownership of the performance,” Moyes said.
“I’m the manager so I take ownership of that but sometimes the players have to take responsibility as well.”