WEST Ham boss Alan Curbishley admits that he can take little from Saturday's mauling by Chelsea.

The Irons were never in the game once the Blues had raced into a 3-0 lead within 22 minutes following goals by Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack.

And, despite having Lampard sent off before half time, the title chasers were cool enough to limit a poor Hammers to only a couple of attempts at goal.

Ashley Cole sealed an emphatic victory midway through the second half.

"We can't take too much from the game," conceded Curbishley. "It's not nice when you have to sit there and watch that.

"The fans had to - they've come in with great hopes and we've gone and blown it again.

"We picked up a result last week and we desperately needed to put two together to try and climb up the league and it hasn't happened again."

West Ham's two previous home encounters with 'top four' sides Manchester United and Liverpool had ended in victory.

But Curbishley (pictured) knows his team came up against a clinical outfit in Chelsea, adding: "When you play against these sides, you know that they've got players that if they get in certain positions, they may finish.

"In the previous games against the top four, we've perhaps made the save or made the block.

"They are going to create chances. Chelsea have a very talented squad.

"It is difficult to come back from one or two down, but to come back from three down is massive."

On only a handful of occassions has the West Ham boss vented his frustrations at his side's poor defensive display this season.

But he was clearly disappointed with the defending that led to Chelsea's first three goals.

"As a team we have prided ourselves on our defending, but we got it wrong against Chelsea," he said.

"Not just the back five but Joe Cole and Ballack got away from the midfielders and we'll have to have a look at why that happened.

"With ten men we knew Chelsea would soak it up and hit us on the break. But the game got away from us in five minutes."

West Ham travel to Anfield tomorrow night looking to put things right, and Curbishley added: "We need to make sure we bounce back now."

Have your say: How do you feel West Ham played on Saturday?