WEST Ham's best weapon in the fight for a UEFA Cup spot this season is belief, according to skipper Lucas Neill.

The Irons' European aspirations were brought back down to earth with a thump following Saturday's heavy defeat by title-chasing Chelsea at Upton Park.

However, the club remains in tenth place in the Premier League, just five points off seventh-place Blackburn.

And Neill (pictured) urged his team mates to "draw a line under the (Chelsea) game" and call on their experiences of last season as inspiration to fire them up the table.

He said: "Last year we won seven out of nine and it took us about seven or eight places up the table.

"Every time we don't pick up points we seem to be falling further and further behind.

"The only half-positive thing is that the teams below us are losing as well.

"I still believe and we've got to keep believing we can get into Europe."

The Chelsea game was the first in a busy month for the Hammers which will surely make of break their season.

An away trip to Liverpool tomorrow and then Spurs (on Sunday), will be followed by clashes with Blackburn at home, and back to back visits to Everton and Sunderland.

"This is still a massive month and anything we had got out of the Chelsea game would have been a bonus," admitted Neill.

"Now, our confidence is dented but we have to bounce back. Collectively, we've got to regroup.

"Our away form is very good - to be fair, our home form has been brilliant as well - and we've got to put everything in.

"We're hurting like crazy and the best thing we can do is to get back on to the pitch and try and rectify the situation."

West Ham's weekend performance was arguably their poorest of the season.

Three goals in five first half minutes by Chelsea exposed frailties in a defence that has been the backbone of the east Londoners' season so far.

But Neill doesn't see it like that and wants the team get back to positive ways as soon as possible.

"It was a bad day at the office really," he said.

"The most disappointing thing is that we've been beaten 4-0 but the scoreline probably doesn't reflect the game.

"But that's what happens when you give chances to the top sides.

"Now we've got to show good character - there's nothing more we can do."

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