West Ham United began the season full of optimism with a UEFA [Images] Cup campaign to look forward to and the hope of building on a ninth-place Premier League finish.

Manager Alan Pardew had won over the fans after a difficult start to his reign and proudly led out his team in last season's FA Cup final which they lost to Liverpool only on penalties.

Just two months into the season, though, and everything has turned sour amid continuing talk of a takeover of the club and the difficulty of accommodating two Argentine internationals.

On Tuesday, the east London [Images] side suffered a humiliating 2-1 third-round League Cup defeat at the hands of third division Chesterfield to chalk up their eighth defeat in a row.

It is their longest run of losses for 74 years and their slump to second from bottom of the Premier League has left Pardew with a mountain to climb in restoring confidence.

"It's just where we are at the moment," said Pardew. "We can't seem to get ourselves going. They (Chesterfield) wouldn't let us and fair play to them they deserved to win."

Marlon Harewood had ended a West Ham goal drought of 672 minutes when he fired them into the lead with a superb volley at Saltergate but they failed to add to their score.

Chesterfield responded early in the second half through Colin Larkin and Caleb Folan then popped up to score the winner in the 87th minute to stun their top flight opponents, who are already out of Europe following defeat by Palermo.

"The responsibilities of the team and the results are mine and unfortunately they don't look too good at the moment," Pardew told Sky Sports on Tuesday.

"But I'm big enough and bold enough to come out fighting and I hope my team are as well. It's that confidence that we need to gain. If ever we needed our fans to give us a lift it is now."

By the time the West Ham faithful get the chance to cheer on their struggling team at home to Blackburn Rovers on Sunday the east Londoners could be bottom of the Premier League.

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