Joe, aggrieved like Glenn Roeder that he didn't get a penalty against Bolton on Saturday, says: "Football is a cruel game and when things happen like that you have got to go out and be strong - and we have to keep our heads together.
"I thought it was a penalty. I don't dive in the box and there are times when I could have gone down but I have stayed on my feet.
"But he has bowled me over and it is a nailed on penalty; they got lucky and maybe next time we will get one we don't deserve.
"But I definitely think the ref should know the players - I don't dive."
Joe remains optimistic that the Hammers can get out of trouble and adds: "It has been a tricky season so far but we have to find the right formula.
"The effort has always been there but we haven't had the rub of the green - though we are not saying that is the problem.
"We are going to be strong and stick together as a unit."
And he admits the problem is as much psychological as anything, adding: "It has been for a few weeks now, and we need to pick ourselves up so we make sure that when the next game comes around we are ready to go."
As for the statistic that the team at the bottom at Christmas always goes down, he says defiantly: "That is what has happened in the past and we are not going to buy into anything like that.
"We are going to keep on fighting."