In the wake of Sunday's 4-3 defeat by Leeds that saw West Ham drop back into the bottom three, Michael has called for the players to show consistency - and take the heat off Glenn Roeder.
"I think the gaffer is solid and you have to look at the players. Individual errors aren't something he can do anything about," he says.
"We have got to look to ourselves - we tried to put it right in the second half, we nearly did, and some would say we deserved to, but it was too much to ask after conceding four goals at home.
"The lads knew we had let ourselves down at half time and that we were better than that.
"We are not playing for ourselves or the manager as such - we are playing for the club.
"If we are losing obviously the club is not a nice place to be but we have to get winning soon.
"Obviously the pressure does build but we have to get out there and put it right; if you concede four at home you are not going to get the win you need.
"I don't think the confidence has gone at all, it is just individual mistakes. Manchester United went through the same thing last year and you can't really put your finger on it.
"If it is a structural or tactical thing you can sort it out but when it is mistakes like that you can't really account for it.
"There is nothing the gaffer can do and we showed in the second half we are capable of better things."
Michael insists the performance was not as bad as the four goals conceded might suggest, and adds: "It was a weird game and I didn't think we played badly throughout as a team, but individual errors again cost us, and we have to cut them out.
"To be honest, we weren't bad as a unit but you have to look at the four goals. We were just as good as them and if Paolo had got us 2-1 up maybe it would have been a different game.
"In the second half we played really well and they didn't really get out of their own half, so credit to the lads for battling on and working hard.
"We had a couple of chances to get back to four each, but it wasn't to be. Something triggered the fightback - we got the early penalty in the second half - but we have got to play like that from the start."
Next up is another home game, against Manchester United no less, but Michael says it should hold no fear despite the fact that the Hammers are still looking for that first win of the season at Upton Park.
"The crowd are honest and if they see we are being the same and giving 100% they will get behind us," he says.
"It isn't the case that we are not giving it our all, but when things are going wrong it might seem like that and it is frustrating for everyone.
"We haven't played so well as that second half against Leeds for a while and we want to be doing that every week - the players are annoyed with themselves for letting it slip.
"Matches against Manchester United are games you want to play in and we will be looking for three points.
"Obviously we haven't done well at home - but a game is a game, and if you step on the pitch it doesn't really matter where it is.
"We win and lose as a team - but we have to start performing every week."