"It is probably those players that were involved against Ipswich who are going to have to respond; it was a disappointing day for us all in front of a bumper Christmas crowd and we got turned over after taking the lead again," says Alan Pardew.
"Questions are being asked of us but there is only one set of players and one manager who can answer them - and that is what we intend to do at Nottingham Forest."
Alan, whose major injury worry is Ian Pearce with a thigh problem, will look at the possibility of freshening up the squad in the new year, though, and he says:
"That is what is in front of me at the moment; these players are good lads but I am here to win games.
"They have got to trust me and get on side; there were periods of the game where it looked okay and I want to see that happening more often but the times it goes wrong is a major deviant and that is the problem.
"The bottom line is the results are not good enough; there comes a point when you have to make a stand and we are arriving at that - either the players come with me or they will have to go and we will see if anything arises."
It is a testing time for a manager, only having one clear day to pick the players up if they have lost or bring them back down to earth if they have won.
"When you get two games back to back, if you have won or had a great result obviously the turnaround is that much easier - you just patch them up and turn them around again.
"But when you have had a disappointing day like we have had then it makes that job impossible so we have to approach it differently, which is what we have done in terms of making sure the players feel good about themselves so they can pick themselves up and roll their sleeves up ready for Forest.
"They had a similar day to ourselves yesterday so it is two teams fighting to get back in it."
West Ham have won two out of 14 games and Alan is only too aware of the fact.
"I am on guard in terms of results because I can't accept all of the results we have had and I may have to bring people in and make changes," he says.
"We have to roll our sleeves up after we let a big crowd down against Ipswich; it is on television and we have to give a good account of ourselves.
"I was looking at the boys in the dressing room after the Ipswich game and I said there are great individuals, but we are a long way from the spirit to turn things round if they go wrong, if we are to get in a position where we can get promoted.
"We are a quiet side and the outstanding candidate to put it all together, Lomy, is some way off - but I expected more from the players on the pitch - it has gone on and on and on and I am going to have to bring in some characters.
"For some bizarre reason we went backwards after the goal; the ideal time to kick on is when Ipswich were searching for something and throwing subs on.
"We were searching for that Tomas Repka moment again and we have got to be better than that.
"And there is no way you can say the fans have not been not with us except for the Stoke game which we were expected to win - there was pressure on them in that game but not against Ipswich.
"It is tough on the supporters; they are desperate to see some passion and they deserve better - and I am not saying that to get votes.
"We are looking to get a run going, the fans will be with us again at Nottingham, and we have got to produce the right product.
"Jermain finished the goal well and there were some positives against Ipswich - but far too many negatives and we have shot ourselves in the foot again.
"It is slipping away and for a club this size that is disappointing - gaps are starting to appear and we need to improve, no doubt.
"Now the Forest game is a huge one and we have to show character; it is a tough place to go and get a win but we have got to go there and be positive."