'Laughable' West Ham suffers worst start to top-flight campaign

West Ham supporters once again headed for the tube early Sunday after the home side suffered a club-record fifth loss in six league matches to start the season.

Southampton dealt yet another hammer blow to Slaven Bilic's side during its maiden campaign in Stratford, cutting apart West Ham's catastrophic defence in a 3-0 battering.

"Eleven goals (conceded) in three games is laughable and it's not good enough. When you are losing it is (a flat atmosphere) I think we could have kept playing 'til tonight and we wouldn't have scored," said captain Mark Noble.

"I have been in this position a lot of times at this club. We've got to work hard for each other and look to ourselves. We can't blame each other. "

The team left the Boleyn Ground - its home of 112 years - and moved into the London Stadium to the consternation of fans over the summer. And the winless run has done nothing to convince the many skeptics. Taxpayer money was used for the stadium's redevelopment from an Olympic multiplex into a football ground, and it's yet to pay any dividends.

The defeat to Southampton always looked inevitable. West Ham produced a single shot on target all match, and as soon as Charlie Austin hit the back of the net, the fixture was all but decided.

"I thought we started all right and then, bang, we conceded a goal, and to be honest we never looked back in it," Noble added. "If I'm honest it could have been six in the end."

The results are shocking considering West Ham's form last season. Bilic had his men playing high-flying football, producing memorable wins over Tottenham and Manchester United.

Now there's a lack of confidence, and even when West Ham has the lead, it's no guarantee.

But the main concern is the back line. Southampton made mincemeat of Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna in the centre of defence, and former Real Madrid man Alvaro Arbeloa hardly looked match fit in a makeshift left-back role.