Curbs: Hammering was on the cards

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley believes their 6-0 thrashing at Reading was a result waiting to happen after inheriting a squad lacking commitment and hunger.

Curbishley looked astonished as his side fell apart at the Madejski Stadium, then accused his players of getting carried away with one successful campaign in the Barclays Premiership.

"When I came in two and a bit weeks ago, I had a good look from the outside and this has been coming," admitted Curbishley, who took over from Pardew last month. "Everyone should forget last year because we're in this year. They're not playing with the confidence of last year - to keep going back to last year is a nonsense."

Reading are showing the hunger West Ham had last season and swept aside Curbishley's men with embarrassing ease.

Kevin Doyle scored twice to reach double figures for Premiership goals this season, while Brynjar Gunnarsson, Stephen Hunt and Leroy Lita also netted.

Reading's other strike came courtesy of Anton Ferdinand's own goal, highlighting West Ham's defensive inadequacies.

But Curbishley believes West Ham's problems run deeper, saying: "What has happened is that this team playing last year was the Reading we saw here - full of hunger, commitment, they want to be in the Premiership.

"Unfortunately we haven't got any of that now."