LEADER Steve Cook has called on Cherries to show "some fight and passion" in a bid to lift them back out of the Premier League relegation zone, admitting "this is probably the lowest point" during his eight-year stay at the club.

Cherries dropped into the bottom three following the 4-0 loss at West Ham on New Year's Day, an eighth defeat in 10 games. It is the first time they have been below the dotted line for more than two years.

And centre-back Cook admits the team could have no complaints with the outcome at London Stadium.

"In a must-win, or a mustn’t lose, we rolled over and got the result we deserved," Cook told the Daily Echo.

"I think it’s not good enough. We can’t keep making excuses. Something’s got to change and change very quickly.

"We’ve got a welcome break from the Premier League on Saturday (in the FA Cup) and we need to go out there and win a game of football."

Asked what needs to change, Cook added: "Giving poor goals away, individual mistakes and adding some fight and passion and some togetherness.

"At the moment we don’t look like a team, which is the worrying thing. The only positive in that is we know we can come together, we have to come together.

"No doubt everyone else will write us off, we know in our changing room that we’ve got enough. Hopefully we've got players coming back (from injury) and they’ll be a welcome boost for the squad."

As well as being leapfrogged by West Ham on Wednesday, Cherries also saw fellow strugglers Watford, Brighton, Aston Villa, Southampton and Norwich City all pick up points around them.

But Cook is keen to keep the focus on his own side.

"We shouldn’t be looking outwards," he said.

"I think that’s then becoming desperation. Teams are going to win football matches, that’s a given. Now we’ve got to find some confidence, when you’re losing games of football and not playing well, it’s very difficult. I think you lose your energy, it saps you, the negativity.

"They (West Ham) came out and scored three quick goals and even in the first half we looked dejected and flat and I think that’s what obviously negativity does to you.

"But we need to try and rise above that now. We need to stick together and come through this."

He continued: "Right now this is probably the lowest point we’ve had in my career since I’ve been at Bournemouth because we’ve dropped into the relegation zone in such a tough division without playing well this season.

"It’s really difficult to take. But we need to use the experiences of previous seasons to bring us through to come and win.

"It takes one win I think to bring back the confidence, one goal and then we can maybe kick on from there. Personally it’s not great. It’s very difficult.

"But being a leader and a player that’s been here for so long, I try and stay positive around the lads and pick people up."