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Sebastien Schemmel is desperate to get his season going - and he predicts a top half finish for the Hammers.
Seb, who came on as a second half substitute against Oldham midweek, is determined to shrug aside that disappointment - and the injury problem from last season which has continued to dog him this campaign.
"Cups are good for little teams; normally Oldham would lose four or five nil but they scored one fantastic goal and after it is difficult because they are playing the game of their lives.
"But Wednesday was not the most important game of the season - Sunday is.
"I hope the season begins then and I want to play this game because I want to prove something; I come back, the problems with foot are finished and it is very important to me to get back to my best level.
"If I play Sunday, believe me, I will win the game on my own and will be man of the match!
"I am so happy now and I have no pain at night; it is a new life and a new start for me.
"I forget last season now; it was so good for me but I need to come back now and prove to everyone I am at my best level.
"The problem is that it is difficult for the gaffer as Christian Dailly is playing so well at the moment."
Seb would like to repeat his feat last season of winning the Hammer of the year award and he adds:
"This is a good challenge for me; when I spoke to some people they said to me 'now you have won the award the motivation will go' but that is not true.
"I want to prove myself every time as this is my mentality - I have come to a fantastic team and won player of the year but I don't want to stop now.
"I have had a really bad injury but I have been training really hard for six weeks twice a day every day." Seb is raring to go again and adds:
"If we lose we are dead this weekend so I really want to be out there to say thank you to this club which saved me from Metz.
"I am sure some people think I want to leave but it is not true - I want to stay and win something with West Ham.
"My trophy last season was so important for me and it has stayed in my heart; West Ham will be in my heart for the rest of my life.
"I have three years on my contract and if they don't want me after that we will see, but for now I just want to prove every game that I am the best in my position."
Looking at the Hammers' poor home form, he adds:
"It is very difficult to explain; before the game the gaffer was so confident about the game because the team had been working very hard but we concede a goal and it is finished.
"The team played very well only in the last 20 minutes against Oldham and I don't know why - we just need to score the first goal to play well, but at the moment there are a lot of things wrong.
"If Steve Lomas had scored after 30 seconds the game would have been finished but at the moment we are not getting the luck.
"But I have seen this situation before, at Metz and Nancy it was the same; I know what is happening as I have had experience of this.
"The squad is good, though, the manager is good, the fans are fantastic, and it is just a little thing that needs changing.
"I am still confident - Trevor and Paolo are coming back, I am fit again, and I am sure it is just a question of time.
"But we need the fans because everyone knows it is difficult to win at home at the moment.
"I repeat - I am confident; if the team has a good mentality and stays together - the manager, the staff, the fans - we will be okay and finish at least in the top 10, minimum.
"I have known this squad for two years so I know the mentality in it and it is just a little thing that needs to change."
Seb, who was booked on Wednesday, was also involved in the late fracas that saw players from both sides jostling each other, but he shrugs off the incident and says:
"This is the game, and it proves West Ham want to win and I was happy with that; we need the same mentality against Leeds."