Jonathan Spector believes that West Ham United's
impressive performance against the Premiership champions last week
can give them the confidence to get back to winning ways against
Sheffield United this afternoon.
Despite ending up on the losing side against Chelsea, the American defender insists Hammers can take many performances from their display at Stamford Bridge, and is looking forward to getting back to the familiar surroundings of Upton Park today.
"We can take a lot of encouragement from our performance last week," he says. "Chelsea obviously have a set of world class players throughout their team, especially in attack, but I thought we dealt with them really well.
"We didn't give them too many chances, and it took a great free-kick to beat us, so when you measure things up, there were plenty of positives for us to take from the game.
"At the end of the day, though, we still lost the game, and so there was a sense of disappointment. We weren't expected to beat Chelsea but, as a team, we approach every game believing we can win it, and it always hurts to end up on the losing side.
"If we look at the bigger picture, though, we've taken three points from our two matches against Arsenal and Chelsea recently, and a lot of people would say that they will be bonus points at the end of the season.
"The important thing is that we show the same kind of form against Sheffield United. We know that these are the type of matches we really have to win, but no game is easy in the Premiership and we are going to have work hard to match their energy - hopefully our quality and talent will shine through once we do that."
Having filled the right-back spot in our last four Premiership matches, Jonathan is also settling in well to life at Upton Park now following his summer move from Manchester United, and believes it will be only a matter of time before Alan Pardew's team begin climbing the Premiership table.
"It always takes a little bit of time to settle in," he says, "but the staff and the players here have made it really easy for me. I'm fully over my injury now and, of course, I am delighted that the manager has given me my chance in the team.
"Hopefully that will continue. Obviously we need some better results in the coming weeks, but I am just happy to be in the team and looking forward to doing whatever I can to help the team.
"There is no doubt that we have the quality here to lift ourselves to a much higher place in the table, and hopefully that can start with a win against Sheffield United."
Despite ending up on the losing side against Chelsea, the American defender insists Hammers can take many performances from their display at Stamford Bridge, and is looking forward to getting back to the familiar surroundings of Upton Park today.
"We can take a lot of encouragement from our performance last week," he says. "Chelsea obviously have a set of world class players throughout their team, especially in attack, but I thought we dealt with them really well.
"We didn't give them too many chances, and it took a great free-kick to beat us, so when you measure things up, there were plenty of positives for us to take from the game.
"At the end of the day, though, we still lost the game, and so there was a sense of disappointment. We weren't expected to beat Chelsea but, as a team, we approach every game believing we can win it, and it always hurts to end up on the losing side.
"If we look at the bigger picture, though, we've taken three points from our two matches against Arsenal and Chelsea recently, and a lot of people would say that they will be bonus points at the end of the season.
"The important thing is that we show the same kind of form against Sheffield United. We know that these are the type of matches we really have to win, but no game is easy in the Premiership and we are going to have work hard to match their energy - hopefully our quality and talent will shine through once we do that."
Having filled the right-back spot in our last four Premiership matches, Jonathan is also settling in well to life at Upton Park now following his summer move from Manchester United, and believes it will be only a matter of time before Alan Pardew's team begin climbing the Premiership table.
"It always takes a little bit of time to settle in," he says, "but the staff and the players here have made it really easy for me. I'm fully over my injury now and, of course, I am delighted that the manager has given me my chance in the team.
"Hopefully that will continue. Obviously we need some better results in the coming weeks, but I am just happy to be in the team and looking forward to doing whatever I can to help the team.
"There is no doubt that we have the quality here to lift ourselves to a much higher place in the table, and hopefully that can start with a win against Sheffield United."