Freddie Ljungberg is "feeling good" after getting another 90 minutes under his belt last weekend.
The Sweden captain, who will hope to make it a hat-trick of starts in ten days at Middlesbrough on Saturday, was a lively presence in a familiar left-sided position against Everton and, but for a bit of luck, might have scored his first goal in claret and blue. On the quarter-hour mark on Saturday, he found himself surging past a static defence before being presented with a shooting chance from eight yards out.
"Unfortunately, I was supposed to hit it with my right but it hit a player and spun over to my left," he said, although he still managed to get a firm shot away. Everton keeper Tim Howard was equal to it though and produced "a very good save" to keep the scores level. It was a blow for the No7, having previously been denied what seemed a certain goal against former club Arsenal in September because of a late offside flag.
He added: "[Defeat] is hard to take because we dominated the first half and created some chances." While the 2-0 scoreline was disappointing, it was the second full game for Ljungberg in four days - showing he is over the effects of injury and a debilitating migraine that kept him out of the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month. "I am back now," he said. I have played two games - two 90 minutes and I feel very good."
Of his migraines, which have been a constant throughout his successful career, Ljungberg said: "I normally get it once a year, unfortunately - hopefully I am done and dusted with it. It is always annoying. It is not the easiest thing. I feel now that I am fit." Adding that he was determined "to get some consistency and do well for West Ham", Ljungberg hoped the next few weeks would see others joining him and the likes of Scott Parker and Dean Ashton back in the first team.
The former Arsenal man has enjoyed playing alongside his fellow summer signing Parker in midfield. "I think it is important we get all our good players fit. Scott is one of them. He runs a lot and I think when it was a little bit scrappy in the second half, he was fighting for the ball which is always good. He showed he is a very good player."