Carlton Cole is ready for a "massive game" on Tuesday as West Ham United go to Coventry City with a place in the last eight of the Carling Cup up for grabs.
Having scored his first goal of the campaign in the 3-1 win against Sunderland on 21 October, the hard-working striker then led the line to great effect against Portsmouth on Saturday - stretching the home defence and linking up well.
Although it can be a difficult task to operate in isolation, Cole was just happy to have the chance to prove himself in the West Ham United attack. "I have played that system before for England and Chelsea so I knew what to expect," he said. "It asked a lot of me to play up front against Sol [Campbell] and [Sylvain] Distin.
"They are two great powerful centre-backs in the game and I am pleased I got through it," Cole added. He nearly did more than that, working an excellent opening in the 64th minute before sending a fierce shot crashing against the Portsmouth crossbar. "I think I was a bit unlucky not to notch but that's how the game goes," said Cole.
Such sentiments could be echoed by Nolberto Solano. The versatile midfielder, on his first start for the club, twice eluded his markers to ghost into the box only to then miss with headed opportunities. Cole had no doubts his new team-mate would make them count in future. "Nobby has just come into the side, he is going to get the goals and create anyway. We are just happy we got a result and the goals will come."
Hammers fans will have every hope Cole can be the one to supply the end product when West Ham United arrive in Coventry on Tuesday night. It was after a two-goal show in the competition for Chelsea against Gillingham on 6 November 2002 that former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri made his claim that he had "never coached a young player" like him.
Cole turns 24 on 12 November but he still has plenty of time to live up to the early acclaim that also saw him win 19 caps for England Under-21s. A goal or two against Coventry would be a step in the right direction. "That is going to be a massive game for us," he said. "That could get us to the quarter-finals. We just want to keep on going and try and get the results and hopefully everything will drop in favour for us."