Gianfranco Zola was delighted with his side's defensive display as they ended their 24-game wait for a clean sheet in the hard-fought draw with Portsmouth on Saturday.
The home side largely had Robert Green to thank, as he made several crucial stops to keep the visitors, and particularly Jermain Defoe, at bay. The shut-out was the first since February and, after conceding costly late goals in recent weeks, Zola says the draw will have given his side a boost.
"That is a very good for us," Zola said. "Apart from the point, it means a lot for the players so I take this point in a very good way. I'm sure that my players will get a lot of confidence from this result. It was a tough match so I'm very pleased and the players gave everything and I couldn't ask for any more."
The hosts did threaten at the other end and came closest to scoring when a Craig Bellamy free-kick cracked against the post. The Welshman started alongside Carlton Cole and Freddie Sears in a three-pronged front line as Zola made his attacking intentions clear.
"Attacking is the kind of philosophy I have. Unfortunately they were very good at the back, very solid and did not give us any space at all. So in the second half I had to change a little bit. In all honesty I did not expect Portsmouth to be that good and I am pleased and the result was a good result for us in the end."
The manager said that he had never lost faith in his beliefs or his team during recent weeks when they have not been picking up the points their efforts have deserved. He said: "I like to think of the glass half full rather than half empty and before this game we played six games and played very well in five of them and got just one point.
"Today maybe we didn't play as well as those games but we got a point and that is encouraging. I saw the players in the changing rooms and they are so pleased to have kept a clean sheet after such long spell. It was really really important."
The manager received further encouragement when it was revealed that Herita Ilunga appeared to have only suffered a slight knock after he was forced to leave the field with an injury to his right ankle in the second half, while Matthew Upson and Valon Behrami also came through unscathed.