Hi everyone,
The whole team are looking forward to playing in front of our own fans at home on Saturday, as it feels like we've not played at the Boleyn Ground for months. It will be a difficult game against Manchester United, and they'll be keen to bounce back after a poor result against Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend.
They'll be looking to get three points as we will. We're not out of the water yet and we need points as quickly as we can, starting against Manchester United. If we play to our strengths I think we can beat them.
The manager will approach this game the same as any other. Like I've said before, when they're not at their best they've still got players that can hurt you. We'll go through their strengths and weaknesses as a team, as we would as if it were last season. We'd love to be able to exploit their weaknesses and make sure they carry on struggling.
On home turf we've generally played quite well at home this season, despite the fact we've lost a few games. The confidence is still there and getting those four wins in February was massive for us. This is another big month for us. We can pull ourselves clear and climb the table a bit in this next month, so it's massive for us.
Since I came to West Ham I've enjoyed playing regularly, as that was the main thing for me when I arrived. It would be nice if I could chip in and get a few goals before the end of the season, but if the team keep playing well and we get positive results then everyone's outlook will continue to look better.
Andy Carroll made his return to the starting XI against Stoke City and having the big man back and a target to hit is nice. Unfortunately I've not played with him that much since I came here, but he was a big part of why I wanted to come here and play. We've got nine games to go and we'll be looking to get as many points as we can. If we can get Andy scoring goals and the team playing well, then we'll be looking to finish as high up as we can. It's a big month for us and we're looking to pick up some big wins.
I think that realistically tenth place is a good place for us to aim for. We know that a couple of wins can get us there and above the teams around us, and I believe we have one hell of a chance to get there.
See you on Saturday. Come On You Irons!
Stew