The Gaffer previews Tuesday's game against Aston Villa.
Slaven, Aston Villa on home soil on Tuesday. You must be confident going into this game?
SB: "On one hand you are right but this is the Premier League. If you go into a game at just five per cent less than your red zone your chances are reduced, not by 5% but by 55%. In the Premier League every team if well organised and difficult to beat.
"It’s true that Villa are struggling, but on the other hand they have improved a lot and now they are picking up points. They are just paying the price for a slow start.
"For a long, long time they weren’t picking up points but now if you see their recent form they are not losing many games.
"We are expecting a very tough game but on the other hand we are at home, we are playing with confidence and we want to stay where we are in the table. Our plan for the game is to beat them."
So are you saying it’s down to your team’s attitude that will decide how it goes?
Slaven, Aston Villa on home soil on Tuesday. You must be confident going into this game?
On one hand you are right but this is the Premier League. If you go into a game at just five per cent less than your red zone your chances are reduced, not by 5% but by 55%. In the Premier League every team if well organised and difficult to beat.
It’s true that Villa are struggling, but on the other hand they have improved a lot and now they are picking up points. They are just paying the price for a slow start.
For a long, long time they weren’t picking up points but now if you see their recent form they are not losing many games.
We are expecting a very tough game but on the other hand we are at home, we are playing with confidence and we want to stay where we are in the table. Our plan for the game is to beat them.
So are you saying it’s down to your team’s attitude that will decide how it goes?
No, but you have better chances. But if we play like we did on Saturday at Liverpool then we will have a chance but we will have to be lucky to win the game.
You’re six points off the Champions League places. Is that a realistic goal?
We don’t have that kind of ambition. We’re very far away from Champions League. All that we want it to continue to play like we are playing, pick up the points and see where that takes us. But we should be happy and all West Ham fans should be happy that we’re playing like we’re playing.
The more you play like that the more they’ll want though?
You’re right! But it’s good. You are becoming a victim of your own success. But that’s the same for everyone and you’d want to be in that position rather than the position of Aston Villa.
Are any players likely to be back for Tuesday?
I don’t think so. The Southampton game has been moved to Saturday because of the FA Cup replay and we were hoping to have Andy Carroll back for that game when it was on Monday. So we will have to see if it works. He is the one that is going to be back.
Then it is going to be Lanzini and Sakho after him but we’ve got a few of the players back and most of the team will be fit
Will Adrian be back in goal?
If his condition is good then he should be back. I am sure he will be up for it and better than before.
I missed one FA Cup game for West Ham against Wrexham for the birth of my first son was delivered on that day. For me it is completely normal for the player to be with his wife on that day.
SB: "No, but you have better chances. But if we play like we did on Saturday at Liverpool then we will have a chance but we will have to be lucky to win the game."
You’re six points off the Champions League places. Is that a realistic goal?
SB: "We don’t have that kind of ambition. We’re very far away from Champions League. All that we want it to continue to play like we are playing, pick up the points and see where that takes us. But we should be happy and all West Ham fans should be happy that we’re playing like we’re playing."
The more you play like that the more they’ll want though?
SB: "You’re right! But it’s good. You are becoming a victim of your own success. But that’s the same for everyone and you’d want to be in that position rather than the position of Aston Villa."
Are any players likely to be back for Tuesday?
I don’t think so. The Southampton game has been moved to Saturday because of the FA Cup replay and we were hoping to have Andy Carroll back for that game when it was on Monday. So we will have to see if it works. He is the one that is going to be back.
Then it is going to be Lanzini and Sakho after him but we’ve got a few of the players back and most of the team will be fit
Will Adrian be back in goal?
If his condition is good then he should be back. I am sure he will be up for it and better than before.
I missed one FA Cup game for West Ham against Wrexham for the birth of my first son was delivered on that day. For me it is completely normal for the player to be with his wife on that day