First team coach Peter Grant previews tonight's
Premiership clash against Birmingham City at Upton Park and insists
that, even if a seventh successive win is secured tonight, the
players and staff won't be getting carried away…
"We've approached the game against Birmingham in the same manner that we approached Sunderland last week - because we know it is going to be another extremely tough match.
"Quite simply, there aren't any easy games in the Premiership and we know we will have to play as well as we can to get the result we are aiming for tonight.
"Like Sunderland, Birmingham are fighting for their lives at the moment and they will come here desperate to win the game - just as we are. They've settled down in the last couple of months and picked up some very good results, and in Chris Sutton they picked up probably the best free transfer in January.
"It's a bonus for us that Heskey and Dunn are missing - there is no doubt about that - but it doesn't mean we will expect an easier game, and the players will go out on the pitch knowing that they will have to give it everything again if we are to come off with another win under our belts.
"We haven't got carried away with the recent run, because there is nothing to get carried away with - you don't win anything during the season. We will just keep focusing on the next game and see where it takes us.
"It may be a cliché, but it's a true one. Just as we didn't get too down or depressed over Christmas when we didn't win for five games, we won't get too excited about the run we are currently on.
"We just want it to continue, and so we'll stay focused on the job in hand. There is a great spirit among the squad but that's easy to find when you are winning. For me, it was important that the boys showed that spirit during that difficult run over Christmas - because that is when you really need it. They stuck together, have come through the other side, and now they are reaping their rewards.
"We hope that another win against Birmingham will take us past that 40-point mark, and then the focus changes. Up until now, we have been trying to get away from the teams behind us - now we are trying to catch the teams in front of us. What we do know is that we won't rest here, we will keep setting new goals - just as we have done all season."
"We've approached the game against Birmingham in the same manner that we approached Sunderland last week - because we know it is going to be another extremely tough match.
"Quite simply, there aren't any easy games in the Premiership and we know we will have to play as well as we can to get the result we are aiming for tonight.
"Like Sunderland, Birmingham are fighting for their lives at the moment and they will come here desperate to win the game - just as we are. They've settled down in the last couple of months and picked up some very good results, and in Chris Sutton they picked up probably the best free transfer in January.
"It's a bonus for us that Heskey and Dunn are missing - there is no doubt about that - but it doesn't mean we will expect an easier game, and the players will go out on the pitch knowing that they will have to give it everything again if we are to come off with another win under our belts.
"We haven't got carried away with the recent run, because there is nothing to get carried away with - you don't win anything during the season. We will just keep focusing on the next game and see where it takes us.
"It may be a cliché, but it's a true one. Just as we didn't get too down or depressed over Christmas when we didn't win for five games, we won't get too excited about the run we are currently on.
"We just want it to continue, and so we'll stay focused on the job in hand. There is a great spirit among the squad but that's easy to find when you are winning. For me, it was important that the boys showed that spirit during that difficult run over Christmas - because that is when you really need it. They stuck together, have come through the other side, and now they are reaping their rewards.
"We hope that another win against Birmingham will take us past that 40-point mark, and then the focus changes. Up until now, we have been trying to get away from the teams behind us - now we are trying to catch the teams in front of us. What we do know is that we won't rest here, we will keep setting new goals - just as we have done all season."