Hammers First Team coach Peter Grant looks forward to
tonight's FA Cup fifth round replay against Bolton
Wanderers…
"As has been the case all season, we only focus on the game that is in front of us, and the players have concentrated their minds entirely on preparing for tonight's FA Cup replay.
"Saying that, Saturday's defeat is obviously still fresh in the memory, and there is the added incentive of wanting to make amends for that result. We put out a team that we felt was capable of beating Bolton, but our first-half performance was very disappointing and, although the second-half display was much better, the game was obviously out of our reach by then.
"The players know that they let themselves down, but they have bounced back from defeat with the right response on many occasions this season, and they are determined to do that again tonight.
"It's good that we have got an immediate chance to put things right. It doesn't matter that the opponents are Bolton again - it's still a fantastic opportunity to get back to winning ways, with the reward of an FA Cup quarter-final at stake.
"It will be our fifth match this season against Sam Allardyce's team - they know our players, we know their players, they're a very good side, and we're a very good side! I'm sure it will be a different game to the previous encounters - it's a cup replay that has got to end tonight, so there will be moments of inspiration, moments of desperation, and all the drama that comes with FA Cup ties at this stage of the competition.
"Both teams will be going at it hammer and tongs to reach the quarter-finals, and it will hopefully make for a great cup tie. We know that we have got to be more aggressive, more determined and more clinical than we were on Saturday, because Bolton are a team who will punish you if you allow them to dictate the game.
"The only time we've let ourselves down against them was on Saturday, because I think we deserved something from the previous matches. We remember Sam Allardyce saying 'welcome to the Premiership' after they nicked three points off us here at the start of the season in a game that we really deserved to win, so our supporters can be assured that we are desperate to finally get the better of Bolton tonight."
"As has been the case all season, we only focus on the game that is in front of us, and the players have concentrated their minds entirely on preparing for tonight's FA Cup replay.
"Saying that, Saturday's defeat is obviously still fresh in the memory, and there is the added incentive of wanting to make amends for that result. We put out a team that we felt was capable of beating Bolton, but our first-half performance was very disappointing and, although the second-half display was much better, the game was obviously out of our reach by then.
"The players know that they let themselves down, but they have bounced back from defeat with the right response on many occasions this season, and they are determined to do that again tonight.
"It's good that we have got an immediate chance to put things right. It doesn't matter that the opponents are Bolton again - it's still a fantastic opportunity to get back to winning ways, with the reward of an FA Cup quarter-final at stake.
"It will be our fifth match this season against Sam Allardyce's team - they know our players, we know their players, they're a very good side, and we're a very good side! I'm sure it will be a different game to the previous encounters - it's a cup replay that has got to end tonight, so there will be moments of inspiration, moments of desperation, and all the drama that comes with FA Cup ties at this stage of the competition.
"Both teams will be going at it hammer and tongs to reach the quarter-finals, and it will hopefully make for a great cup tie. We know that we have got to be more aggressive, more determined and more clinical than we were on Saturday, because Bolton are a team who will punish you if you allow them to dictate the game.
"The only time we've let ourselves down against them was on Saturday, because I think we deserved something from the previous matches. We remember Sam Allardyce saying 'welcome to the Premiership' after they nicked three points off us here at the start of the season in a game that we really deserved to win, so our supporters can be assured that we are desperate to finally get the better of Bolton tonight."