West Ham United manager Avram Grant has spoken to the media ahead of Saturday's tea-time Barclays Premier League visit of Arsenal to the Boleyn Ground.
The Hammers boss discussed the challenge of tackling the Gunners, his intention to strengthen the squad and his strong belief in his players.
Avram on it being a good time to face Arsenal...
To play against Arsenal, you never know if it is a good time. When we played against them in October they were in the best shape they had been in for three years. They won 4-0. 5-0 and 6-0 before they played us and we lost only in the last minute of the game. I think we didn't deserve this because we played one of our best games of the season and they were in very good form.
I don't know when is the best time to play them because they are a quality team. In the last games we have played very good. We have had a lot of injuries and the other players have come in, like Radoslav Kovac and Jonathan Spector, and the young players who have developed very well, and given their all and got some good results.
I want to concentrate on our team because we are developing well and we want to continue. Part of this is to make a good result against Arsenal, who are a very good team and want to win the championship this season.
Avram on West Ham United being in their best form of the season so far...
I think we are. On the football side, we played very good football at the start of the season, like against Bolton, but football is a game of results and we didn't get results. We played well and lost the games which is not good.
In the last few games, except the game against Newcastle, we played good and also got the results. We are also improving because the spirit is very good, as you saw in the last game [against Birmingham City] and the games before.
Avram on Arsenal struggling against long balls...
I think sometimes this happens. Chelsea played long balls to Drogba but they lost 3-1, so it depends on the day where Arsenal are and where we are.
It's not a secret that we're trying to pass the ball, but I think in football today you need to know when to change and play the long ball. Even Arsenal play like this sometimes.
Arsenal is a very good team, but every team has weaknesses.
Avram on going back to the bottom following defeat at Newcastle United being psychologically damaging...
I think it could have been but it didn't happen. You saw in the games after. It was not a good result against Newcastle. Everything they did went well. Rob Green didn't touch the ball, I think, even for the goals and it wasn't his fault.
Sometimes you have a bad day at the office and everything they did went well. I was really looking to see what the reaction was after this and it was good, especially Tuesday.
You saw that the spirit was higher which I expected because it hurt the players that we lost during such a good period.
We will face many challenges over the next weeks but I said to the players that nothing this month will decide what happens in the next months. Teams will lose matches and teams will win. The reaction will be more important than anything because it will not only be football - it will be about spirit and things around the team.
Seven or more teams are involved in this situation and it will be interesting.
Avram on setting a points target for survival...
Last season I think it was 35 points, but this season I don't think 35 will be enough. I think you will need more. I don't know how many more because the teams will play against each other, like we played against Wolves and Fulham. It's very important to be strong in these games. It will be interesting, but I don't think 35 points will be enough.
Avram on enjoying managing West Ham United at the present time...
It's a good question but I don't have a good answer.
When I was in England, I was in a club [Chelsea] that was one of the best in the world and I came at a very difficult time after the success. The results were very good, in my opinion, in the end.
I then came to a club [Portsmouth] which had the biggest problems since the Premier League existed and the end was very good.
I am busy now and how will the end look? I am sure there is a very good future at West Ham. The club will do the right things. I am very busy with this and I am enjoying the challenge.
During the season, you have good days and bad days like any job, but I don't let the bad days disturb me and distract me from my focus on the target. In a football team, it's very easy not to be focused on the target because so many people are involved.
Avram on his future...
I think, and you know, since two weeks after I arrived here, I've been answering this question over and over again. I think it is time to speak about the team and about the supporters - this is more important than anything. It is more important than me and more important than anybody else, so I think you have the same answer.
If I had something new to tell you, I would do it, but today we need to speak about the team. The team did very well in the last game on Tuesday - it was amazing with ten players. We have had some good results apart from one time so I think it's about time to give them respect and also to the supporters.
The team belongs to the supporters and they were also great on Tuesday. They pushed us on again with ten players.
I know that you are worried about me, but I will be OK.
I think you don't need to ask me [about my future]. You need to ask me about the team and other things. How many people are on the Board? Eight or nine? I'm sure one of them will answer you.
It's between me and the club and I don't want to speak about this. I really, really want to concentrate on the team. I think the players deserve it and the supporters deserve it that we speak about them.
This club is a respectable club and I want to keep it like this.
Avram on transfer targets...
We are discussing about this every day. We are busy with this. We have analysed our situation and what we can bring in. January is not the best transfer market but we want to make the team stronger.
As you know, we have signed Wayne Bridge, which I think is a good, good signing for us. I know him and he is a good player. I was with him for one year [at Chelsea] and it was a good year. So, we are busy with this.
I cannot speak about names. I can say to you that we have a few targets who we want to bring in. I don't want to say again about any player before we have signed him.
I agree with everything that Harry [Redknapp] says, no matter what he said! It is not a secret that I am friends with Harry and I am speaking with him every two days. I will speak with him and then I will know.
If you want me to make negotiations through you [the media], I will do it, I don't care! There are some players who we want to bring for sure but we know it's not easy. Some of the players we need to give a long-term contract, but we are dealing with this.
You know, any name is the right one, but I will not comment about this because I would need to do it every two days about ten other players.
Agents put names in the papers saying that there is interest. I can assure you that we are dealing with two or three players and only one of them was in the papers. I want to keep it like this because I think it is the best way to do a deal.
I understand that you want the names but you need to understand me that it affects the negotiations.
Avram on reported interest in Matthew Upson...
I am in a good relationship with all the managers but with a few of them I am very close. Arsene Wenger is one of the. I am sure that if Arsene Wenger wants a player from me, I would have got a call from him.
When I want a player from him, like I did in the past, I called him. I didn't receive any calls.
In this case, Matthew Upson is our player and is very committed to the club. In the last game he played left-back which he didn't play for a long time, he did well and was very committed to the cause.
If the call comes, then we will speak. I will speak first to Arsene, then I will let you know. Leave me your phone number!
You know better than me that there is a lot of speculation in January. On average, I would say 70 or 80 per cent of the stories are not true or have come from someone with an interest.
I am sure that in other teams also you are asking again and again, but I can tell you that 70 or 80 per cent of the names linked to us are not true.
Avram on his relationship with the owners...
David Gold was here today and was very supportive. I have been speaking to David Sullivan about players who can make the squad stronger. We are busy with these things.
I believe very much in this team and this club. I believe that we need to look in the mirror and see what we are now. We were not Barcelona in the last years. We received a team with problems - that is not saying about people in the past - and I think we are dealing with it well.
At the end of the day, our target for the present and the future is very clear - not to get relegated.