West Ham United have made the most of fantastic facilities in Portugal this week to step up their training under Avram Grant's watchful eye before the FA Cup trip to Stoke City.
The Hammers are on the Algarve on a three-day training camp, and there has been the welcome sight of Jack Collison getting involved. Collison is coming back after a year out with a serious knee injury but has been able to take part in some of the warm-weather sessions, while Robbie Keane is stepping up from the light training he did at the end of last week.
Senior coach Paul Groves said: "Jack has joined in on the odd occasion and it has been good to have him involved. This trip has been the ideal opportunity for him. We will be cautious as he has been out for a year but it is positive to have him with us. We don't want to rush it, though.
"All in all, it has been a very positive experience so far. The weather has been mild and we have the perfect environment for training. We had a heavy thunderstorm overnight which made the pitch ideal and cleared the air.
"The grass is quick, slick and it is a superb playing surface. I'd say we have seen an increase in our levels of quality. The extra enthusiasm the players get from a good surface and new surroundings is plain to see and we have had some really good sessions."
In all, 27 players have made the trip, including Dylan Tombides - with the manager showing faith in the promising striker after some impressive reserve-team displays. It continued the manager's commitment to giving youth a chance - after several homegrown Hammers previously went on the summer camp to Austria - in the best traditions of the club.
Tombides took centre stage on Tuesday, and not just because he was celebrating his 17th birthday. More noticeable was that he was the only squad member to succeed in a training crossbar challenge - hitting the bar from the halfway line - in a skills test filmed by Portuguese television.
"It is a great atmosphere," added Groves. "We are making use of the fantastic facilities and great accommodation. It has been good to get everyone away and it will help the younger ones to develop. Dylan will benefit from it but also the likes of Mark Noble, James Tomkins and Scott Parker who have been training non-stop will get as much of a lift as well."
The manager has also taken the opportunity to push the positives in Portugal, with special mention of two established names rising to the challenge. Mark Noble has been recognised for adding several assists in recent weeks - he had a hand in all three goals at West Brom, two against Burnley and the first against Stoke City on Saturday - while Carlton Cole has hit a rich vein of scoring form with six goals in eight games.
The Hammers' four winter recruits - Wayne Bridge, Gary O'Neil, Demba Ba and Robbie Keane - have also had their first taste of being away with their new team-mates. As well as the use of the gym and pool facilities, there has been a chance for some to have a round of golf. In the evenings, there has been a quiz and even an impromptu karaoke night to lighten the mood.
"It has been a big plus to help integrate the new players even more," added Groves. "They have come into the fold without a pre-season and this has given them the opportunity to blend in even more. All the little bits of the trip have added to the atmosphere.
"It has bought the group together and solidified the team spirit. Just simple things like eating together and mixing together has made the group even stronger. On the back of the good form, it has kept everything moving forward. The win on Saturday has gone a long way to making this trip as good as it has been."