James Tomkins has vowed to keep up the good work after being crowned SBOBET Player of the Month for August.
The centre-back has been truly outstanding for West Ham United during the opening month of the 2011/12 campaign, producing a string of dominant defensive performances and scoring a fine headed goal in the 4-0 victory at Watford on 16 August.
The No5 has started each of the Hammers' five league fixtures alongside Winston Reid, with the pair just two of a host of players to shine as Sam Allardyce's team have climbed into the Play-Off places.
"I've really enjoyed the first month of the season. It's obviously nice to play some games and play regularly and I feel like I'm improving in every game.
"My fitness is getting there, so all in all we've had some good results, we're in a good place in the league at the minute and I feel like I've been performing well and I want to continue it.
"I appreciate the votes and it means a lot. There are so many players who have done well at the start of the season - the whole starting XI could have got the vote - so to be picked out as the best means a lot to me.
"Basically, I want to continue because it's not just my performances but the performances of the whole team which have been good. We need to continue that for the rest of the season - not just at the start."
While Tomkins has excelled in the early running, the 22-year-old is not willing to rest on his laurels.
Instead, the defender is targeting a first home league win of the season when Portsmouth visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday afternoon.
"It's a good opportunity for us to get our first home win. We're not going to underestimate Portsmouth because they're a good team, but it's important for us to get our home form up and running.
"We need to get the fans behind us, which they always are, by winning at home. Our away support has also been fantastic at every game.
"The last few home games have been disappointing because we've conceded goals late in every game. That's obviously something we have to improve on but that will come and hopefully it'll come when we get the victory on Saturday."