Jack Collison is delighted to be back on the pitch as West Ham United look to meet their targets in 2013.
After playing a big role last season in helping the Hammers clinch promotion through the Play-Offs at Wembley back in May, Collison had to watch as his team-mates got to grips with life back in the Premier League.
The Wales international has now returned from the knee injury that kept him out of action for the past six months and was in lively form at Reading on Saturday. Despite sharing his colleagues' disappointment at the 1-0 loss at the Madejski Stadium, Collison was happy to have got more match action under his belt and has set his sights on helping his team pick up the points on the pitch once again.
"It has been a long time coming," said the No10. "I have missed so much of this season already but I am back and, touch wood, that can continue for me. It is all about getting games under my belt now and just concentrating on getting fitter and fitter as I play in more matches.
"Yes, it was really frustrating against Reading but we move on and look at putting that right against Norwich. It will be another tough game, but one we feel we can and are determined to get something from.
"As a squad, we have a good base to work from. Against Reading, Vaz [Ricardo Vaz Te] was frustrated not to score when he got that chance, but he was outstanding for us last season and has been until his injury this season. He scored the winner for us in the final and we will no doubt see more of that from him in the Premier League this year.
"Ginge [James Collins] has been one of our best players this season. I thought he was terrific in our last game the week before [against Everton] and he will get over what happened at Reading and as I said, as a team, we look to build on what what we have and to begin the New Year off in a winning way."
Collison said 2012 was a good year for everyone connected with West Ham and although he has not yet played as big a part for the team this season as he would have liked, his goal is to make sure he is part of it all in 2013.
"We had a great season in the Championship and then to win promotion at Wembley was the icing on the cake.
"We all thoroughly enjoyed our day as did all our supporters, I am sure. Obviously for me personally this season was not what I wanted, with the injury, but full credit to the boys, who have been fantastic. What we want to do now is kick on and enjoy an equally good second half of the season.
"We can look at what Norwich did last season. They had got promoted the year before and stayed up. As a promoted side ourselves this year, we want to do that and more and finish in a good place. I am sure it will be a cracking game to start the New Year off, but the most important thing for us is getting the points. Myself and Vaz have returned and I know there are a few of the other injured boys not too far away. Our medical staff have been brilliant and have been working hard to get everyone back. That can only be good as the games come thick and fast at this time of year.
"Our form and results since August mean we have given ourselves a chance to be around the top half of the table and we want to make sure that stays that way. We have targets and over the next three or four games we will be looking to meet those targets so we can push on."