Aaron Cresswell says West Ham United will give it everything to get their 2015/16 Barclays Premier League campaign off to a successful start on Sunday.
The Hammers make the short trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal, with many predicting the visitors will return home with nothing to show for their efforts.
Hammer of the Year Cresswell is having none of that, however, and says the squad are determined to get Slaven Bilic’s domestic managerial reign underway with a performance to be proud of.
“It’s never going to be easy going to Arsenal, but we’ve been working hard over the last six weeks and it’s one we’re looking forward to and we’re confident going there,” said the left-back.
After half-a-dozen pre-season matches and six UEFA Europa League ties, West Ham finally get their Barclays Premier League campaign underway this weekend, and Cresswell admitted the players have been looking forward to their return to top-flight action.
“We’re definitely raring to go,” the told West Ham TV. “It was never going to be easy with the schedule we’ve had, but as professionals we’ve just got to get on with it as there’s nothing we could do about it.
“We have prepared ourselves the best we possibly could do over the last few weeks. It’s been tough at times, playing Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, but we’ve adapted well to it and hopefully it will stand us in good stead come the start of the Premier League season.”
“Last year we hit the ground running with the signings that came into the building and hopefully we can do the same this year,” he continued. “We had a good first half to the season last season, but the second half wasn’t so good.
“It we can get a good start and take it into the Christmas period, we can kick on from there. The main aim is to finish in the top ten.”
After signing a new long-term contract in the summer, the No3 is keen to take his own game to the next level after a superb first season in the Barclays Premier League.
“That’s in the past now and I’m looking to kick on and improve each day on the training ground and in each game I play in, taking each experience as it comes along,” he explained. “For me, I want to play as many games as I can and keep improving.”
So, what of Arsenal, who beat Chelsea 1-0 to win the Community Shield at Wembley last weekend thanks to a goal from the man who could be Cresswell's direct opponent on Sunday, right winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?
“It’s the Premier League and anyone can beat anyone, but we know it’s not going to be easy going there and it’s not going to be a stroll in the park,” Cresswell conceded. “We’re going to go there and give 110 per cent, as we will in every game we play, and hopefully we’ll get a result there.
“There are plenty of world-class players in the Premier League and everyone wants to test themselves against the best there is out there. The top five or six teams in the Premier League have got some of the best players in the world, so it’s good to put yourself up against them.
“It is one I am personally looking forward to and I’m sure all the other lads are as well.”