We can bury Boro to claim our first home win this season (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

We can bury Boro to claim our first home win this season

10:09am Thursday 13th September 2007 in West Ham By Guardian-series

IT'S been a quiet week with a lot of the boys away on international duty.

But I've just been getting my head down and preparing for the Middlesbrough game on Saturday.

We haven't won at home so far this season and we want that victory.

It's important that we relax and get the ball down and take the game to teams when we're playing at home. Upton Park should be our fortress and we have the players and the quality in the side to make that happen. We just need to play our football, build on a solid defence and take it to them.

The support of the crowd is important, but to me West Ham fans have always been the best.

They've supported us in every game this season and last season as well, they were amazing.

If they get frustrated, it's our job to change that and give them something to get behind. I can't wait to get out on the pitch on Saturday.

We have some quality players coming back from injury as well. Scott Parker was back in full training this week and I'd expect him to get a run out on Saturday, so it will be great to see him in a West Ham shirt for the first time after so long.

But at the same time, it is important not to forget the players that have been performing for us already this season. Hayden Mullins has been excellent in midfield. Very calm, controlling the ball and getting passes in. He's been our best player for me.

And we'll have the players back from international duty.

Having them away can be disruptive, because with so few of us left, it does limit what you can work on in training. But at the same time it's great for them.

Look at Mark Noble, he scored for the U21s on Tuesday.

I was so happy to see him get into the U21 squad at the end of last season. He's been playing well and he deserved it.

He'll be buzzing after that and I'm sure he'll bring that back with him into the team and take it into the game on Saturday. Middlesbrough can be a difficult side to break down. But every game is tough and we go to go into every game looking for three points. We're ready.