Source: Team_Talk
Grant hoping for cup diversion
Avram Grant hopes to give West Ham fans something to shout about tonight by leading the club to the Carling Cup quarter-finals.[LNB] Hammers fans are enduring a season to forget in the Premier League, with Saturday's defeat against Newcastle leaving them rooted to the foot of the table.[LNB]Extending their current cup run would provide some comfort and perhaps even help boost their league form, as it did when they beat Sunderland in last month's third round.[LNB]Manager Grant, who is back under pressure at Upton Park, said ahead of this evening's clash with Stoke: "The fans are great here. They support the team and I feel them everywhere.[LNB]"They are having to be patient but they knew like everyone that this season would be a difficult one."[LNB]Grant, who led Chelsea to the Carling Cup and Champions League finals while at Stamford Bridge, added: "I can tell you that I was a few times at Wembley and even one time in Moscow. It is nice to have a cup run.[LNB]"It is one game and we need to focus.[LNB]"In the league, you can lose a game but you can recover in the next match. In the cup, if you make a mistake, you are out.[LNB]"We have to make the match all about us.[LNB]"We have bounced back before this season and we will be working hard to do that once again."[LNB]Grant is set to be without captain Matthew Upson and striker Frederic Piquionne tonight, with both players going off injured against Newcastle.[LNB]"The medical department are doing their best to get as many players ready as possible," said Grant, who will introduce one or two fringe men to his squad.[LNB]"We have a few players that are coming back from injury and we need to protect them. It is not easy.[LNB]"We want to use them. It is difficult when you play two times a week but we will do the best we can."[LNB]He added on the club's website: "We changed a few things in the team against Sunderland in the last round and it was very positive.[LNB]"Players came in and performed well and gave us a better understanding of the squad. This will be the case again.[LNB]"At the beginning of the season, people said we didn't have a strong squad.[LNB]"I would not say we can rival the top four but the cup has helped to show that we do have good players and more options."
