Avram Grant admits he does not have the luxury of being able to rest players in the Carling Cup.
Hammers boss hoping for morale boost in midweek cup clash
Avram Grant admits he does not have the luxury of being able to rest players in the Carling Cup.
West Ham are set to face Sunderland in the third round on Tuesday and will do so with the majority of their key men on display.
They know it is imperative they get back to winning ways after enduring a troubled start to the new season.
A 1-1 draw at Stoke on Saturday helped them to turn the corner and Grant will be looking for his troops to build on that performance in midweek.
He said: "You need points and we took our first point. We could have taken three, because I think we played very well and reacted well after their goal, so there are many positives we can take to the next games.
Bonus
"The staff and the players did a good job and that's what is important. The most important thing is that the team continues focusing and takes more points.
"We want to win any game - friendly games, league games and also in the Carling Cup - so we will go to this game and we want to win and we want to be in the next round.
"But Valon Behrami (knee) got injured on Saturday and also Thomas Hitzlsperger is injured. So we won't have players resting as they'll play tomorrow.
"This is an opportunity to see the other players. We have good players in the squad and they will play tomorrow.
"The most important thing is the league and building something for the future. I think the Carling Cup is like a bonus. We like this bonus of winning, so we want to win and we will do everything to be in the next round."
Confidence
The man who could benefit from Behrami's injury blow is Czech midfielder Radoslav Kovac, who replaced the Swiss star at Sunderland and is hoping he will now be awarded an extended run in the team.
He said: "It was good for us to get a point because it was a very hard game. We have lost our last three games, so to get a draw and not lose gives us a real boost. From now, our confidence can get better and better and better.
"We go to Sunderland tomorrow and we need to get a result there to set us up well for Tottenham. We have two important home games coming up and I hope to be in the starting line-up for both of them.
"I didn't play in the last three games, but I felt very good physically when I came on. This is because I have played two full matches for the reserve team. It is very important that I played these games.
"The games I played at Leicester and Everton were important for me because they enabled me to keep my match-fitness. They were very good."
