Jonathan Spector rates the current West Ham team as superior to the one that stayed up four years ago.
Hammers star confident of survival
Jonathan Spector rates the current West Ham team as superior to the one that staged a great escape under Alan Curbishley four years ago.
The Hammers looked set to be relegated in 2007 before embarking on a magnificent late charge, winning seven of their last nine games to beat the drop.
Curbishley's side contained the likes of Carlos Tevez, Yossi Benayoun, Bobby Zamora and Lucas Neill, but Spector feels West Ham are stronger this term.
The American, one of the few survivors from 2007, is confident the Hammers can find their best form during the remainder of the season and avoid the trapdoor once again.
"It is a very different team from the one we had that stayed up four years ago," Spector said in the
Daily Mirror.
"It is a strong team that we have right now, probably stronger than we had back then.
"It hasn't happened for us this season but now we have to come together as a group and get some points."
Massive games
West Ham may be in a better position than they were at the equivalent stage four years ago but they remain two points adrift of safety with just four games to go.
The next challenge is a clash with high-flying Manchester City on Sunday, and Spector is determined to rise to the occasion.
"They are massive games coming up and it is a big stage for us," he told the club's
official website.
"There is certainly the added pressure of that Premier League status, which we definitely want to hang on to.
"Every player wants to play. There could be quite a few players who could have an important role and have a massive impact on the games we have left.
"There have been times when we have played really good football and a lot of people have been looking at us and saying: 'They are too good to go down'.
"They were saying that about Newcastle a couple of seasons ago and we don't want to repeat what they did.
"I am not sure there is a secret. It is about hard work and determination and the guts to want the ball, to want to play and to stick to your gameplan even if it is not going well for you."
