West Ham striker Carlton Cole has pledged to get back into the scoring groove to help the club move up the Premier League table

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has pledged to get back into the scoring groove to help the club move up the Premier League table.

The seven-goal hitman has not scored since injuring his knee in the 5-3 win over Burnley at Upton Park in late November and the former Chelsea striker is keen to make amends.

"Obviously I want a goal. I'm a striker and so I want to score, that would have been even more of a boost for my confidence, so I need to get back on the goal trail," he said.

"Altogether, I feel good, I feel sharp, created a few chances for my colleagues which we could have scored, but it just didn't drop for us at the end of the day.

"If we did score a few more then I would be much happier."

The chances of that increased after strikers Mido, Ilan and Benni McCarthy were brought to the club and Cole believes all four must gel quickly if the Hammers are to escape the drop-zone.

"They have different styles of play, but if you are a good player then you can play with anyone," he said.

"I felt I gelled well with Benni in the first half and then with Mido in the second.

"You've got to be able to play with anything that is put in front of you.

"I think we have got a good strike-force now so we just need to pull in the same direction and get the results, that's all that counts now."

And Cole knows the players and manager can no long use the ownership issue as an excuse not to get positive results.

"We know the new owners have come in, they have brought in some new players, so we now have the stability," he said.

"And we have to start work with the players we've got and try and push up and show the fighting spirit."

And the striker believes they have the perfect boss in Gianfranco Zola to get themselves out of the mire and up the league table.

"He is such a positive guy, Zola is always a smiley character, that's how he is," he said.

"He's got a lot to smile about.

"His footballing career was one of the best in the world and now he is trying to change that into a managerial role.

"This is a great experience for him and I think he is doing really well.

"Now all the players have to really help him by getting the results on a Saturday, and push him in the right direction because that will make us feel better, and make him feel great.