West Ham striker Mido believes his performances are improving with every game he plays

West Ham striker Mido believes his performances are improving with every game he plays.

The Egyptian striker joined the club on loan in January desperate to prove he can cut it in the Premier League and after successive starts against Chelsea last week and Arsenal on Saturday, the powerful frontman is confident he can achieve his goal.

"I'm getting better, I'm starting games and getting fitter and improving every game and I feel stronger the more I play," he said.

"I try to keep the ball to help hold it up and involve the players around me, I am confident I can play myself or with someone else and do well."

Competition for a starting position in the West Ham forward line is intense, with Mido, Carlton Cole, Guillermo Franco, Ilan and Benni McCarthy all competing for one or two spots on matchdays and the former Tottenham striker knows that whoever plays against Stoke on Saturday must be on their mettle.

"These are vital for us because they are winnable games and the type of games we have to win," he said.

"I would say we need the points and I believe we can achieve it, we are good enough, we have to show it and battle hard."

They will also have to show more invention than they did against Arsenal on Saturday when they lost 2-0, even after their north London opponents were reduced to 10 men following Thomas Vermaelen's first-half red card after he brought down Franco in the penalty area.

"I think we done well in the first half. It is hard to play against Arsenal, we had a chance to get back into the game with the penalty and I think if we had scored the penalty it would have changed everything," he said.

"The missed penalty was a huge turning point, especially as it meant they were down to 10 men.

"It was a different game than Chelsea, because they were playing with 10 men in the second half and Arsenal showed a different class today.

"They pass the ball so well and it is hard to get the ball back off them because they are so good technically. They play a lot differently to Chelsea, they are less physical.

"I didn't get any opportunities to score today, but Arsenal did defend well."

Mido was however unhappy with Arsenal's second goal, after referee Martin Atkinson had felt that captain Matthew Upson had handled inside the area.

"I think it was that his hand was too close to the ball, and he had no time to react to move his hand," he said.

"I think it was a harsh decision against us, but we cannot really criticise the ref though can we?