IN-FORM West Ham striker Carlton Cole has thanked manager Gianfranco Zola for helping him rediscover his killer instinct in front of goal.

The 25-year-old, who was a trainee at Chelsea during Zola's playing days at Stamford Bridge, took his tally to six in seven appearances with a second-half strike in the 2-0 win over Hull at Upton Park last night.

That impressive run - which now includes five successive goals in as many Barclays Premier League games - has coincided with the Irons' own improvement which has seem them climb up to eighth place and safely through to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Cole is in no doubt the arrival of his old team-mate, who took over in mid-September following Alan Curbishley's departure, has had a major impact on his game.

"The goals have changed me," said former England Under-21 forward Cole, who had loan spells at Wolves, Charlton and Aston Villa before making a permanent switch to West Ham during the summer of 2007.

"I have been playing the same all year, but now I am notching a few and that is all I was missing.

"I am playing with more awareness now. The manager has made more effort to help me realise what is going on around me on the pitch.

"You need to follow your own instincts and you only get that when you play more games in the Premier League.

"I did a lot last season to warrant a place in the squad and I am just happy that everything is working out for me now and I am getting the goals this club deserves.

"However, I am not going to let it get to my head. I know what I am capable of and I just have to keep getting in the right positions."

Cole's improvement has led to calls for the powerful striker to be included in Fabio Capello's England squad.

Zola is glad to see the big striker in the form of his life.

"It is all down to him. Everybody knew he was good at keeping the ball and playing for the team, but now he is focussed on scoring goals, which was the thing that was missing," said the Hammers boss.

"We are trying to improve him, helping him in training sessions and make him better in this way.

"Now he is scoring goals. It is just about focus and his focus is right on target now."

The Hammers are unbeaten in seven matches in all competitions, but will face a stern test at Arsenal on Saturday.

However, former Gunners defender Matthew Upson sees no reason why Zola's men should not be confident of a positive result.

"We are working hard in training and the manager has got us believing in the type of football we want to play, and the players have been applying that in the right way," said England international Upson, who left Arsenal for Birmingham in January 2003.

"Our mental approach is good so we believe we can go and win any game.

"Our away performances at the top clubs this season have been very good.

"We are more than capable of going there [to Arsenal] and taking something from the game."

New signing Savio Nsereko, the 19-year-old Ugandan-born striker, came off the bench for the closing minutes against Hull, and could be in contention to start at Emirates Stadium.

Zola is determined there will be no more departures from the club, who sold unsettled Wales forward Craig Bellamy to Manchester City for £14million.

However, the Hammers are understood to be close to concluding a deal to bring Czech midfielder Radoslav Kovac to Upton Park from Spartak Moscow before the transfer window closes next week.