SOCCER/PREMIER LEAGUE:  Chelsea coach Avram Grant showed more spirit in defence of his tactics and players last night than he did in Sunday's League Cup defeat

AVRAM GRANT finally stirred last night after his most traumatic week yet in charge of Chelsea, tempering an admission that he alone was responsible for his side's subdued display in losing the League Cup final by angrily demanding that he and his team be afforded more respect for what they have achieved this season.

The Israeli has been heavily criticised, not least by the club's own supporters, for his selection and apparent inability to inspire the best from his side against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday.

The unsettling impact of that loss intensified when it emerged senior players such as Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole had been left disgruntled at their omission for the match, while the captain, John Terry, had clashed with the coach Henk ten Cate at training on the day before the game.

Yet there was considerably more emotion to Grant at his press briefing yesterday ahead of today's visit to West Ham than there had been either on the touchline or, indeed, in the team huddle at the end of normal time and the midway point of extra-time at Wembley. He insisted Chelsea remained a squad united, that his own record since replacing Jose Mourinho in September stood up to scrutiny and that, despite the "exceptional result" endured against Spurs, he retained the support of the club's owner, Roman Abramovich.

"If someone else had done what I've done, he'd be treated differently," said Grant. "Most of the fans respect what we've done up to now. We will win a trophy, many trophies, but you cannot build things in one day. I want to win a trophy this season. I think we will, yes.

"I have no problems with anyone at the club and I speak with Roman Abramovich a lot of times. No one was happy with what happened on Sunday, but we are proud with what we've achieved up to now.

"The reaction to that defeat has hurt my players, hurt the club, and that is not right. We were the only team to get to the final from the "big four" - no one criticised them when they were knocked out - we are still in all the other competitions, we've won 24 of our 35 games. We won all those games in a row [ a club record-equalling nine in the new year] and done a fantastic job, in my opinion.

"You have to see the facts of what's happened in the last few months and give respect to the players and to me for what we have achieved."

Abramovich has been a regular recently at the club's Cobham training ground. Grant dismissed suggestions the Russian has attempted to influence selection, insisting the team's failings were down to him.

"I'm very happy when the owner comes down," he said. "I've pushed that at every club I've been at. He's part of the team and he's never told me this player needs to play, or that I should pick the team this way or that way. When he's in England he comes down a lot, but no one makes an issue of it in the previous six weeks, and then we lose a game.

"But there's one man responsible for this. One. I'm in charge and I'm responsible for everything: for my staff, for my selection. I went home on Sunday and thought about how we could have made things better. We put out a very strong team on paper against Tottenham, but if I decided to play some players after injury, that was my decision. If I put [ Nicolas] Anelka on the left side, it's my decision. I'll take the criticism on that.

"The players have been fantastic. They behave nicely, the spirit's good, and no one's criticised me for the team that was selected. The players were disappointed but full of energy in training. Now I don't know what is more of a problem: if you don't have the players, like we didn't [ through injury and the African Cup of Nations] or what we have at the moment with everyone available. But I take the decisions as to what is good for the team. Some players are not happy because they all want to play, but I understand."

While relations between ten Cate and Terry are, according to Grant, no longer strained - "They shook hands, hugged, a minute later, and no team in the world is without fighting sometimes" - the Israeli remains concerned ahead of today's awkward trip to West Ham over the style his side are mustering. The entertaining football promised in the autumn has dried up with 10 goals scored in their last nine games, three of those against the League One side Huddersfield in the FA Cup.

"In the last few games we haven't played entertaining football, but it is very difficult to do that with so many players injured," he added. "It's not easy to make it consistent entertainment. I agree, in the last few games we haven't played well. But now the players are coming back from injury, you will see that it will be better. We are fighters and we move on."