Kyle Walker-Peters believes West Ham's unbeaten pre-season campaign has provided the perfect platform from which to launch the club's bid for an immediate return to the Premier League.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side completed their summer preparations with a 1-1 draw away to German side Magdeburg on Saturday, ending a four-week programme without experiencing defeat.While Max Kilman's first-half goal looked set to earn the Irons victory, Falko Michel's late equaliser ensured the spoils were shared. Yet despite the frustration of conceding late on, Walker-Peters felt there were plenty of positives to take from the performance and the club's pre-season schedule as a whole.
"We've had some good tests, including today, and we've been able to put the manager's ideas into practice, so I think we're ready," the defender said, following the final whistle. "We've had four weeks together now and we've worked hard every day.
"Of course there are still things we can improve on, but I think we're in a good place going into the start of the season."
Having won promotion from the second tier during his time at Southampton, Walker-Peters knows exactly what awaits the Hammers over the coming months - and warned that every game will present a stern examination.
However it is next weekend's Carabao Cup tie against Portsmouth which opens the new campaign, before West Ham begin life in the Championship with a trip to Burnley.
"We are where we are in terms of the league, and we have to deal with it and put it right, starting from next weekend against Portsmouth," he said. "I know it's a Cup game, but it will give us a good test of what the Championship is like, and we want to win."
The 29-year-old is under no illusions regarding the size of the task facing the Hammers, who begin the season among the outstanding favourites for promotion. However he insists the squad are embracing the challenge rather than fearing it.
"Every team is going to want to beat West Ham," he added. "We're a big club and we'll probably be one of the biggest clubs in the division. We know it's going to be difficult. I've played in the Championship before and it's a really tough league, but that's something we're looking forward to."
Walker-Peters' experience could prove invaluable as Nuno seeks to mould a squad capable of bouncing straight back to the top flight. The former Southampton and Tottenham full-back has already demonstrated his versatility and composure during pre-season, while his knowledge of what it takes to succeed in the Championship may be just as important.
For now, though, the focus is simply on getting started. After weeks of preparation, fitness work and tactical drills, Walker-Peters summed up the mood within the camp succinctly: "We're looking forward to getting going."
And the club's supporters, who have endured a difficult few months following relegation, will hope those words prove to be the start of a successful promotion campaign.
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