John Terry believes we earn the right to play our football against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow, and anticipates an entertaining game.

We head to the Hawthorns tomorrow knowing that another away win would make it a record 10 on the bounce in the Premier League, but Terry insists we will need an improvement from Wednesday's showing against Burnley in the Carling Cup.

Our rotated squad was eventually beaten on penalties in the fourth round tie, and the captain, rested for that game, was disappointed with the performance.

He knows that Tony Mowbray's side will demand more, and hopes we can bounce back in a similar way we did at Blackburn after defeat to Roma.

'We have to make sure we are at it, to be able to earn the right to play, so we need to battle and we didn't do that in the week, for the second time in two weeks, which disappoints me again. One thing we did last week was bounce back from a big defeat and we need to do it again,' said the 27-year-old.

'We're playing really well away. With our home record going so long our away record has been overlooked at times. If we can go there and frustrate their crowd and players, battle in the first five or 10 minutes and match them physically then nine times out of 10 we know when we start playing we are the better attacking team.

'West Brom do play football, they've not got too many results so far but they do play and have some good young players in their team. They also have the likes of Paul Robinson and Jonathan Greening who are good players and it's going to be difficult.

'Their fans are very good up there so we have to make sure we're on our game and bouncing back from defeat in the week.'

Our flowing football has captured the imagination of both supporters and commentators this season, and it hasn't gone unnoticed on the pitch either.

'At times I sit in there when we are playing well and other teams can't get the ball. As a defender you admire and take in what players like Lampsy and Deco do on the ball,' he smiled.

'A lot of the good stuff people get to see is the attacking stuff rather than the defensive play. Things everyone else is seeing, all the defenders are fortunate to take a step back and watch too.'

Terry also considers our expansive style under Luiz Felipe Scolari as a factor in explaining why the defence has been so tight this season as well, particularly in league action.

'I think so, John Mikel Obi has been a big part in that, and Big Pete has been in very good form and I think the basis are still the two centre-backs and the holding midfielder, and that allows the full-backs to push up and we still have the solid base of three against two,' he said.

'I think we take a lot of pride in the defensive record, which is why we have done so well over the years. It hurts me to concede one goal, let alone the three we did in Rome. That's how all our defenders play, throwing ourselves in the way to make sure things don't go past, and if they do then Big Pete is there to make the great saves. He's worth 10 or 12 points a season on his own.'

The England man also explained that the players will not be taking advantage of an early evening kick-off to follow the results of our rivals.

'We won't really keep an eye on the other results from the earlier games because it's our preparation time, when we have the meeting and make our way to the game. On the way to the game no TVs are on, you're switched off and it's not until after the game you take notice.

'I think we've only kicked off at a normal 3pm time a couple of times this season - we've either kicked off early or a later one, so we're pretty much used to it and I don't mind the late kick-off.

'It's not like you have to eat pasta and chicken at 8.30, 9am which is hard to do at times. We have the normal pre-match meal a little later and get on with it.'