Ridgewell is "puzzled" by Blues' worrying trend of starting matches poorly.
In the last week alone they have trailed at half-time to the Hammers in the Carling Cup, Coventry in the FA Cup and Manchester City in the league before fighting back.
Ridgewell knows Blues cannot afford the same scenario against his former club as West Ham look to avenge their cup exit.
He told Press Association Sport: "We've got a never-say-die spirit and we've got to keep taking that into the games. But it would be nice to take it into the first half of matches and try and get ahead. We seem to be going behind in games. It is obviously disappointing. We are trying to work on it and to get ourselves in front.
"We've got to try and take that desire we show in all the second halfs from straight off. We are working on it. It is a bit of a puzzle, one of those things going on at the minute. But it is good in the other way in that we are going right to the end in games."
Source: PA
Source: PA