WEST HAM'S CURSE OF THE NEW SIGNINGS
Alan Curbishley hopes summer signing Craig Bellamy's injury problems can be resolved once and for all during next month's international break.
The £7.5m record signing was withdrawn at half-time against Portsmouth on Saturday, and joins forwards Bobby Zamora and Dean Ashton in the physio room, much to Curbishley's frustration.
Bellamy is likely to miss tonight's (Tues) Carling Cup fourth round tie against Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.
"Craig has been playing in a lot of discomfort," said Curbishley. "He is able to play, but his game is restricted.
"It looks like we are going to have to close him down again - we can use the international break. It will give him a decent chance of clearing it up."
The next international break begins after West Ham play Derby away on November 10 Curbishley hopes the 28-year-old Welshman will be ready by the time they host Tottenham on November 25.
"He has an abdominal strain, and it has been creating problems in other areas," Cubishley said. "The groin area was sorted out with an operation in Germany, but the abdominal strain has come back.
"It's frustrating for everyone. We are stopping and starting all the time. It's the continuity we are struggling with."
Last season the West Ham manager lost new signings Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson to injury soon after they arrived.
He added: "I've never known so many new signings get injured. It started last season with Lucas and Matty.
"It's the same with Scott Parker and some of the others. They have come here, desperate to do well and they can't get going.
"We started the season with Bobby and Craig up front and now they are both out injured. It has been the forwards who have taken the brunt of it.
"It's mostly impact injuries though - it's nothing to do with training - and you just can't legislate for that."
Curbishley believes Coventry, with former West Ham player Iain Dowie as manager, will be a stern test.
"I've been to see them, and we know we have a game on," he said. "I think Coventry are like a lot of clubs - they have been relegated and have found it ever so difficult since then.
"We know that if we set about the game in the right way, we will give ourselves a chance."
Alan Curbishley hopes summer signing Craig Bellamy's injury problems can be resolved once and for all during next month's international break.
The £7.5m record signing was withdrawn at half-time against Portsmouth on Saturday, and joins forwards Bobby Zamora and Dean Ashton in the physio room, much to Curbishley's frustration.
Bellamy is likely to miss tonight's (Tues) Carling Cup fourth round tie against Coventry at the Ricoh Arena.
"Craig has been playing in a lot of discomfort," said Curbishley. "He is able to play, but his game is restricted.
"It looks like we are going to have to close him down again - we can use the international break. It will give him a decent chance of clearing it up."
The next international break begins after West Ham play Derby away on November 10 Curbishley hopes the 28-year-old Welshman will be ready by the time they host Tottenham on November 25.
"He has an abdominal strain, and it has been creating problems in other areas," Cubishley said. "The groin area was sorted out with an operation in Germany, but the abdominal strain has come back.
"It's frustrating for everyone. We are stopping and starting all the time. It's the continuity we are struggling with."
Last season the West Ham manager lost new signings Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson to injury soon after they arrived.
He added: "I've never known so many new signings get injured. It started last season with Lucas and Matty.
"It's the same with Scott Parker and some of the others. They have come here, desperate to do well and they can't get going.
"We started the season with Bobby and Craig up front and now they are both out injured. It has been the forwards who have taken the brunt of it.
"It's mostly impact injuries though - it's nothing to do with training - and you just can't legislate for that."
Curbishley believes Coventry, with former West Ham player Iain Dowie as manager, will be a stern test.
"I've been to see them, and we know we have a game on," he said. "I think Coventry are like a lot of clubs - they have been relegated and have found it ever so difficult since then.
"We know that if we set about the game in the right way, we will give ourselves a chance."
Labels: Alan Cubishley, Craig Bellamy, West Ham United
