Hammers make Mancini overture

John Pantsil hopes to move to Panathinaikos on loan.

The Hammers had already been robbed of summer signings Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker and Julien Faubert through injury before Kieron Dyer's horror injury at Bristol Rovers and manager Alan Curbishley will again be looking to strengthen his squad.

But he vowed to play a strong side in the next round of the Carling Cup.

He said: "Although you sometimes end up wondering why, I sent out a strong side for this game and it won't make me think twice the next time because we see the League Cup as a competition we can do well in.

"I said to the players before the game that you have had Middlesbrough and Bolton get to finals and Wigan as well.

"It is an opportunity to get into Europe so we will attack it. I do feel at the moment that luck is against us but we will just have to push on to the Reading game at the weekend."

Curbishley had hoped to give Dean Ashton his first start since the 2006 FA Cup final but the striker, who had suffered a broken ankle a year ago, remained in London as his partner had gone into labour.

That meant giving Bellamy a game despite a groin problem and Curbishley was naturally relieved when the Welshman not only came through unscathed but won the tie with a well-taken first-half double.

He said: "Craig came off on Saturday with a niggling injury and I wondered whether I was doing the right thing by playing him but he got a couple of goals and he is really pleased with himself."