Morning:
10°c
Upson returns for Curbs
Ken Dyer, Football Correspondent11 Apr 2008
Matthew Upson returns to West Ham's team at Bolton tomorrow, as manager Alan Curbishley attempts to halt a late-season slide of five defeats in seven matches.
Upson, who would have figured in Fabio Capello's recent England squad had he been fit, has missed the last five matches with a calf injury.
Missing tomorrow, though, is captain Lucas Neill, who twisted an ankle in the midweek 1-0 defeat by Portsmouth and midfield player Mark Noble, who has still not recovered from a hamstring injury.
"I didn't expect what has happened to us over the past few weeks and it's been a big disappointment," said Curbishley.
"The match against Portsmouth followed the same pattern as the one against Sunderland. We started okay but then fizzled out."
West Ham, despite their poor run, remain in 10th spot in the Premier League table and with three home games left out of the last five matches, Curbishley still feels his side could go higher, although he admits: "There are one or two teams coming up behind us."
West Ham have been most effective this season playing one striker, usually Carlton Cole, up front and Curbishley is considering returning to that system for the trip to Bolton tomorrow.
He said: "There certainly won't be any sympathy for Bolton tomorrow.
We were in a similar situation last season and the other clubs showed us none. They had to do their jobs and we have to do ours."
