Curbs looking into injury woes

Curbishley: Injury worries

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Alan Curbishley has admitted West Ham are looking into the reasons behind their ever-increasing injury list.

Freddie Ljungberg became the latest player to head for the Hammers' overcrowded treatment room as he limped out of the 2-0 defeat by Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.

The Swede was replaced by teenage reserve team player Jack Collison with Curbishley's squad stretched to the limit and a host of players on the sidelines.

And the Upton Park boss is keen to discover if there is anything the club can change to ease their plight.

Stretched

He told Sky Sports: "We can't keep complaining about it. We're looking at the situation, why we've got so many. Are we unlucky, or is there something else we can do about it?

"The squad is stretched to the limit, but it's showing we have got a squad. The players that have come in have done fantastically well for us.

"It's becoming a little bit acute now. We're up to 12 or 13 senior players (out), which is a bit tough. There's not many clubs that could have coped with that.

"Anton Ferdinand came on against United for half an hour, but then he's had to play a full game today. He's having to play and get fit in the first team, which is very, very difficult, but that's what's going to happen from now on."

Curbishley has the chance to add to his squad with the January transfer window open, but admits he is still to see the side he tried to build with the players he brought in during the summer.

He added: "I sat down with the chairman and I can't really tell him where to start. We strengthened the squad in the summer, but I've not seen the squad really.

"If we get a bit more acute in certain areas, I may have to try and do something, but it's very, very difficult."

Poor

The Hammers boss admitted he side paid the price for their exertions in the victory over Manchester United, but felt their defending was sub-standard for both of Arsenal's goals.

He added: "I don't want to take anything away from Arsenal because they are top of the league and doing fantastically well, but the United game was a big game for us.

"We had to come back from behind and it took a lot out of us.

"We made the worst possible start here and it was a goal we're not used to conceding. It was poor, from our point of view, as was the second.

"It was an uphill battle after that, but they dug in and I can't ask any more, they were out on their legs near the end.

"You can't have a goal like that from Eduardo. He's chested it down and had time to pick his spot, and that's the first couple of minutes of the game and we're really disappointed with it."