Moncs Misses Out

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John Moncur has lost his battle to be fit for the Everton game - but he, Steve Lomas and Michael Carrick should be back for Manchester United.

"Our main concern, and we can't hide this, is that we have got four midfield players injured at the moment," says Glenn Roeder.

"Obviously Don is a long term injury, Michael Carrick is working ever so hard and is on target for the game with Manchester United, Steve Lomas is where he should be and on course, and John Moncur is the same.

"That is four senior midfield players, and Michael is very senior now he is a full England international.

"It has stretched our playing staff to the absolute limit; we are in a situation where we just can't afford any more."

Glenn admits that his normally calm exterior may have slipped in the aftermath of the defeat by Aston Villa at the weekend.

He prefers to ponder on a game over the weekend, but on this occasion felt it necessary to make his feelings known as the players took in the implications of the last gasp defeat.

When asked if he bit his tongue following the game, he admits:

"Probably I didn't; sometimes things have to be said in the confines of four walls of the dressing room, they were said, and they were said strongly."

He denies that it was simply a case of youthful exuberance in allowing Villa to score so late in the game, and explains:

"Having viewed the video there were some experienced players in those last few minutes that were doing things they shouldn't have been doing and should have known better.

"Certain things, I think, are common sense, and we have just shown a lack of common sense at vital times this year."

It is, of course, not the first time the Hammers have conceded such a vital late goal this season, and Glenn adds:

"It was the hardest one of all of them; Chelsea was bad enough and left you with an empty feeling a few seconds from the end of the game, but Villa was probably worse because it has happened before this year.

"I looked at my watch and there were 15 seconds left, and it changed the whole atmosphere, because instead of being in the dressing room afterwards with a pat on the back for everyone, as it would have been a hard earned but thoroughly deserved point, obviously emotions were running high and the mood in the dressing room was very different.

"But we have had to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down before; we have had a couple of meetings since and we expect a big performance tomorrow.

"It is all in the past now and we are all pumped up and ready for the game with Everton."

SQUAD: James, Hislop, Andersson, Pearce, Repka, Dailly, Minto, Winterburn, Schemmel, Cole, Defoe, Di Canio, Kanoute, Kitson, Garcia, Labant, Potts, Sinclair, Courtois, McCann.