Danny Gabbidon has told WHUTV he cannot wait for the chance to return to action with West Ham after making his first league start of the season.
The Wales defender impressed when replacing the injured Anton Ferdinand in the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on 29 September and did enough to earn a place in Ferdinand's absence alongside Matthew Upson at Aston Villa on Saturday. Despite a strong away performance, particularly in the second half, West Ham ultimately went down 1-0 to a Craig Gardner free-kick that was first awarded against Gabbidon and which then struck him on its way past Robert Green.
Speaking to WHUTV, Gabbidon revealed it "was a frustrating afternoon" that was compounded by "disappointing" injuries, including a knee problem suffered by striker Dean Ashton that has seen him withdrawn from the England squad. He added: "Obviously with the free-kick and the goal, we didn't play too well in the first half," he said. "I thought second half we played a lot better and created a few chances and obviously it is frustrating we didn't get a goal. Fair play to Villa they came out of the blocks well, got a goal and held on."
The 28-year-old said West Ham had a big enough squad to cope with the injuries and hoped a few players would return to fitness while he and James Collins, an unused substitute on Saturday, are away with Wales on EURO 2008 duty in Cyprus this Saturday and then in San Marino the following Wednesday. "Hopefully after these two weeks we will come back and be focused and look to picking up three points against Sunderland," he said.
The Wales defender impressed when replacing the injured Anton Ferdinand in the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on 29 September and did enough to earn a place in Ferdinand's absence alongside Matthew Upson at Aston Villa on Saturday. Despite a strong away performance, particularly in the second half, West Ham ultimately went down 1-0 to a Craig Gardner free-kick that was first awarded against Gabbidon and which then struck him on its way past Robert Green.
Speaking to WHUTV, Gabbidon revealed it "was a frustrating afternoon" that was compounded by "disappointing" injuries, including a knee problem suffered by striker Dean Ashton that has seen him withdrawn from the England squad. He added: "Obviously with the free-kick and the goal, we didn't play too well in the first half," he said. "I thought second half we played a lot better and created a few chances and obviously it is frustrating we didn't get a goal. Fair play to Villa they came out of the blocks well, got a goal and held on."
The 28-year-old said West Ham had a big enough squad to cope with the injuries and hoped a few players would return to fitness while he and James Collins, an unused substitute on Saturday, are away with Wales on EURO 2008 duty in Cyprus this Saturday and then in San Marino the following Wednesday. "Hopefully after these two weeks we will come back and be focused and look to picking up three points against Sunderland," he said.