West Ham United return to full training this week after a few days' rest with the likes of Bobby Zamora, Julien Faubert and Nolberto Solano pushing hard for first-team recalls.
Head physiotherapist George Cooper has been very pleased with Zamora and Faubert's progress, as demonstrated by their match-winning contributions over 90 minutes for the reserves in the 4-1 defeat of Birmingham City last week. Cooper also had positive news on the efforts being made by Scott Parker and Kieron Dyer, having revealed optimistic news on defenders James Collins and Calum Davenport last week.
Zamora had not played a whole game since 28 August with a persistent knee injury that had continued to swell up. Having undergone extensive rehabilitation with the club's medical staff, he is closing on a first-team return. "He is strong as an ox now," said Cooper. "His legs are really good and he is in good nick. Bobby is always in early, has been working very hard and been very patient. It looks to have paid off. His running fitness is as good as anybody's at the club, if not better."
The 27-year-old will provide extra competition for a forward line already boasting Dean Ashton, Henri Camara, Carlton Cole and Luis Boa Morte, with the latter only missing out on the last reserve game as his wife was giving birth. Craig Bellamy will be sidelined for some time though as he is due to have an abdominal strengthening operation to complement the core work he has been doing as he battles back to fitness - having felt not quite right after a friendly game on 4 February.
"He has been absolutely brilliant," added Cooper. "Everything he has done has got him back to almost being ready and there is a feeling that if he carries on with slight symptoms they are likely to get worse rather than better. The symptoms have to go. The operation will complement the excellent work he has done before and that should be the last bit he needs before continuing his strengthening."
Faubert returned to action with three assists against Birmingham having been handled carefully in the previous two weeks because of tightness in his calves, although Cooper stressed he was not injured. He like Solano, who has recovered from a hamstring problem, is back to full fitness and in contention for the games to come. Equally positively, the duo could soon be joined in the battle for midfield places by Parker.
The England international has "totally recovered from his posterior capsule rupture" with Cooper adding that "we are extremely pleased". The midfielder, who was hurt in an innocuous challenge against Manchester United on 29 December, a problem unrelated to any previous knee problem, has started his running programme and could be back in full training in a fortnight. Elsewhere, Dyer continues to make "excellent progress" from his double leg break and is also running, although it is too early to set a date on his return while Danny Gabbidon is being treated for a persistent groin problem.
With several names due to return in due course, Cooper also had a word for the likes of Matthew Upson and Freddie Ljungberg who have gone from strength to strength in the first team after putting in plenty of hours at Chadwell Heath. "Matthew has done really well as we can all see by his progress with England while Freddie is a massive success story. He is has worked so hard and is playing well, chasing back and tackling throughout the whole 90 minutes."