Bobby Zamora may well have another reserve-team run-out on Monday before making his first-team comeback while Alan Curbishley has updated on Craig Bellamy's progress.
Both strikers had been bidding for a first-team return around the same time but while Zamora has come on with three successive reserve-team appearances, Bellamy has had to undergo an abdominal strengthening operation to complement the rehabilitation work he has been doing of late. The manager expects him to be out for a minimum of six weeks, but the news is more upbeat on Zamora.
The striker was a constant threat in the 2-0 midweek defeat of Fulham reserves - this Saturday's first-team opponents - and is in line to figure again for Kevin Keen's side against Tottenham Hotspur. "Bobby hasn't played since 28 August so it is nearly five months out," the manager said. "It has been a long lay-off. He played the 90 minutes [against Fulham] and he wants one more game before he declares himself in contention.
"He is looking good and got a freshness about him. He is training very well. He wanted to play every minute on Wednesday and wants to play on Monday as well. We will see." Curbishley also underlined the effort that Zamora has put in to get over his persistent knee troubles. "He is always one of the first ones in and works at it before everybody else. He is desperate that he has missed five months."
Of Bellamy's operation, which he had on Wednesday, Curbishley added: "It has been a long struggle and we have gone down different routes. We are hoping this is what sorts it out. He will be out for at least six weeks now so he has got a bit to do to see the end of the season." The manager also confirmed the Wales captain had had a "tidy up" of a previous knee procedure. "We decided we might as well have a recondition all round," he explained.
Scott Parker has again been out on the training ground and will step up to full training on Monday as he nears his return from a knee injury suffered on 29 December, a problem unrelated to his previous problem. Added to that the manager updated on Kieron Dyer. "He is working really hard, he has got a bit about him," he said, while also confirming that Nolberto Solano was also "fully fit" after hamstring troubles.