8:13am Tuesday 26th February 2008
By Guardian-series
ALAN Curbishley is confident that his West Ham side can start producing more attacking football to add to their solid defensive backbone.
While the Irons have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League outside of the 'big four' teams this season - just 23 goals in 26 games - it is going the other way that they have failed to sparkle.
Drab displays and a direct style of play - not least in their last three games against lowly outfits Wigan, Birmingham and Fulham - has left the fans frustrated and left craving the expansive football that has long been the club's tradition.
However, Curbishley insists the squad is more than capable of adding a more dynamic aspect to their game.
"No-one is stopping them. We've got players - Ljungberg, Boa Morte, Noble - and you can't tell me they're defensive," he said.
"I've also got two full-backs who like to get forward, but it's just the way it is at the moment.
"I always hear lots of things about teams needing a goalscorer, which is fine, but you've got to stop letting them in as well and we've managed to do that.
"Our defensive record is fantastic - just outside the top four - but we want more and we've got the players to do that."
Injuries to key attack-minded players such as big money signings Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer and Scott Parker - all purchased in the summer - has not helped Curbishley in his bid to achieve more entertaining football at Upton Park.
The Hammers boss has regularly had to adapt and shuffle his line ups with limited options at his disposal.
But he insisted that the squad available has still worked hard on the training ground to be more prolific in front of goal.
He added: "What we've got at the moment is a strong base and I'm hoping that the attacking stuff will come through.
"It's not for the want of them trying. In training, that's all that we do.
"We've spoken a lot about trying to get more people in the box and fashion that chance, because if we can we will be very difficult (to beat).
"We looked at the Manchester City games away from home and we created six or seven good chances and got four or five people in the box, but could not fashion that final pass or finish."
Curbishley has also been eager this season to praise the players - particularly his defence - who have managed to keep the club on track for a UEFA Cup spot.
The club is in tenth place in the table, just four points off seventh-place Portsmouth, and with a game in hand.
And he said: "When you consider (Julilen) Faubert, Parker, Bellamy and Dyer have played 15 games between them - £25million worth of players - and that (James) Collins and (Danny) Gabbidon are probably out for the season, week-in, week-out they have dug in and done fantastically well.
"The back-five is the only thing that's really been consistent and both (Robert) Green and (Matthew) Upson have been major parts of that.
"It's probably the main reason that we've got to where we are that we're very strong defensively.
"When some teams do break us down, one of them normally pulls us out of it."
Meanwhile, West Ham's Premier League clash with Tottenham has been moved back 24 hours due to the north Londoners' involvement in the UEFA Cup.
The match will now kick-off at White Hart Lane at 3pm on Sunday, March 9.
Have your say: Have West Ham got the right blend of players to play a more entertaining style of football and not sacrifice their good
defensive record?
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