Hammers striker desperate to get more game time.

WEST HAM striker Zavon Hines is just ‘happy to be back’ after missing the last 11 months with a knee injury.

The 21-year-old was just hitting his stride and making progress at first-team level before suffering the blow.

It’s been a long road back for the talented youngster, who just wants to get back into the swing of things.

“It’s good to be back, obviously I just want to play. At the moment I’m not getting much game time, just coming off the bench,” he said.

“Every minute is a bonus for me, considering I’ve been out for 11 months, as I’m just happy to be back.

“In training I feel sharp, I actually feel very, very good, but it’s up to the manager to make that decision and I’m just waiting for that call.”

It might not be too far away. The Hammers are at the bottom of the table after picking up just two League victories all season and Victor Obinna is the only forward to score in the last five Premier Division matches.

With the busy Christmas period fast approaching tiredness and injury could also come into play and Hines is hopeful of more game time.

“That’s what I’m hoping for but it’s up to the manager whether he’s going to play me or not,” he said, before saying how confident he is the team will escape the bottom three.

“I think we can, it’s a matter of getting the right results and performing on the day,” he said.

“We’re not having much luck at the moment but we need to just keep focused and continue doing what we’ve got to do.

“They’re (Blackburn) the games we need to win. I’m not sure if they’re (near us in the table but we need to focus on doing what we have to do and get three points whenever we can.”

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