ROY Hodgson looks set for a triple tonic as he prepares his Blackburn Rovers team for Saturday's vital Premiership clash with West Ham United at Ewood.

Wingers Stuart Ripley and Damien Duff have shaken off their injury problems and midfielder Lars Bohinen was set to return to training with the squad today.

That's a welcome boost to the Ewood boss's options as he must plan his tactics without leading goalscorer Chris Sutton, who sits out the match because of his sending-off for two yellow cards at Old Trafford nearly three weeks ago.

Ripley picked up a kick at Highbury in Rovers' superb 3-1 win, while Duff missed that game because of a dead leg suffered against Bolton.

Both have recovered to join Jason Wilcox in the battle for flank places and Hodgson might even consider playing one of his wide men down the middle.

For Kevin Gallacher is the only fit and experienced striker he has available to him.

The unsettled Bohinen will come back into the reckoning too if he is fully recovered from the calf strain he picked up with the reserves last week.

It is important that Rovers avoid a lengthy injury list, because they have only a small squad and suspensions are now starting to bite.

Billy McKinlay will miss two games over Christmas and New Year - Crystal Palace and Wigan - after totting up five bookings and other players are not too far away from the danger mark.

But Hodgson welcomed the fact that central defender Stephane Henchoz has now had one of his yellow cards wiped out for playing five full games without a caution. The new disciplinary system has come under fire from some quarters but Henchoz now only has two bookings against his name.

Hodgson said: "The central defenders have done well. It's good to see that Stephane has lost a booking and Colin only has a couple as well. It's midfield players who seem to have more problems but that is largely down to a matter of luck.

"Sometimes they get booked, sometimes they don't."

The manager was unhappy with some of the yellow cards handed out at Highbury. Hendry was certainly unlucky and McKinlay's frustration was obvious as he was aware that his caution took him over the top.

Contrary to popular belief, however, the two cards that Sutton was shown at Old Trafford do not count towards the totting-up process.

The one match ban he serves on Saturday is the punishment for those cautions and they do not affect anything else. So the striker, who has had one booking rescinded for good behaviour, is still on three.

Meanwhile, Saturday's opponents West Ham are taking an interest in French goalkeeper Bernard Lama, who is looking for a new club to ensure his place in next year's World Cup finals.

The Hammers have lost Ludek Miklosko - possibly for up to three months - with a neck injury but still have Canadian international Craig Forrest to deputise.

Swedish striker Pascal Simpson is set to pre-empt a decision on his future from Blackburn Rovers. Hodgson had preliminary talks with the injured player during an informal visit to Ewood and Rovers appeared unlikely to take thir interest any further.

Simpson looks set to opt for Norwegian club Valerengen.

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