New national team head coach Fabio Capello was watching from the
stands at Upton Park on Saturday, where the Hammers were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-battlers Birmingham City.
Ashton put in plenty of effort, but failed to find the net in a fourth consecutive match.
The 24-year-old has endured a frustrating couple of seasons since his 7 million pound transfer
from Norwich City.
After scoring in the 2006 FA Cup final, the striker suffered a broken ankle on the eve of
his full England debut.
Ashton finally returned to action at the start of the current campaign, only to then be forced
back onto the sidelines by a knee injury which would also scupper his England hopes ahead of the Euro 2008 qualifiers in October.
Hammers manager Curbishley is confident that in time, Ashton would be firing all cylinders
in front of goal again.
"Deano just has to keep going. We have been easing him in, and it is difficult getting him
fit in the first team, but there has been no other way."
"He had the injury and it took over a year to recover from it. He had another setback once
he got himself going and I think you can see that he has a bit to do."
Curbishley, though, feels Ashton should first of all focus on producing the good for the Hammers.
He said: "The games are watched every week and Matthew Upson got himself in there, so it is
performances I think, nothing else."
"First things first, Deano has got to get himself absolutely right and he will know when he
is absolutely right."
"Deano has done well to get where he is after a big injury. He's worked ever so hard at it."
"Sometimes players can be affected by team selection, the way the team is playing, results,
scoring goals. We've all got to get on with it."
