Forum | Non-Football Related

Armed with his reinforcements acquired during this long and protracted summer transfer window, Hammers boss David Moyes is likely to make one or two 'adjustments' to his team that is currently 2nd in the Barclays Premier League. Bearing in mind where the club sits in the League it might seem churlish to suggest the need for changes, but one or two cracks, or maybe fisions to be more accurate, have begun to appear in the team's defence. A failing that Moyes has already moved to address as he attempts to take his team to the 'next' level.

Although Moyes's team are the 2nd highest scorers in the Premier League, it is the defence that is leaking the goals that could prove costly towards the end of the campaign. The game against Palace brought issues sharply into focus, the 2 points dropped due to defensive errors, well at least for one of the goals conceded, could make the difference between success and failure, such are the fine margins for 'elite' clubs.

Fans used to season after season of broken promises and dashed hopes are finding it hard to adjust to the team's top six status, looking at the top of the table instead of the bottom takes a lot of getting used to! The trajectory of the team is truly outstanding and looks to continue, despite the odd hiccup. Maintaining that progress means there can be little room for sentiment, which equates to Craig Dawson and Lukasz Fabianski being taken out of the firing line for the Premier League, but featuring in the THREE other competitions the club are involved in.

Dawson's lack of pace has been cruelly exposed this season, other teams have worked out how to exploit Les's weaknesses since the last, and Lukasz has never been quite the same since his thigh injury, his kicking looks suspect as it seems he is fearful of aggravating his previous injury.

Areola and Zouma represent a step up, that is not to say that everything in the garden will be Rosy straight away, they may make errors, but what is the point in buying new players if you don't use them?

That said, Moyes is renowned for taking his time over things, so don't expect wholesale ch ch ch ch changes straight away, but they are coming! - Ed

Well just like waiting for the proverbial London Bus or Policemen, you desperately want one, none turns up and then suddenly one appears after the other, as if by magic. The same can be said for Hammers transfer activity, huge delays and lots of excuses followed by a sudden glut!

Hot on the heels of 'Zouma Rumour', David Moyes has 'fast tracked the signings of at least one, or as it now seems more likely, two additional players. West Ham are close to agreeing a £25million deal to sign CSKA Moscow and Croatia attacking midfielder Nikola Vlasic according to a plethora of media outlets. Moving for Vlasic might seem to put the mockers on the club acquiring Jesse Lingard, however there is a distinct possibility David Moyes might end up signing BOTH Vlasic and Lingard.

Not finished with this business, Moyes is 'hell bent' on getting deals over the line for a back up striker AND an additional left back, as fears for Authur Masuaku's long term fitness have surfaced and there is an obvious need for Antonio to have a back up, even if that player is relatively inexperienced.

Fans will be loving this late flurry of activity, Not sure about Mr Sullivan though! - Ed

In what was an enthralling and entertaining match to watch at the London Stadium, if you were a neutral, West Ham twice went ahead through the Duracel bunny that is Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio, unfortunately Conor Gallagher scored a brace for Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace to draw the visitors level as David Moyes winning start to the season came to an ultimately frustrating end in what was a stonking London derby.

Everything looked plain sailing for the club to continue it's unlikely leadership of the Barclays premier league following Pablo Fornals goal in the 39th minute after playing a superb one two with Michail Antonio, but Palace who were much better after half time levelled when midfielder Gallagher, who is on a season long loan from Chelsea, found the target.

Antonio thought he had won it when he smacked his shot past Vicente Guaita for his fourth goal of the season, however joy at scoring his 50th Premier League goal was short lived as the visitors equalised again, through Gallagher's clever turn and finish which left Craig Dawson for dust and Fabianski slightly embarrassed.

Earlier in the game, Palace defender Joel Ward clearance off the line at 0-0 after Vladimir Coufal's free-kick almost led to an own goal. Hammers could and should have made their advantage count on several occasions

David Moyes' boys had played with such vigour and style in the opening two games that they were expected to steam roller a fragile Crystal Palace, alas it was not to be and ultimately this felt like two points dropped against a team that had failed to score in 270 minutes under their new boss.

It could have got even worse as Palace finished the game in the ascendancy, with Marc Guehi wasting an easy chance in stoppage time when he sent a free header over the bar. Seven points from the first three games of any campaign is a pretty decent return, and one that David Moyes would probably have been happy with ahead of the start of the season, but such is the air of expectancy that his team have generated, that fans will be very disappointed with the result.
Perhaps it is best that the bubble burst just ahead of the transfer window closing, Hammers didn't play poorly at all, rather it was Palace who by upping their game exposed some hitherto hidden frailties. Although to be fair to David Moyes his side have scored TEN goals in 270 minutes of football and are playing a style that is pleasing on the eye.There is room for improvement and Moyes will be keen to get new signing Kurt Zouma into his back line tout de suite, as well as trying to do some late additional business before Tuesday's transfer deadline.

We do not have an agenda against Andriy Yarmolenko, although it probably seems that way, but he is not the sort of player to have on the bench that is going to scare the opposition and strike fear into their defenders with his blistering pace. The Ukraine International is only at the club because no one that wants him can afford him, his presence illustrates the club's paucity of attacking players, let alone those of out and out strikers!

It's not all gloom and doom though, no one appeared to have picked up any injuries and on another day Hammers could have won. Moyes has addressed the need for a centre back and for a keeper, all he needs now to at least have a fighting chance is an additional midfield player and that almost most mythical of things, a striker, which would be number FIFTY of the Twins tenure.

Things could be worse, instead of worrying about being knocked off the top of the table, Hammers fans could be enduring the fate of their London Neighbour's Arsenal's fans and be fretting that they are bottom of the League, even below Norwich! LN

To be a successful professional sportsperson requires an astonishing amount of self belief as well as talent and hard work, these are requisite qualities for survival in the cut throat environment of 'elite' football, especially when referring to the Barclays Premier League.

Pushing so hard to initially reach the top and then performing to stay, there requires skill, judgment and a great deal of luck. The negative of having never ending belief is that occasionally it can impair one's judgement, the balance between delusion and determination can become incredibly vague, none more so than the decision that Jesse Lingard is faced with.

Lingard's brother, who is his agent, has been moving behind the scenes to get the best outcome for his sibling during the fast moving hours ahead of the transfer window's closure in three days time. Their options have become somewhat limited by the 'sudden' arrival of Christiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

Ronaldo has thrown a spanner into the 'Lingard works', any hopes the Manchester United attacker had of forcing his way back into the United first team will now have evaporated faster than Government promise! Surely the penny must have dropped for Jesse by now, mustn't it?

The likelihood of Lingard starting for his boyhood club has gone from possible to virtually impossible, the next few days will dictate whether he is 'spatially aware' or simply a deluded 'bitter has been'. Come on Jesse, you did your best, you showed loyalty and belief, but Ronaldo's arrival surely shows you where you fit, or don't fit in. Staying in situ now, shows deluded loyalty and a complete lack of ambition, the writing is on the wall and Jesse is clever enough to read it, or at least he should be.

Even if Lingard ends up at a different club than West Ham or Man Utd we would still wish him well, but it would be nice if we were wishing him hello again, although a certain Mr Bernrahma might not agree! - LN