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One of Manuel Pellegrini's more salient observations regarding West Ham during his ill fated tenure was that the club needed to start thinking and believing it was a bigger club. He was correct, unfortunately his remedy was to throw VAST amounts of cash at the problem, and we all know how that ended don't we?

West Ham have always featured prominently in the headlines during the transfer window, usually for all the WRONG reasons! It seems this season is no exception as the usual B/S about Declan Rice has been augmented with ludicrous tales regarding Jarrod Bowen being 'keen' to do a Hammers 360 and join the Klopp heads!

If West Ham can maintain their upward trajectory, keeping hold of Declan Rice could become a reality, there is every chance that IF the club can finish in the top six for the 2nd year running Declan might wish to hang around. IF the club could finish in the top 4 there is EVERY chance that the then recently turned 23 year old will stay on, at least for a couple more years.

Perhaps it is sheer ignorance on our part, but recent postponements and requests for postponements seem to have been judged with no rhyme or reason. Those who actually decide are masked by anonymity, but their decisions can have a far reaching impact which can decide a club's fortunes, possibly for years.

News emanating from Elland Road is that, Marco Bielsa is said to be quietly confident star players Kalvin Phillips AND Partick Bamford will BOTH be available to face West Ham on Sunday. Leeds have suffered enormously through injuries this season, more so than the Irons, so the return of either or both players represents added jeopardy to the fixture.

Whenever a transfer window is open before it 'slams' shut, strange how it never closes but slams, rumours are rife regarding players making the headlines. None more so than Hammers' Jarrod 'Jimbo' Bowen, hitting top form right in the middle of the window only served to accentuate the front man's credentials.

Tomáš Souček is fit and available ahead of West Ham United's crucial home tie against Leeds this Sunday afternoon, Tomáš missed the 2-0 midweek victory over relegation threatened Norwich City with asymptomatic Covid but is due to return for the Leeds game.

Having a couple of days off will have done Souček a power of good, although there are some who say his recent performances have definitely been below par and that he needs a TOTAL rest in order to return to his imperious form of last season, which earned him the Hammer of the Year accolade.

For those who spend an unhealthy amount of time studying statistics, particularly those of West Ham United, which in itself can be unhealthy if you are a supporter, there are certain points gained and lost anomalies that on the face of it have no explanation.

For example Hammers can beat Chelsea, Liverpool AND Tottingham at the London Bowl and yet can lose to Brentford and Southampton at the same venue! However there IS an explanation, we are fortunate to have an Org member who is a financial and statistical analyst who is an expert at applying algorithms to sporting enterprises.

No we are not talking about Declan Rice OR Jarrod Bowen, we are referencing Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola. Many assumed when Areola arrived on loan from PSG, that this season would be one of transition as Fabianski's contract ran down in its final year and that Areola would be 'drip fed' into the first team.

The BBC will show the FA Cup fourth-round tie between Kidderminster Harriers and West Ham United live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The tie is one of six fourth-round fixtures to be broadcast live between the 4th and 6th of February. Sixth-tier Kidderminster, the lowest-ranked team left, stunned Championship side Reading in the third round.