coyi

Hammers are already at a turning point after only three games of the new Barclays Premier League season, currently 2nd in the League David Moyes's team should have and would have been 1st had it not been for woeful defending at home to Crystal Palace last time out.

West Ham players, many of which have only just returned from International duty, now face a fixture pile up of six lane motorway proportions! Between this Saturday's game against Southampton and the end of the month the team will play a staggering SIX times!

There will be some who say "back in the day players had to play three matches in five days over the christmas period, but that was a long long time ago in an era when pitches were mudheaps, but they were compliant mudheaps unlike today's slick but firm pitches.

Hmm, the mischief makers can't resist a free hit at West Ham's expense, by opening up the 'Declan Rice unhappy' story, yet again. 'Declan Rice is ready to run down his West Ham contract amid interest from Man Utd as the midfielder feels his £100 price tag has prevented him from securing a move away, the 22-year-old feels as though his £100m valuation has priced him out of a move away and is now ready to run down his current deal', reports the Telegraph.

Hammers recruitment, or lack of it, is a continuing bone of contention among the majority of fans, the need for an additional striker, centre back and central defensive midfielder is as blatant as a tapped call instigated by Daniel Levy! Having been 'linked' with a plethora of players from many different clubs for each 'vacancy' the club have as yet overtly appeared to have done very little as the transfer window closure looms.

The PAI announcement due later today about their take over plans won't help matters that need urgent attention, no matter what they say it won't 'magic up' a striker from nowhere and perhaps their interest will only serve to have a derogatory effect on the club.

To be honest in a way their interest coild end up being a PAI'N in supporters' backsides, because it will just add smoke to back up the mirrors already in place at the club.

Big hitters the Daily & Sunday Express online and the Guardian have both run juxtaposed stories regarding Hammers 'apparent interest' in signing Chelsea's Kurt Zouma, the Express group published an article yesterday stating 'Zouma has his heart set on transfer to West Ham, whereas today the Guardian and others use 'Chelsea transfer heartbreak as Zouma refuses West Ham move', as their headline.

We acknowledge that it is after all the 'silly season', but there is silly and then there's just plain stupid, the latter being a category that the Martin Braithwaite from Barcelona to West Ham 'story' falls in. The 'fantasy' story, if you are representing Barcelona, or the nightmare if you are a Hammers fan, is being continuously and erroneously reported and re reported by a steady stream of media outlets that should know better.

There are certain football players who look as if they came from the Halcyon days of the sport back in the fifties, one such player is Hammers transfer target, Blackburn Rover's Adam Armstrong. The powerful striker is only 24 years old, but looks 34 and even his name seems to have come from a bygone era!

Jesse Ligard's impact since he arrived at the London Stadium on loan from Manchester United has been nothing short of brilliant, goals, assists, you name it. Such have been his performances that his value has rocketed to the point where it is becoming increasingly unreachable by West Ham.

The 'wheels of hope' are in full swing as 'positive' news is emerging as to the fitness and availability for players who have been sorely missed in recent games that have seen Hammers push for Europe falter. Aaron Cresswell and Authur Masuaku are looking nailed on for the next crucial game, against Burnley on the 1st of May, the Clarets having just dismantled Wolves by 4-0 at Molineaux.