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When Dimitri Payet 'landed' in East London it is fair to say he shook up not only West Ham, but also the entire Premier League. While it lasted the Payet era was a wonder to behold, somehow players like Marky Noble suddenly started playing like Iniesta! Of course it was all destined to end in tears but it was a hell of a ride and DID sow the seeds for the future.

Last weekend's FA Cup tie against Leeds United was essentially a dress rehearsal for this afternoon's Premier League clash, some will say this game is FAR more important than last weekend's cup tie. FA Cup competition supporters will not be pleased to hear that, it is indeed rather sad that a competition that once lit up the calendar has now by and large been sidelined, gone are the days when supporters who didn't have tickets to the final would sit for hours ahead of the game, glued to their TV screens in anticipation of the main event.

Tomáš Souček
@tomassoucek28
Huge support from home!!! Let’s go @WestHam
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Like it or loathe it, social media plays an important part in modern day living, one person who particularly dislikes the disruptive element of 'soshall' media is Hammers boss David Moyes, a man who absolutely winces when asked to comment on his players off the field activities involving Insta etc.

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.