Probably NOT the news Hammers fans wanted to hear is that the 'preening one' himself, Christiano Ronaldo is aiming to be fit in order to play against West Ham this Saturday. Ronaldo has missed United's last few games and could be fit to face Brentford tonight, but it is doubtful he will be risked, instead he will be saved for Saturday.

On the one hand it is a pity not to have faced the Old Trafford team without Ronaldo, but on the other hand at least David Moyes WILL have Kurt Zouma and Tomas Soucek available as well as Aaron Cresswell, so on balance it is a better scenario.

If we had a pound for every time we have mentioned West Ham's need for a proper striker to give Mikey Antonio support and competition, we would already be a long way to being able to afford one of 'Arry's retirement Villas on the South Coast.

Perhaps Hammers fans are in denial when it comes to acquiring top players? The Haller and Anderson 'experience' having done little to enhance a feeling of bonhomie among fans AND club officials, so when news RE-EMERGED of Hammers 'interest' in Patrick Schick, it was greeted with a more than considerable scepticism.

Hammers 1st team might be short on players who can make a difference, but the U-23's seem to have them a plenty as they brushed aside Exeter City 3-0 at St James'Park this evening. Harrison Ashby, Thierry Nevers and Alexander Okoflex all chipped in with goals.

We know it sounds like a broken record harping on about the youth players, and to his credit David Moyes DOES as much as he can to utilise them. It is a difficult situation given the pressure cooker environment of the Premier League, a player needs time on the pitch, but there is little or no time available.

Just over one month ago, Mike Nesmith one of the only two of the original Monkees left, passed away. Only Mikey Dolenz is left now, it is perhaps fitting that the 'Elephant Boy' as he was called when he was a child star, still remains. As Dolenz concluded his epitaph for 'Nes', he closed with the words he shared with the 'leader', "None of us are going to get out of this alive."

When Sebastien Haller left West Ham to join Ajax most observers thought that he would do well in Holland and thrive in a less competitive environment than the Premier League, but NO ONE thought that he would go on to become a Champions League record breaker!

Extremely disturbing or amusing, depending on your opinion, images have emerged of Andy Carroll in the car park of Hammers Rush Green training ground. We kid you not, but before you start to have an apoplectic shock it should be remembered that Big Andy still has a property that is located not that far from the Romford training ground, which was given the not so glamourous nick name of 'Goose Green' by a certain European footballer when he first laid eyes on the place having previously been SEDUCED by what was on show at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium.

Yesterday's defeat by Leeds did rather shine a light on the well known paucity of David Moyes' Hammers squad, a team with top for or even top six aspirations needs more than Andriy Yarmolenko and Authur Masuaku on their bench. The end of Yarmolenko's contract cannot come soon enough for many Hammers fans, with the feeling that he has 'stolen' a living for the past three and a half years.

A Jack Harrison hat-trick saw visitors Leeds United win a deserved 3-2 victory over a 'game weary' Hammers side, despite needing to replace to replace TWO of their players in the first 24 minutes. To the neutral the game had everything and would have been a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice ©, Lanzini, Fornals, Vlasic, Bowen, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Johnson, Masuaku, Alese, Fredericks, Kral, Yarmolenko, Okoflex, Perkins
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling ©️, Koch, Struijk, Firpo, Dallas, Klich, Forshaw, James, Harrison, Raphinha Subs: Klaesson (GK), Hjelde, McKinstry, Jenkins, Moore, Kenneh, Gray, Bate, Rodrigo

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.