Tomas treble

Great to see that Tomas Soucek scored a hat-trick for the Czech Republic in their 6-2 victory over Estonia last night. Though part of me wants Tomas to remain under the radar lest the galactico clubs get too interested. Soucek and Rice are vital to West Ham's ambitions and what a great boost it would be if we could offer them European football next season. Potato salad all round!

RIP: Frank Worthingtron

Sad to hear of the death of Frank Worthington. Some of my earliest memories of West Ham include the North Bank chanting: "Oh Wanky Wanky Wanky, Wanky Wanky Wanky Worthington!" at Frankie. It was a mark of respect, in a ribald way. In that 1974 game Worthington scored twice for Leicester in a 6-2 defeat. After going a goal down to Worthington's penalty, the Hammers went 6-1 up before Worthington scored a late consolation. Bobby Gould finally came good for the Irons scoring a brace, new signing Billy Jennings got two and Billy Bonds and Keith Robson also scored in a marvellous match. That West Ham side went on to win the FA Cup in 1975. 

Always thought Worthington was the sort of flair player who would have fitted in well at West Ham, and there was more than a hint of Frank McAvennie-style roguery about him. He famously failed a medical at Liverpool after apparently indulging in too much sexual healing in Marbella, resulting in high blood pressure. There's no disputing he loved the game though and he went on to play until he was 38. Another maverick gone from the Seventies generation that gave us the likes of Tony Currie, Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles, Charlie George, Alan Hudson, et al. 

Hammers let three-goal lead slip in thrilling derby

West Ham 3 Arsenal 3

Quite an afternoon at the London Stadium. Moyes has picked a much more attacking line-up with Benrahma and Lingard recalled and the first 30 minutes is thrilling. It's the perfect start after 15 minutes. With Arsenal off the pace. Antonio races down the left to pull back for Lingard on the edge of the box. Jesse controls with one deft touch and then fires a sumptuous half-volley into the top corner. A great goal from a player now exuding confidence. 

Two minutes later a quick free kick from Lingard finds the Arsenal defence sleeping and Bowen fires home through Leno. Unbelievably it's three after 32 minutes as Coufal crosses and Antonio rises above the Arsenal defence to head for goal. It takes a nick off Soucek and after a strange non-celebration as the players wait for VAR to adjudicate it emerges that Soucek is onside and we're three goals up. Daughter Lola and myself can't believe the TV screen.

NO DOUBTING TOMAS

Where the game turns is Arsenal pulling a goal back before half-time. Lacazette turns well to shoot but his shot is going wide until it takes a deflection off Soucek's block. There are further warnings as Fabianski saves well from Saka and then the Arsenal man has a shot deflected just wide. But we'll take 3-1 at the break.

Ominously Arsenal almost score at the start of the second half as Diop has to make an acrobatic clearance off the line from Lacazette. Soon it's 3-2. With Bowen claiming a free-kick, Match of the Day 2 highlights the fact that Benrahma doesn't track Chambers' run and the right-back crosses hard and low, forcing Dawson to shoot into his own net. On other days it might have gone past the post, but here Craig has got his angles all wrong.

ANTONIO WOE

At 3-2 the Hammers are unlucky not get a fourth. Antonio flicks on to Bowen who has a goalbound shot blocked by Tierney and Lingard opts to try and find Benrahma when he could surely have gone for goal. There's also frustration as the ref hauls back play for a free kick when Lingard is through on goal. 

The key moment comes when Benrahma makes a brilliant dash though the area to pull back across goal for Antonio to hit the post when he should have scored. Antonio pounds his fists in frustration. Great play from Benrahma though, at his best he can do stuff other players can't.

At the other end Odegaard is finding pockets of space behind the strikers and orchestrating the Arsenal pressure. The problems are coming from West Ham's left flank, though bringing on Noble and Fredericks doesn't address this. In contrast Arsenal are able to bring on the £70m Pepe and the promising Smith-Rowe.

KICKED UP THE ARSENAL

Sure enough, on 82 minutes Pepe manages to get in a great cross and Lacazette heads home having got between Dawson and Diop. 

We'd be grateful for a point at this stage as Fabianski has to tip away another dangerous Chambers cross and save from Pepe. But then Declan Rice makes a sensational run from outside his own to box to race through the Arsenal midfield and shoot against Leno. That would have been a fantastic winner. Finally it ends 3-3.

"Hugely enjoyable for neutrals, horrible for us," sums ups The Gav on Whats App. It's deeply disappointing, but perhaps Moyes is right when he says it's still a good point against a good side who normally beat WHU. We're still fifth in the league with nine games to go despite working with one striker and a very thin squad. 

The international break has come at a good time. With Ogbonna and Masuaku close to fitness that would certainly give Moyes more options at the back and the hard-working Fornals should also return. It's still progress to be really upset at not beating Arsenal and if nothing else it was a massively entertaining game. 

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Coufal 7, Diop 6, Dawson 5, Cresswell 6; Lingard 8, Rice 7, Soucek 7, Benrahma 6 (Fredericks 5); Bowen 6 (Noble 5), Antonio 7.

Fornals was missed against United

Quite a few fans have pointed out that we missed the energy of Pablo Fornals against Man United, although the defeat and lack of shots was largely due to Moyes' ultra-defensive approach. A lot of what Fornals does in a game is one-touch quick passes and is easily missed. He always works incredibly hard and although his finishing is still not great, he's an underrated player who is appreciated more when he's missing.  

And judging by his recent interview in the Evening Standard Pablo comes across as a humble player who is also learning some rhyming slang to fit in to the East End of Essex. Fans have compared him to Ron 'Ticker' Boyce, Graham Paddon and Geoff Pike as one of those unsung midfield players who helps knit the side together.

As for Said Benrahma, he's getting some flak but I still think he brings something different to the side and should have started at Old Trafford. Once he scores he'll probably get several and let's remember he's already contributed several assists and linked up well with Lingard. His time will surely come.

A timid defeat at United

Man United 1 West Ham 0

Every West Ham fan must have felt depressed an hour before kick-off reading the team line-up. For all the brave talk of challenging the top four Moyes reverted to a defensive line-up and trying to sneak a point. Five at the back can be attacking if the full-backs get forward but Mark Noble can only play if he replaces Rice or Soucek. The combination of Rice, Soucek and Noble leaves the side massively lacking in creativity. It didn't work against Chelsea or Brighton and it didn't work here. What are the coaches at West Ham doing? Surely they should be asking of Moyes: "Do you think that's awfully wise, Captain?"

The spoiling tactics worked in the first half, though West Ham did not have a shot on target. United, who played on Thursday in Europe, couldn't bypass West Ham's block and their best effort saw a Greenwood effort brilliantly turned on to the post by Fabianski.

But with no Benrahma or Lanzini in the team to provide an attacking outlet the relentless United pressure was always going to tell. Disappointingly the goal came from a corner with Dawson heading into his own net after seeing the ball late and getting a nudge from Maguire. 

Moyes brought on Benrahma and Lanzini for Noble and Johnson but it was too late. The Hammers improved, but too often the cross into the box was poor. United almost scored a second when Greenwood fired against the post. The result was never really in doubt and no shots on target in the game was embarrassing. 

The ineligible Lingard and the injured Fornals were both missed, but Moyes is showing too much respect to the big name clubs. Yes, United scored nine against Southampton, and we kept them down to one, but a side going for the top four should have shown much more ambition. Great progress has been made this season but Moyes and the players have to do much better against Arsenal.

He's West Ham through and through

"He's only 17, he's better than Roy Keane!" I can still remember the chants from the Bobby Moore Stand when Mark Noble first came into the West Ham side during a 2-2 draw with Leicester in 2005 (He'd made his debut in a League Cup tie at home to Southend). It's a good decision from Noble to finish at the end of next season and say goodbye to the fans when they are hopefully back in the stadiums. Although he's unlikely to displace Rice or Soucek, Mark will still be an influence as a sub and around the squad. 

Lots of memories of his career, though games that stand out include a fine volleyed goal against Bolton during the Great Escape of 2007, a real captain's performance in a 2-0 win at Cardiff under Big Sam, a long-range goal at Leicester that secured survival under Moyes the first time and, of course, Mark acting as a substitute steward during the pitch invasions against Burnley. Even last season he was playing a vital role in the 4-0 win at Norwich. 

Noble's managed to win a place under Alan Pardew, Alan Curbishley, Gianfranco Zola, Avram Grant, Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic, Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes, which reveals a lot about the man. A great West Ham servant and perhaps we might even win a trophy for him next season.

Hammers keep up the pressure on the top four

West Ham 2 Leeds United 0

It's a poor start from West Ham after a nine-day rest. Leeds begin strongly and after some poor defending Roberts has the ball in the net early on only to be disallowed for a very marginal offside. Bamford nets again a minute later though this time the ball has clearly gone out of play before it was crossed.

Thanks to some fine retrievals by captain Declan Rice the Hammers slowly get into the game. After 21 minutes Benrahma plays a one-two with Lingard and as Jesse accelerates into the box he's felled by the failing Ayling. Always said. Mike Dean was a great ref and he points to the spot. Strangely it's Lingard who takes the kick, despite Rice's success against Sheffield United. It's a poor penalty but luckily Meslier parries it straight out to Lingard who nets a goal from open play.

EARLY DAWSON

Seven minutes later the Hammers get a corner, a good sign as we know Leeds are suspect at set-pieces. Antonio does a Kevin Nolan and stands on the keeper's toes, Cresswell plays in a fine corner and Craig Dawson makes the ball his to score with a diving header. His fourth goal for the Hammers in 11 games and what a loan signing he's proving to be.

Dawson then hits the post with another header from a corner and the Hammers go in two-up at the break. Strangely we all resist the urge to switch over and watch Meghan and Harry on ITV.

To give Leeds credit they really give it a go in the second half. Fabianski has to make a superb save to tip over Raphina's deflected overhead kick. Bamford then slices just wide after getting behind the West Ham centre backs.

At the other end Fornals fires a great half-volley on to the bar and then Benrahma produces a low save from Meslier. Matt wonders on WhatsApp if Benrahma will ever score for the Hammers. He looks classy with the way he glides past players and has had a good game.Perhaps when that first goal comes he'll get a hatful.

WASTEFUL LEEDS

Leeds best chance arrives when Raphina pulls back for Bamford to slice hopelessly over. It's certainly been an entertaining, open game. Dawson has to clear off the line and the Watford loanee is again immense at he back as the Irons prove their resilience.

Over in Clacton, Alison has noted a resemblance between Bielsa and Jack Duckworth. Is it wise for a man of his age to spend so long squatting? Bowen comes on to see the game out. The forward players haven't really got going, but there have been several plusses apart from Dawson's performance. Diop has been proactive in winning challenges, Cresswell has had a fine game and Rice has had a fine game in midfield. Somehow the Irons have managed to become capable of winning when not playing well.

It's left to Declan Rice to give the best interview of the night. We move up to fifth with 11 games to go. Will it be a good season or a great one? It's in the players' hands now with vital games against Man United and Arsenal ahead, plus Chelsea to visit the London Stadium and five of the lower sides left to play. Irons!

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Coufal 6, Diop 7, Dawson 9, Cresswell 8; Fornals 6, Rice 8, Soucek 6, Benrahma 7 (Bowen 6), Lingard 7 (Johnson n/a); Antonio 6.

A year ago we saw football

A year ago was my last live football match, watching West Ham lose, very unluckily, 1-0 at Arsenal. Jeremy Ngakia was at right back, Sebastien Haller was up front and Antonio missed three golden chances — he was clearly never going to make it as a striker. Arsenal's winner was disallowed but then allowed by VAR. It looked likely that West Ham would go down back then. We drank in a pre-match pub with impunity and Nigel and his mate came over afterwards for a cup of tea afterwards. Strange times. A year on there might be no fans but at least order as been restored and we're above the north London Librarians, while Liverpool have just lost six home games in a row. Great progress has been made by Moyes and his men and we might even get to see the Irons in the flesh by next season.