Welcome home Nobes

Good to hear that Mark Noble has returned to the Irons in the role of sporting director. He's sensibly taken a course at Harvard to learn more about the administrative side of the game and just his presence around the club will be a boost. He'll certainly be a good influence for the younger players and can also help first team stars adapt to the club culture — for example last year Jesse Lingard revealed that he was told not to use his mobile by Nobes when the players shared a lift as Mark wanted the squad to talk to each other. He'll also be a sympathetic ear for any players having problems and is closer to their age group. It's good to have Nobes back and this should be a beneficial move for WHU all round.

Moyes has plenty of credit in the bank

Some pretty absurd speculation in the media and among some fans about David Moyes being under pressure. They seem to be forgetting that he has saved WHU from relegation twice and has then taken the club to sixth and seventh-placed finishes and reached the club's first European semi-final since 1976. 

It's also strange to merge the results of two seasons. A slump was always expected towards the end of last season as the small squad tired and the side concentrated on Europe. What matters is this season's results, which haven't been great. But the side isn't getting tonked every week like Leicester and only an absurd VAR decision deprived WHU of a point at Chelsea. If we're still in the bottom three after ten games it will be more worrying, but home games against Wolves and Fulham are winnable. 

Yes, the effort of two near misses at the top four can be demoralising and some players have probably gone as far as they can with Moyes, and he recognised this last season, which is why he has bought in the new signings. The gaffer could certainly be more adventurous (maybe he should play Scamacca and Antonio together?) but right now he needs a bit of patience and time to get the new signings up and running.

Worrying start continues at Evertom

Everton 1 West Ham 0

This wasn't pleasant reading via text updates while on the train from Oxenholme to Euston. Those who watched it live say the Hammers didn't really get going until the last 20 minutes. Bowen had a dangerous cross well-cleared by Coady early on in a dull first half. The second half began with Bowen firing over, but then saw Maupay spin well to fire in a fine shot from the edge of the area. Kehrer should have been tighter on the former Brighton man who always scores against us.

After that the Irons were unlucky. Soucek saw a header flash across the goal-line from a West Ham corner. An excellent tackle from the Czech then released Benrahma, who beat Begovic only to strike the inside of the post. Bowen had a goalbound shot blocked and a fine tackle from Patterson denied Cornet.

So the poor league start to the season continues, though it has to be said the signings of Coady, Tarkowski, Gueye and Onana have vastly improved Big Fat Frank's Everton side. I'm not panicking yet, and we would have another point but for the world's worst VAR decision at Chelsea. Playing three of last season's top four in Man City, Spurs and Chelsea in the first seven matches hasn't helped. We've also hit the woodwork four times this season and missed a penalty, though as my pal Michael the Whovian says, "I get the feeling it's going to be an unlucky season." 

But despite several close matches there are problems in that Moyes has yet to find an effective attacking combination from Bowen, Antonio, Cornet and Scamacca while Paquetta is still adjusting to the pace of the Premier League. And we certainly should have tested Everton's reserve keeper a lot more. Though you do get the feeling that when it all clicks we might give someone a tonking. For the next game against Wolves I'd start Benrahma, Scamacca and Cornet and give the ever-reliable Craig Dawson a game at the back. The international break comes at a good time for West Ham and now is the time to regroup and bed in the new signings.

Hammers see off Silkeborg after late scare

Silkeborg 2 West Ham 3 (Europa Conference League)

Was in the Lake District for this one, but keeping up via BBC text reports. It was the worst possible start after five minutes when Kusk caught Areola and the defence out with a nifty shot from distance. The Hammers were back in it eight minutes later when Lanzini converted his penalty after Cornet was fouled in the box.

As Silkeborg tried to play it out of defence Cornet set up Scamacca for a thumping shot into the top of the net tp put the Irons ahead. When Craig Dawson's header from a corner made it 3-1 at the break the game seemed secure. A good moment for the returning Ballon D'Orson.

But Tengstedt set up a nervy finish after Bowen lost possession and Areola parried Adamsen's shot out to him. Indeed it took a great reflex save from Areola to keep it 3-2 as the Danes threatened a late equaliser. But at the whistle it was a fourth successive victory in the Conference on a tricky night and a welcome return to sporting action

Antonio sees off FCSB on strange night at London Stadium

West Ham 3 FCSB 1 (Europa Conference League) 

A strange night indeed at the London Stadium as news comes through at 6.30pm that the Queen has died. The game goes on and there's a minute's silence at the start plus a spontaneous chorus of God Save the Queen. At half-time a picture of the Queen handing Bobby Moore the World Cup trophy goes up on the big screens. It's down to diehards Fraser, Nigel and myself, as Matt and Lisa are called away to royal reporting duties.

The first-half sees lots of bouncing away fans as West Ham create chances, but Scamacca looks still not sharp after his virus and misses West Ham's best chance when set clear by Downes.The Brentwood-born youngster has a decent game and Emerson looks lively at left-back. But SCSB are dangerous on the break. After failing to score with a free header they then score with a sweeping move in the 34th minute as Cordea fires home.

In a break with precedent we stay in our seats at half-time and it seems to work, aided by Nigel's lucky banana. Moyes brings on Antonio, Bowen and Paqueta for the second half and the Irons immediately look better as Antonio troubles the injury-feigning Romanians with his pace. Bowen nets the decisive penalty after Cornet is clattered by the keeper. Paqueta starts to play some incisive trough balls and the second arrives as the progressive Emerson strokes home after Antonio forces a save. The third comes after a great turn and shot from Antonio who has his best game in ages. Fornals and Antonio could have added more goals in the end. 

A strange evening ends and we're sure the Queen would have been happy to see her beloved West Ham finally beat a Romanian side. And then a trip to Hackney Wick in the rain where Nigel meets the match day announcer on the Overground and they bond over trivia, as Nigel asks who was the West Ham legend who made his debut in the other 3-2 win over Man United? The answer is of course Bobby Moore. It looks like Sunday's game could be postponed, but after a difficult first half this was an encouraging performance in Europe.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6: Coufal 6, Ogbonna 6 (Dawson n/a), Kehrer 6, Emerson 7; Rice 7, Downes 7, Benrahma 5 (Bowen 7), Lanzini 5 (Paqueta 7); Scamacca 5 (Antonio 8), Cornet 7 (Fornals 6).

VAR trouble

Surely the solution to the ridiculous VAR decisions last weekend is easy. Refs should be trying to reward attacking play with goals rather than looking for pedantic means to disallow them. If there is any grey area at all, the benefit of the doubt should go to the team that has scored. It might also help if the people operating VAR had played the game. The referee's body the PGMOL has effectively admitted it got the Cornet 'goal' decision wrong. There was no way Jarrod Bowen's challenge was an obvious foul, he tried to avoid Mendy in what is a contact sport, though he might have looked at the keeper in a funny way. If the officials can't agree or it takes more than 30 seconds to decide then the conclusion should be that there was no offence. 

Hammers robbed of a point by VAR

Chelsea 2 West Ham 1 

Never listen to a match on the radio — the tension always seems much worse than being there. A poor first half sees West Ham comfortably contain Chelsea. The second half comes alive when Bowen's excellent volley is parried for a corner by Mendy. From that corner Rice plays the ball back into the danger area and Antonio pokes home in front of the jubilant away fans. 

But it's hard to ever feel confident at Stamford Bridge and subs Broja, Havertz and Chilwell make a difference. The equaliser comes when sub Chilwell gets a lucky bounce and swivels to shoot through Fabianski's legs from a tight angle. The keeper should have been quicker off his line to block.

Next up sub Benrahma does brilliantly with his cross to give fellow sub Cornet a free header which he puts against the post. It might as well be written that Chelsea will go down the other end and score a late winner. Chilwell gets in a cross from the left and Havertz gets across Ogbonna to score. I'm not sure Ogbonna should have been brought on against a top side when he's still getting match-fit — perhaps Zouma or Kehrer might have been a bit sharper in that situation.

But for once the Hammers seem to retrieve the game. Under pressure from Bowen, Mendy makes a hash of gathering a back-header and spills the ball to Cornet, who shoots into the roof of the net. Mendy writhes on the ground as if shot by the Grealish sniper. Enter sodding VAR which decides that Bowen's trailing foot has caught Mendy. It's the merest brush with his laces and Jarrod actually jumped over the keeper to avoid clattering him. How could both the ref Andy Madley and VAR get this wrong? Why didn't the ref stick to his decision to award a goal at the monitor? 

Moyes calls it "scandalous" and Declan Rice says it's the worst VAR decision ever. Alan Shearer is scathing on Match of the Day and says,"it's as bad a decision as you will ever see", but none of that will salvage the lost point. Infamy, infamy, they've all got in in for me.

Hammers spend big in window of opportunity

Well, it's certainly been quite a rebuilding operation with West Ham signing eight players this summer. The squad looks a lot stronger with the signing of Paquet, Emerson, Scamacca, Cornet, Areola, Downes, Kehrer and Aguerd. The players who have left were all either retiring (Noble), under-achieving (Diop) or limited at the top level (Fredericks, Yarmolemko, Kral), while the disappointing Vlasic has been loaned out along with Arthur Masuaku. Though thankfully Craig 'Ballon d'Orson' has not been sold despite late Wolves interest — he's been magnificent for us the last two seasons.

In total the Irons have spent something like £170 million and only recouped £15 million from the sale of Diop. Where the money has come from is something of a mystery, though Moyes had some cash saved down the back of the sofa from not buying a striker for 18 months. Sullivan and Gold aren't known for their lavish spending (apart from the Pellegrini splurge) so perhaps some of the cash has come from part-owner Daniel Kretinsky. 

If the signings fail or another pandemic hits you have to hope the club can take the hit, though ground capacity has increased and the club has the revenue from two European campaigns. And hopefully it's all still within UEFA Financial Fair Pay regulations, though presumably we can't keep spending at this rate. But the board have certainly shown ambition and backed Moyes, for which they deserve credit. Now we just need the signings to gel and fit into the club ethos. The players looked exhausted at the end of last season and reinforcements should freshen up the whole club.

Tottenham Hotspur — it almost happened again

West Ham 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1

My day begins with a trip from Ravenglass to Euston after a spot of Wainwright-bagging, and then it's on to the London Stadium with Fraser and Nigel, who has dumped his 'lucky' Wimbledon FC bag in favour of a lucky Copenhagen Airlines bag and an Ilulissat t-shirt. 

We get to see Euro-winning Hammer Ellen White interviewed on the pitch and then an introduction to Lucas Paquet. We're joined by Lisa, Matt and Michael, who is carrying an Anything Goes programme plus a folio of his own play, perhaps hoping that he might bump into a theatre impresario in the Billy Bonds Stand.

The game starts at a lively pace, with Perisic getting in some dangerous crosses and Fornals testing Lloris with an effort from the edge of the box. Then comes the VAR penalty controversy. Ref Stuart Atwell awards a penalty for handball against Cresswell even though the ball has been played at him from point-blank range. After an interminable VAR delay the decision is correctly overturned as the ball hit Cresswell on the head and then deflected on to his arm. 

The crowd celebrate the overturned penalty as if it's a goal and that inspires West Ham. Rice has a thumping volley punched away by Lloris. Benrahma finds Antonio, who cuts inside and curls an excellent effort against the post.

But Spurs always look threatening on the break, and when Rice advances too far and Benrahma mis-controls the attempted one-two, Spurs burst forward. The pacy Kulusevski finds the overlapping Kane who crosses low for Kehrer to poke into his own net under pressure from Son.

BOUNCING SOUCEK

The second half starts ominously as Kulevesky crosses for Son to shoot wide. But the Hammers are starting to press Spurs' defence much more effectively as Lloris is forced to kick into touch. Coufal's quick throw is controlled by Antonio who produces a great flick to Soucek. Tomas has a lot to do but controls well and fires a half volley into the net to spark pandemonium in the Bobby Moore end. That's potato salad to add to Spurs' lasagne. It's a good moment for Antonio, in for the ill Scamacca, who has played like a man fighting for his place,

The Irons sense a winner. More pressing sees Soucek get in a cross that Bowen pokes wide under pressure. Sanchez goes close with an overhead kick but the Hammers come again. Coufal is starting to rampage down the right as of old and gets in a decent cross that Fornals volleys over. It's turning into a cracking end to end game as Kane's scuffed volley is dealt with by Fabianski. 

Spurs are worried and wasting time. As Hojbjerg goes down yet again Mystic Matt suggests that, "there's little more annoying than a self-styled hard-man who spends most of their time writhing around pretending to be hurt."

Can it happen again? Soucek wins a lost ball and crosses for Bowen to shoot wide.Then Jarrod wins a tackle and races down the right wing to play in the overlapping Soucek. Tomas gets in an inviting low cross but subs Paqueta and Emerson leave it to each other. 

Right at the end the ball ricochets off Ogbonna and falls to Bowen who pokes it agonisingly across goal. The whistle blows and it's a decent point against a Spurs team likely to finish in the top four. Once Scamacca and Paqueta are fully integrated then WHU can surely have another decent season — this was certainly the best we've played so far.

We retreat to the Refreshment Rooms for Meantime ale as Nigel entertains us with interesting facts about Liechtenstein and Matt and Fraser tell us about the the times they wound up Frank Bruno. The Hammers deserved to win on chances, but this was more like the performances of a year ago. Now we just have to show Chelsea where to stick their blue flag on Saturday.

PLAYER RATINGS: Fabianski 7; Coufal 8, Zouma 8, Kehrer 6, Cresswell 6 (Ogbonna 6); Rice 8, Soucek 8, Fornals 7, Benrahma 6 (Paquet 6), Fornals 7 (Emerson n/a); Bowen 7, Antonio 8.