Who can replace Arthur?

More disastrous news on the left-back front. Aaron Cresswell is still a long way from fitness and now Arthur Masuaku is out for six weeks with the ankle injury sustained against Accrington Stanley. No idea who will replace him. Arthur might have had a 'mare at WBA but he's looked a decent buy in his other games. We could perhaps shift Byram or Arbeloa to left back, but they'd be playing on their wrong foot, while Ogbonna might be able to do a job there. Or Bilic could play three centre backs and two wing backs. Pretty worrying for Sunday as Southampton have payers like Tadic and Redmond who can do a lot of damage from the flanks. We've certainly had no luck this season, losing Cresswell, Ayew, Carroll and now Masuaku. Nurse, the screens.

Sir Trev at the Newham Bookshop

One for your your diaries… Sir Trevor Brooking will be signing copies of Andy Hooper and Lee Clayton's Farewell to Upton Park (Trev wrote the foreward) at the Newham Bookshop in Barking Road, E13, before the Southampton game on Sunday at 12.30pm. Though we'd best all avert our eyes walking past the bombed out Boleyn Ground… personally I'd much rather it was demolished in private with some dignity rather than blown up for a movie.

Payet wins it at the death

West Ham 1 Accrington Stanley 0 (EFL Cup)

It’s down to diehards Fraser, Matt and myself for this one, though the attendance of 39,877 is very respectable and is more than Upton Park could have held. It’s a squad line-up and as Matt points out there can’t have been many West Ham teams where only two players have scored for the club (Ogbonna and Feghouli have one goal each).

It’s a tepid first half as we bemoan the lack of any Pardew-esque ‘tempo’. Accrington’s fans are noisy in the away end and almost see a goal when McConville gets acres of space on the let and Randolph has to make a fine save. We’re playing four forwards who look bereft of all confidence in Feghouli, Calleri, Zaza and Tore. When Feghouli is sent clear by Fernandes he appears be held back by an invisible tractor beam and is tackled after hesitating too long.

WE'VE GOT A SUB, DIMITRI THE SUB

In the second half Bilic has to bring on a three-man team of Payet, Lanzini and Antonio. Payet and Lanzini instantly make us more creative though Antonio, on after 70 minutes, has a more frustrating game, rarely beating the defenders with his crosses. In a more central role Fenrnandes looks promising. Payet wriggles through on the left and crosses for Zaza to shoot at Parish’s legs.

“Premier League you’re having a laugh!” chant the Stanley fans. They almost nick it as McConville blasts another fine chance over the bar. Obiang has a steady game and almost scores as Parrish tips his long range effort wide.

There’s another injury worry as Masuaku is carried off on a stretcher and West Ham go down to ten men. It looks like extra time as we go into the 96^th minute. Then Zak Vyner fouls Payet on the edge of the box. The little magician steps up and places a wonderful free kick past Parish.

STICK YOUR BLUE FLAG…

Dimitri rushes into the corner celebrating like West Ham have just won the Champions League. Apparently we've got Payet. In a strange way that could be the most vital goal of the season. Going out to Accy would have really signalled an early-season crisis. We’ll take a clean sheet and a win whoever it’s against. Matt reminisces about past League Cup struggles against Southend, Aldershot and Chesterfield.

There’s no kettling with a 40,000 crowd and we escape through a ghostly Westfield to find the Tap Bar. The Number 6 Blonde is really very good, and we also try the Boleyn Bitter. Simon who sits in front of us introduces himself and recommends the craft beer at Hackney Wick — who says we’re all fighting each other?

So now it’s Chelsea at home in the next round with no police in the stadium. Now that should be interesting.

PLAYER RATINGS: Randolph 6; Arbeloa 5, Ogbonna 5, Nordtveit 6, Masuaku 5; Feghouli 4 (Payet 8), Obiang 6, Fernandes 6, Tore 4 (Lanzini 7); Calleri 4 (Antonio 5), Zaza 5.

Oxford stalls on new contract?

Rather a worrying piece in the Daily Mail, claiming that 17-year-old Reece Oxford is stalling on signing a new contract and could leave for Man United when his contract expires a the end of the season. The only reason I can think of for selling James Tomkins was to give Oxford more games, and now it could be we lose both players. West Ham fans are always slightly wary of discussing teenage potential — Stuart Slater was a future genius and Alan Dickens was billed as the next Trevor Brooking and Freddie Sears the next Tony Cottee — but Oxford's performances for England U-18s and West Ham do suggest rich promise. So let's hope the contract impasse is sorted out soon. Meanwhile if Reece is as good as everyone thinks, after eight goals conceded in two games by WHU he might be worthy of a place either in defence or midfield. Some more first team action might convince him where his future lies.

Stadium woes

The Observer used a couple of my quotes in their news piece yesterday, "How football's working-class fans were sold out for a packet of popcorn." Click on the link to read. There's abother feature on West Ham's problems with the London Stadium in the Sport section and a lotos coverage in the other p[apers — the stadium problems seem to be generating an unwarranted degree of publicity. Not sure it's as simple as a case of working-class fans being priced out, the days of local dockers walking to Green Street went in the 1970s and the new stadium offers kids' tickets for £99. But there is something in the fact West Ham fans have never been as docile as some other fans.

There have been some scuffles and no-one wants to see children in tears — but let's remember there were many more children in tears during the hooligan heyday of the 1980s. If the problems are still there after this season it really will be worrying, but at the moment it's a learning process for club and fans and we should be aware that in the social media age every fracas is filmed and everything seems to create more sound and fury that it merits. Stewarding needs to improve, we need the police in the stadium, families need to sit together and stewards perhaps turn a blind eye to standing among the singing fans. But it should all be solvable.

More defensive howlers cost Hammers

West Brom 4 West Ham 2

Another shocker at the Hawthorns as we become the first team since the dawn of time to concede four to a Tony Pulis side. More comment to come after the application of smelling salts…

Having watched Match of the Day, we conceded four terrible goals. The penalty was a crazy hand ball from Masuaku and for the second Ogbonna should have hit row Z, while Kouyate and Collins didn't get tight enough on their men. Masuaku lost his man for the third and the fourth was ridiculous with ten men up for a corner allowing an easy breakaway. At least we showed a little spirit to pull back two goals and Payet hit the angle with a brilliant free kick, while Collins also went close. But it was very worrying defensively. If we play like this we'll be in a relegation fight.

We shouldn't be losing games where we have 71 per cent possession and 23 shots (though only five on target). Antonio is the joint top scorer in the Premier League but it's all undone by our defensive woes and lack of protection in midfield. Noble was hauled off at half-time and Kouyate hasn't matched last season's standards. Surely Obiang deserves a game in front of the back four? Byram and Reid missed the game, apparently with knocks. Nortdveit doesn't look the answer at right back and we still badly miss Aaron Cresswell. Winston Reid will surely come back in and Arbeloa, Oxford and Randolph might also be in contention after the last two weeks. We have to find a way of stopping the goals against us and no-one should be undroppable.

Reasons to be cheerful?

After a testing week perhaps it's time to be positive. Slowly West Ham are getting their strongest side on the pitch and for 40 minutes we played some great stuff against Watford. Payet and Lanzini will be getting fitter and Zaza is a quality striker who will improve once he's bedded in. Though that's only of use if we can get our hunger back. 

The capitulation against Watford reminded me of the way the side fell apart against Swansea at the end of last season. We forgot to do the basics, or as Slaven says in tonight's Evening Standard, we forgot about "playing all the time like it is the last minute of the final game of your life."

It's surely time to bring Ogbonna back into defence, while Byram's confidence looks shot at right-back. He's backing off attackers and making basic errors, though he hasn't been helped by the more experienced players around him. Arbeloa is earmarked to make his debut against Accrington Stanley and when fit will surely get a run at right-back, though Byram is still one for the future.

Ironically, what we need at West Brom tomorrow is a Big Sam-style performance, winning the percentages against Pulis's men and sneaking a 0-0 or 1-0. Bilic expects a "big-time" response and let's hope we get one.