David Moyes says that Vladimir Coufal could make his return against Brentford at the weekend - although it is less likely that Ryan Fredericks will be available for selection.
The former Fulham man has been out of contention since injuring a leg upon providing the assist which led to Manuel Lanzini's winning goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford - while Coufal was missing from the squad that faced Rapid Vienna on Thursday night.And of the two, Moyes feels the Czech defender is the more likely to pass a late fitness test - even though both could yet be passed fit. "I think Coufal has a chance," he said. "But I am not so sure about Ryan Fredericks.
"Neither are bad and not too far away so there is a chance they could both be available. Hopefully, they will both be okay."
And when asked whether the rigours of plying twice-weekly at present with Premier League fixtures sandwiched by cup games, Moyes insisted it was a problem he was delighted to have.
"We want European football," he said. "I wish it was the Champions League because it would mean we played Wednesday/Saturday but if we get Thursday/Sunday I am taking that all day long.
"We had 50,000 or more in the stadium last night [against Rapid Vienna], we won in Zagreb which is huge and we have a lot of players who have never been in European football before. I would like to be in Europe after Christmas time. That's my goal with this competition at the moment.
"[But] I can't take my eye off the ball with the Premier League. I'm doing my best to juggle the squad, give everybody minutes and trying and win the games by using as many players as I possibly can.
"The performances have been good and we've spoken about the [Premier League defeat against Manchester United] defeat after Thursday, but we missed a penalty kick in the 95th minute to get a draw and we were playing one of the best teams in the league.
"So I think there were mitigating circumstances. But winning any game gives you a great feeling of confidence and we are trying to keep a really good run going after that defeat. Overall the players have done so well, and we're loving being in European competition.
"We have got to a situation where we have great trust in the players. We saw that when we went to Old Trafford and won 1-0 in the League Cup.
"We do need to use them all because it is new to us, it's more games and it will be taxing - but we have got a pretty athletic, fit squad of players at the moment and as long as we keep them fit I am quite happy to keep rotating them and giving them all opportunities to play."
And asked what he felt had been the key to West Ham's resurrection as a force to be reckoned with, the modest Moyes claimed that he has been fortunate to experience an element of luck.
"I don’t think it is solely down to me," he replied when asked how he had changed the mentality at the club. "When we came I said I was trying to improve the club and trying to build it to its ultimate potential.
"I have been very lucky with the likes of Tomas Soucek, Jarrod Bowen and one or two others as well. I think the mentality has been changed by some of the players we brought in. The players have had to realise things are changing and you have to either get on board or choose not to.
"If you don’t, then we will move you on and find other players who will come in and join us. Overall I think there's been a massive mentality switch with the players although we will still lose games. We're going to find a time when we can’t come from behind [to win] but it won’t be for the want of trying.
"But I have to give credit to the club as well. I think the club have really tried to get behind what we are doing on the pitch and take the club forward and be positive. They're helping me behind the scenes with everything I need to do."
Yet the boss believes last season's sixth place was just the first step in establishing West Ham as a major force in the Premier League - even those he doesn't expect it to always be plain sailing, despite the team's terrific form of late and the plaudits both he and his squad have been receiving.
"With the business we are in you have to take the good with the bad," he mused. "I have had days where it has not been so good - and I have had many of those. But I want to be successful.
"I believe that we've got a [good] team and I believe I can manage at that level. So I'm driving it on and we're pushing on, we are going to go harder. We are attempting to get better all the time and we are not letting standards drop because we are doing okay.
"I want to be really positive about it. I want them to go out and attack the games and try to score, to be really positive. I think our football has greatly improved as well which I'm pleased to see."
And the arrival of former Manchester CIty scout Rob Newman - whose arrival was confirmed shortly before Moyes spoke to the media on Friday - will provide a major boost to the club's recruitment department, believes the manager.
"I'm pleased that we've got someone to help with our recruitment," he said. "It's been quite sparse over the years and we're happy to get Rob in. I knew Rob as a player as we played together and since then Rob has had his own career in management.
"Manchester City have done very well over the years and hopefully Rob can bring us some information from that. We're looking forward to getting him settled in building a good recruitment department over the years.
"I had one at Everton which I thought was very good and very thorough, so I hope I can get one as good at West Ham."
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