Glenn Roeder insists that the goals will start to come - though he
is not sure who will grab the first!
With the Hammers keeping things tight at the back in the last three games, the focus is on the forward line and the need to grab the first goal of the season in open play.
But with doubts over Fredi Kanoute and Paolo Di Canio that will not be resolved until nearer the game, it remains to be seen if Glenn Roeder will have the opportunity to blood his two favourite forwards.
On the plus side, Paul Kitson's midweek hat trick in a reserve friendly has served as a timely reminder that he is fit and well again.
If either Fredi or Paolo don't make the starting line up, Paul may well be in for a first start of the season.
But, with Joe Cole likely to return, there is also the option of Don Hutchison moving from midfield to up front if need be.
But the fact is, Glenn will not be able to make any decisions on his forward line until the eleventh hour, and he explains:
"At the moment I want to keep my cards close to my chest; it goes without saying that Fredi would be my greatest concern about making Middlesbrough.
"If he doesn't I'd be fairly confident about him making the Newcastle game the following Sunday.
"We will be looking at the fitness of certain players on Friday.
"We will be taking a fair sized squad up to Middlesbrough; I'm sure Nigel Winterburn will be OK and I would expect Joe Cole to be as well."
Of course the focus of a lot of this week's attention, Jermain Defoe, would love his first Premiership start to right the wrongs of Tuesday, and Glenn says:
"I'm very disappointed to go out of the competition in the first round we entered, but I am certainly not laying any blame at Scott Minto's feet or Jermain Defoe's.
"It was up to us to have won the game in 90 minutes, and if not, extra time.
"But it just shows you that these games can be difficult, as Everton and Sunderland found out last night.
"It was our own fault that in the opening 20 minutes when we were on top and creating chances we didn't stick any away.
"I think personally if we had taken the lead there wouldn't have been any way back for Reading, but we didn't, and they grew in confidence to give us a difficult game.
"Without Fredi and Paolo it gave an opportunity to Jermain and Todorov, and shows again when Fredi Kanoute is not fit and we haven't got Paolo Di Canio there, apart from Paul Kitson who is a senior player, those boys are lacking in experience - and it shows you we are short in that department as well.
"But I am not going to be able to plug all the areas of the team this year, and that is why it is vitally important that our main two strikers stay fit and well."
And he says that fans may now believe what Glenn said at the start of the season - that Jermain still has a lot to learn.
"People get carried away with what they read in the newspapers and get carried away with what they think they are seeing.
"If we are patient, and we nurture Jermain in the right way, I am sure he will score many goals in the Premiership.
"But he is not quite there; physically he is not fully developed yet.
"That doesn't mean he won't have one or two starts in the Premiership - I'm sure he will.
"But he is not ready to play week in week out, and probably won't be for another 12-18 months.
"What we mustn't do is push him in too soon where it has an adverse effect on his confidence; I wouldn't want to do that, and I won't do that.
"After a very bright opening 20 minutes at Reading where he could have scored a couple of goals the game became quite difficult for him.
"It wasn't to be with the penalty and we certainly don't hold him responsible.
"He has got to enjoy the experience he is having at the moment, not get his head down if things don't go how they want him to.
"This Premiership is much much higher than the level he was scoring goals in at Bournemouth in the second division."
Glenn - no stranger to consoling players after penalty misses - says that he had a brief chat with Jermain after the game, adding:
"I had a word with him afterwards when we got down into the dressing room, but I have learnt quickly that words mean very little in that situation and players are best to be left on their own.
"There are some very big names that have missed penalties in major competitions down the years at vital times."
Glenn also admits that Svetoslav Todorov is still adapting to life in England, and explains:
"I think he was himself a little bit disappointed with his performance when I spoke to him the next day.
"I think he needs to become more energetic and we will work on that in the coming weeks and we will see more energy and more enthusiasm from him because he is a talented player.
"I felt it was the right time to introduce Richard Garcia and I wasn't disappointed with what he had to offer.
"I have to say I think Todorov could have given us more."
He feels that Richard Garcia, who made his debut on Tuesday, has the ability to come through, and adds:
"Richard Garcia did well when he came on and he is one of those young players, who, if we stick with him and work hard with him in training, we can improve his game.
"He is very athletic and has got a terrific attitude; maybe in a year's time he will surprise all of us and come up to the standard we are looking for.
"But it was nice to blood him and he didn't let anyone down."
Glenn is aware that Paul Kitson is knocking on the door again after his comeback game midweek, and says:
"I went to Rushden to watch the game with Paul Goddard and I was pleased to see him knock a few goals in.
"Considering how much interruption he has had he looked fit and worked very hard.
"He got his rewards against a team that in the first half was full of effort and endeavour, and made life as difficult as they could for us.
"So he could well be travelling with us on Friday."
But whoever he selects, Glenn is hoping that they can do what strikers are paid to do - score goals.
"It is obviously a little bit of a concern that we have played a number of games now where we haven't scored in open play," he admits.
"But we mustn't let this become a mental block and believe we are not going to score when we play in the game.
"We have got to have bigger belief that when the chances come, we are going to have more of a killer instinct and tuck them away.
"There is no point worrying about it; players don't miss on purpose.
"I don't want any mental block appearing with the players.
"All we can do is keep working on finishing in training and we have certainly put more emphasis on that.
"We will just try to remind the players of not turning down shooting opportunities in and around the box."
With the Hammers keeping things tight at the back in the last three games, the focus is on the forward line and the need to grab the first goal of the season in open play.
But with doubts over Fredi Kanoute and Paolo Di Canio that will not be resolved until nearer the game, it remains to be seen if Glenn Roeder will have the opportunity to blood his two favourite forwards.
On the plus side, Paul Kitson's midweek hat trick in a reserve friendly has served as a timely reminder that he is fit and well again.
If either Fredi or Paolo don't make the starting line up, Paul may well be in for a first start of the season.
But, with Joe Cole likely to return, there is also the option of Don Hutchison moving from midfield to up front if need be.
But the fact is, Glenn will not be able to make any decisions on his forward line until the eleventh hour, and he explains:
"At the moment I want to keep my cards close to my chest; it goes without saying that Fredi would be my greatest concern about making Middlesbrough.
"If he doesn't I'd be fairly confident about him making the Newcastle game the following Sunday.
"We will be looking at the fitness of certain players on Friday.
"We will be taking a fair sized squad up to Middlesbrough; I'm sure Nigel Winterburn will be OK and I would expect Joe Cole to be as well."
Of course the focus of a lot of this week's attention, Jermain Defoe, would love his first Premiership start to right the wrongs of Tuesday, and Glenn says:
"I'm very disappointed to go out of the competition in the first round we entered, but I am certainly not laying any blame at Scott Minto's feet or Jermain Defoe's.
"It was up to us to have won the game in 90 minutes, and if not, extra time.
"But it just shows you that these games can be difficult, as Everton and Sunderland found out last night.
"It was our own fault that in the opening 20 minutes when we were on top and creating chances we didn't stick any away.
"I think personally if we had taken the lead there wouldn't have been any way back for Reading, but we didn't, and they grew in confidence to give us a difficult game.
"Without Fredi and Paolo it gave an opportunity to Jermain and Todorov, and shows again when Fredi Kanoute is not fit and we haven't got Paolo Di Canio there, apart from Paul Kitson who is a senior player, those boys are lacking in experience - and it shows you we are short in that department as well.
"But I am not going to be able to plug all the areas of the team this year, and that is why it is vitally important that our main two strikers stay fit and well."
And he says that fans may now believe what Glenn said at the start of the season - that Jermain still has a lot to learn.
"People get carried away with what they read in the newspapers and get carried away with what they think they are seeing.
"If we are patient, and we nurture Jermain in the right way, I am sure he will score many goals in the Premiership.
"But he is not quite there; physically he is not fully developed yet.
"That doesn't mean he won't have one or two starts in the Premiership - I'm sure he will.
"But he is not ready to play week in week out, and probably won't be for another 12-18 months.
"What we mustn't do is push him in too soon where it has an adverse effect on his confidence; I wouldn't want to do that, and I won't do that.
"After a very bright opening 20 minutes at Reading where he could have scored a couple of goals the game became quite difficult for him.
"It wasn't to be with the penalty and we certainly don't hold him responsible.
"He has got to enjoy the experience he is having at the moment, not get his head down if things don't go how they want him to.
"This Premiership is much much higher than the level he was scoring goals in at Bournemouth in the second division."
Glenn - no stranger to consoling players after penalty misses - says that he had a brief chat with Jermain after the game, adding:
"I had a word with him afterwards when we got down into the dressing room, but I have learnt quickly that words mean very little in that situation and players are best to be left on their own.
"There are some very big names that have missed penalties in major competitions down the years at vital times."
Glenn also admits that Svetoslav Todorov is still adapting to life in England, and explains:
"I think he was himself a little bit disappointed with his performance when I spoke to him the next day.
"I think he needs to become more energetic and we will work on that in the coming weeks and we will see more energy and more enthusiasm from him because he is a talented player.
"I felt it was the right time to introduce Richard Garcia and I wasn't disappointed with what he had to offer.
"I have to say I think Todorov could have given us more."
He feels that Richard Garcia, who made his debut on Tuesday, has the ability to come through, and adds:
"Richard Garcia did well when he came on and he is one of those young players, who, if we stick with him and work hard with him in training, we can improve his game.
"He is very athletic and has got a terrific attitude; maybe in a year's time he will surprise all of us and come up to the standard we are looking for.
"But it was nice to blood him and he didn't let anyone down."
Glenn is aware that Paul Kitson is knocking on the door again after his comeback game midweek, and says:
"I went to Rushden to watch the game with Paul Goddard and I was pleased to see him knock a few goals in.
"Considering how much interruption he has had he looked fit and worked very hard.
"He got his rewards against a team that in the first half was full of effort and endeavour, and made life as difficult as they could for us.
"So he could well be travelling with us on Friday."
But whoever he selects, Glenn is hoping that they can do what strikers are paid to do - score goals.
"It is obviously a little bit of a concern that we have played a number of games now where we haven't scored in open play," he admits.
"But we mustn't let this become a mental block and believe we are not going to score when we play in the game.
"We have got to have bigger belief that when the chances come, we are going to have more of a killer instinct and tuck them away.
"There is no point worrying about it; players don't miss on purpose.
"I don't want any mental block appearing with the players.
"All we can do is keep working on finishing in training and we have certainly put more emphasis on that.
"We will just try to remind the players of not turning down shooting opportunities in and around the box."