With Anton Ferdinand awaiting the results of tests after damaging an ankle on his competitive home debut, Paul admits: "It was a good victory, but at a price. We are keeping our fingers crossed but at the moment it is not good - we are just hoping it is as good as it can be.
"It is an understatement to say the last thing we need is injuries. Every professional at this football club got changed on Wednesday, either to play or be on the subs' bench - we are very tight for Saturday.
"That is just a problem we have got and we have to get on with it.
"I can't say who will play right-back at the weekend. We have to find one from somewhere, we haven't got another player at the club.
"Saturday is a real test. It will show us where we are actually at, and they are one of the favourites to win the league."
Regarding the unrest of the supporters about player sales over the summer, Paul adds: "I am a West Ham supporter myself. That is the situation, we have got to get on with it, and we hope at the end they support the club that they love, get behind the players that go out there on the pitch - whatever their deficiencies are - and try and support them to try and maximise our opportunities to be successful.
"All the players have exercised their right. In any transfer they have the right to say no and they have the right to go.
"It is the player's decision whether they go or not, they have made it, and each and every one has to be judged on their own merits - it is for them to decide."
As for incomings, Paul adds: "We have been trying to get someone in and we are trying today. We are desperately seeking someone."
Paul was particularly pleased with David Connolly's performance and adds: "He was excellent; he was a catalyst to our play, got us playing with superb movement, and if we can get good service to him and Jermain, they are going to cause a lot of problems.
"We are two games in, David has got three and Jermain has got two; that can only be good for the club and we have Neil Mellor as well."
Paul discounts the notion that it is 'guaranteed' Neil plays every game while on loan from Liverpool, but accepts that, along with the theory printed in one newspaper that Jermain Defoe wouldn't be picked against Rushden so as not to cup tie him in case he was sold, there are some rather inaccurate things been written about the club at the moment.
"It is all a load of rubbish," he insists. "Neil is our player for the season to use as Glenn sees fit, and he is going to be a big asset for us because he is a good player - he is keen and eager to learn the game.
"He wants to play but you can only play the 11 that are out there. He had no problem on Wednesday and he will get plenty of opportunities."
"The front two were excellent; we have worked hard on link-up play since Neil and David came and there was a good exhibition of that on Wednesday.
"Our passing was crisp but the moment Rushden got the goal back everything seemed to sap out of us."
"People will always pick holes and for the first 25 minutes I thought we looked very, very good."