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The footballing year 2015/16 was a watershed twelve months for the Premier League, a year that represented the final moments of the title deadlock held by Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City since Arsenal lifted the cup in 2003/04. That’s twelve seasons with just three teams in the running for the title. The sudden challenge and eventual victory of Leicester City the following year is something now firmly etched in football legend.

On the overground once it had picked up the Tottingham contingent, a group of their fans enjoyed 'rioutsly' singing their mainly borrowed songs. However one of their 'originals' was interesting in that they were singing how much they hate Man City, Liverpool AND West Ham!

West Ham: Fabiański, Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Bowen, Benrahma, Fornals, Antonio
Subs: Areola (GK), Ashby, Masuaku, Dawson, Diop, Noble, Lanzini, Vlašić, Yarmolenko

Tottenham: Lloris, Emerson Royal, Dier, Romero, Reguilón, Højbjerg, Skipp, Lucas Moura, Ndombele, Son, Kane
Subs: Gollini (GK), Tanganga, Davies, Sánchez, Rodon, Alli, Lo Celso, Bergwijn, Gil

Statistics are always subject to interpretation and in West Ham's case they are indeed confusing when examined. David Moyes side currently have the best joint away record in the Barclays Premier League, have won all their Europa League games handsomely and top their group, but the elephant in the room is the team's home form in the League.

Last night's comprehensive UEFA Europa League cup victory over Genk gave fans a further glimpse of two thirds of West Ham's back line French triumvirate that could be in place for years to come, as Alphonse Areola kept a clean sheet behind a defence superbly marshalled by Issa Diop, and 'Les' Dawson. Diop is now showing signs that he is rekindling the stunning form he showed when he first arrived at the London Bowl!

West Ham: Areola, Johnson, Dawson, Diop, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Vlašić, Bowen
Subs: Fabianski, Randolph, Fredericks, Ashby, Masuaku, Zouma, Ogbonna, Noble, Fornals, Chesters, Benrahma

Genk: Vandevoordt, Preciado, Cuesta, Lucumi, Arteaga, Heynen (c), Thorstvedt, Hrosovsky, Ito, Bongonda, Onuachu
Subs: Chambaere (GK), Leysen (GK), McKenzie, Sadick, Tresor, Toma, Geusens, Eiting, Ugbo, Oyen, Paintsil, Nemeth

The valuation of professional football players has always been a bit of a mystery, none more so than in the case of West Ham's Michail Antonio. According to transfer market Antonio is valued at £10.8 Million, at that price Hammers should snap him up!

Hammers fans have historically dreamt of having the sort of 'fixture congestion issues' that now face the club, not since the halcyon days of 1964-1966 has the club been actively pursuing success on FOUR different fronts! Of course with achievement comes responsibility, that particular burden rests on the shoulders of David Moyes who, much like the club, is enjoying an invigorating renaissance at the London Bowl despite operating with a metaphorical hand tied behind his back due to the chronic lack of funding at his disposal.

Crowded Schedule?

Andriy Yarmolenko cost Hammers £17.5 Million when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, he was given an astonishing four year contract at an eye watering £115,000 PER WEEK! What is truly amazing is that Yarmo already had a poor fitness record when he was signed, a fact that manifested itself only too quickly as the 'striker' was sidelined with an Achilles injury almost as soon as he arrived at the club.

The news regarding Vladimir Coufal's injury is bad news for David Moyes, He is quoted as saying: “Vladimir has taken an injection, he had a bit of discomfort in his pubis. He has had an injection in there, he got the injury in the Man United cup game, and he has been carrying it for a few weeks.”