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Many Hammers fans have been questioning the 'wisdom' of allowing home grown talent Oladapo Afolayan's potential move to Bolton Wanderers on loan with an option to acquire the player on a free transfer at the beginning of next season. David Moyes alluded to the issue in his most recent comments regarding Hammers strikers, or the lack of them to be more precise. His own frustration with Odubeko’s situation, which is complicated by Covid bubble arrangements, is obvious.

In order to undermine the implications of Hammers remarkable form this season, certain sections of the media have chosen to infer West Ham United would be nowhere had it not been for the 'imports' of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal from Slavia Prague.

West Ham secured another valuable win over Leeds United, but you might have been forgiven in thinking they had lost considering the reaction of manager David Moyes and his players. The Irons managed to produce a dogged performance to grind out a 2-0 win over Marcelo Bielsa’s men, and it’s that type of display that could see West Ham secure European football for next term.
Moyes Sets the Standards

Irrespective of what position West Ham United finally occupy in the Barclays Premier League, the need for an extensive re-build is acute, David Moyes began that process by ditching 'luxury players' like Felipe Anderson, who was sent on loan to Porto, and selling Sebastien Haller at a huge loss to Ajax.

The fiscal act of 'removing' the 'dead wood' from the squad is expensive, but the toxicity of the under performing players has been removed as well! Consequently David Moyes has a team that doesn't have, and will not tolerate, Prima Donnas in any way shape or form.

West Ham United's 'award' of a new 12 month contract for Mark Noble, has been seen by many fans as sentimental and not good business sense for a player who has notched up over half a thousand games for the club! Perhaps it is the previous regime's dreadful treatment of 'Sir' Bobby Moore that prompted the club to extend 'Nobes's' contract, but is more likely the fact that Mark Noble is West Ham through and through, to see him running out wearing another team's colours is almost unimaginable, and the player himself has no desire to go down that route.

Championship top three team, Watford, are mounting a serious challenge for automatic promotion straight back to the Barclays Premier League, and to that purpose they will utilise the services of Domingos Quina and Jeremy Ngakia, both youth players 'filched' by the Hornets from West Ham United.

It seems as if virtually every Hammers game of late has been a 'seminal' one, right back from the astonishing fight back from a 3-0 deficit away to Tottenham that left Jose Mourinho emotionally scarred. Having 'done the double' over Marcelo Biesla's beautiful team by winning 'ugly', David Moyes's team confirmed their place as genuine contenders for a place in European competition next season, the only question being whether it will be a champions League place, or one in the Europa League.

West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice (c), Soucek, Benrahma, Lingard, Fornals, Antonio Subs: Martin (GK), Trott (GK), Johnson, Balbuena, Noble, Lanzini, Odubeko
Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Cooper (c), Hélder Costa, Phillips, Klich, Dallas, Raphinha, Roberts, Bamford Subs: Caprile (GK), Poveda, Alioski, Rodrigo, Harrison, Davis, Beradi, Jenkins, Huggins

It is common knowledge that Leeds United's manager, Marcelo Biesla, is a stickler for his pre-planning and training specifically tailored against his team's next opponents, and apparently he has a 'cunning' plan set out in order to combat the attacking prowess of Michail Antonio, the scourge of many Barclays Premier League defenders.

Ahead of what has increasingly become an essential game against Leeds United at the London Stadium this evening, Hammers boss David Moyes shed a little light on his aspirations for this season, and the unusual scenario he and his team now face.