Forum | General Discussion

West Ham United
13 Adrián 18 Jenkinson 19 Collins 32 Burke 03 Cresswell 04 Nolan 16 Noble 08 Kouyaté 21 Amalfitano 31 E Valencia 11 Downing
Substitutes: 07 Jarvis 12 de Carvalho 17 O'Brien 22 Jääskeläinen 24 Cole 30 Song 35 Oxford
Burnley: Heaton 01, Arfield 37, Ings, Trippier 02, Jones 14, Shackell 05 (c), Barnes 30, Mee 06, Boyd 21, Taylor 15, Duff 04
Subs: Gilks 22, Wallace 07, Kightly 11, Sordell 17, Reid 18, Jutkiewicz 19, Keane 25

The outcome of this weekend's Barclays Premier League clash between West Ham and Burnley will have repercussions on many different levels, the visitors are fighting to survive in the top flight, the home side not. However, West Ham still have a chance of grabbing a European spot, pre-christmas form would have seen the club automatically qualify for the Europa League but the recent dramatic dip in form has ruined that gateway. Enter the rather perplexing fair play award, for a Sam Allardyce team supposedly built around physicality and pressing football, Hammers are an unlikely top of the current fair play league, which would see the club qualify for Europe, the team directly below are Saturday's visitors Burnley.
Conspiracy theorists could have a field day here, along with the bookies. Burnley need to survive, West Ham want to enter the Europa League, what result would suit both teams best? Obviously West Ham fans want a victory and Europe, but what if the visitors earned the victory but had several bookings and a player sent off? Paradoxically Burnley could live to fight another day and West Ham could be almost assured of reaching Europe by denying Burnley the top fair play slot.
Either way this is going to be a tough fixture for 'under fire' Big Sam, surely he won't try to park the bus against the bottom side of the Premiership, the natives are already restless and a negative approach might just be too much for fans who have seen the scintillating attacking football of the early season be replaced by donkey to cart horse hoof ball.
Allardyce has stated the need to "keep a clean sheet" against Burnley, Is this all part of a 'cunning plan', and if so, by whom for what? -Ed

West Ham have announced earlier today that Umbro will produce the clubs kit from next season onwards after they signed a five-year deal with the manufacturer. According to various sources the deal is said to be worth £20m over 5 years, netting the club a tidy £4m a year. Umbro has had a long-standing association with the club, having produced the club’s first ever replica kits sold to supporters during the 1960s and were West Ham’s official kit suppliers between 2007-2010.
What do you think of the deal? And will you be buying a new Umbro kit to commemorate the final season at Upton Park?