Tottenham: Lloris (c), Romero, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Betancur, Højbjerg, Reguilón, Kulusevski, Son, Kane Subs: Gollini (GK), Sánchez, Royal, Rodon, Winks, White, Bergwijn, Lucas Moura, Scarlett
West Ham: Fabiański, Johnson, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Masuaku, Souček, Rice (c), Lanzini, Benrahma, Antonio Subs: Areola, Fredericks, Diop, Noble, Král, Fornals, Vlašić, Yarmolenko, Perkins
Make no mistake, this Sunday's clash between East and North London is a whole lot more than a London Derby and it's commensurate bragging rights for a few days, the game's hosts Tottenham will be desperate to get a result because their entire season has essentially fizzled out from a competition winning point of view, the best they can hope for is qualifying for the Champions or Europa League Cup competitions via their final Premier League points tally.
Whereas West Ham go into the game fresh from winning their place in the 1/4 finals of the Europa League Cup at the expense of serial winners Sevilla, admittedly the 120 minutes of frenetic football played against the La Liga title chasers is bound to take it's toll on David Moyes' players, but the game would have had a far more debilitating effect if they had lost!
Moyes admits he has "run the players into the ground" but it is what he expects, those who are not prepared to put in the hard yards soon find themselves ostracised and looking elsewhere for their next club. At least the players know that there is a pretty good chance of being selected, if they are fit enough to play! The problem, as has been mentioned on numerous occasions, is that Moyes has NO options that he can suddenly utilise to alter the outcome of games, he has been LUCKY in the last two matches to have had a pumped up Andriy Yarmolenko to call on, but suggestions that Moyes might give the Ukraine captain a start against Tottingham are wide of the mark.
The games have come thick and fast for West Ham, coping with playing on Thursday and Sunday as well as competing domestically on three fronts has been a massive challenge, one which by and large the club has successfully navigated, some say more by luck than judgement.
It is asking an awful lot of the players to 'give it a go' this afternoon, but facing a club with which there is so much enmity among supporters is probably the best of a bad situation, the players WILL definitely be up for it, whether their bodies are is another matter entirely! -LN
Andriy Yarmolenko's heroic exploits of the last fortnight go some way to show how important the game of football can be through entire countries and communities, his home country Ukraine is still under remorseless assault by Mad Monk Putin's overwhelming but under performing military, football has now become a forgotten pleasure.
The fact that Yarmo was able to return with such strength from the leave of absence granted by the club in order for him to organise the expatriation of his family is testament to the player's fortitude, for which he will never be forgotten. 'Elite' Football at the highest level is a business though, a cut throat one at that, so when it comes to the question of Yarmolenko's contract winding down at West Ham, there is a definite need to separate the emotional from the practical.
Despite scoring not one but TWO vital goals for the club in the absence of Jarrod Bowen, Yarmo is NOT a Premier League player, he lacks the pace required to cope with the frenetic activity that makes the EPL the most viewed and hallowed League in World football.
Financially, signing Yarmo WAS AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER, it wasn't his fault the club handed him a ludicrous £115,000 per week four year deal despite him having previous injury issues, after all he didn't snap his Achilles for fun did he? With Yarmo it was always a question of square peg and round hole, he just didn't fit but that is not to say he couldn't flourish in a slower paced league like Serie A for example.
We wish Yarmo all the very best for the future, but we also wish West Ham all the very best for the future and as such retaining Yarmolenko's services would be a very wrong move for the club. - Ed
The old expression "you had to have been there" in order to have experienced a tumultuous game of football is an extremely hackneyed usage of the English language and a classic example of lazy journalism, which as you know is something we give short shrift to at the Org.
However in the case of Hammers 'famous' victory over serial Europa League Cup winners Sevilla, you would HAVE to have really been there in order to know the game felt judging by the lack of column inches the match received! Everton's victory over Newcastle was deemed far more important than Hammers reaching the 1/4 finals of the Europa League and in the course of doing so managed to knock out the competitions favourites.
Perhaps it is 'Murky Murdoch' trying to muddy the waters because BT Sport have got ALL the European Cup competitions' action, after all News International and Sky are a multi headed beast so it is quite likely that Hammers have become persona(s) non grata with a large section of the media, especially since they burned their bridges during 'Kitty Gate'.
Even the BT commentators, including a scouser? Were hardly gushing in their enthusiasm, preferring to point out how under strength the visitors to the Stratford Stadium were, as opposed to how GOOD David Moyes' team were. They would have criticised the atmosphere if they could have got away with it, and if the noise hadn't been deafening!
At least the Press gave Leeds a good review for their 3-2 victory over Hammers top six spot competitors Wolves, now when was the last time Leeds came from behind away from home to eventually win 3-2? - LN
What a save i mean it was one helluva save by Areola last night the sort of save that can make you a legend......from Parkes heroics in the 3rd round of the FA cup against an unbelievable WBA side when he got marked 10 out of 10 to Ludos one man stand to stop Manure winning the title to Adrians penalty shootout moment against Everton they more than make up for the Allen Mcknightmare/Roberto moments we have suffered....i know there are many more but age dims the old grey matter somewhat so please feel free to add your GK memories COYI
So after last nights magnificent effort by us to overturn a first leg deficit and win a tie few outside of West Ham supporters thought we could win how would the media react?? oh lets see Evertons stunning last gasp win splashed all over back pages ours a small panel saying Hammers win.....turned on Talksh**e this morning 6am i no i no bloody idiot well lets hear about it errr nothing talk about cheltenham Evertons big big win and 6.35ish they thought to mention our win.
Now as we all know if that had been the spuds or gooners manure etc there would of been 8 page pullout souvenier special but nope its just West Ham so i ask why do the media seemingly not so much hate as marginalise us? allegedly in the written media and on many sports shows a lot of the journalists and pundits are West Ham fans...look at last night with Darke and Mcmanaman comentating it was all how great Sevilla are how they never lose after first leg win how they do this that and the other and only only when Soucek scored did they start thinking mmm maybe we should start giving West Ham some credit here...so i have to ask does anyone no why there seems to be this bias against us in the media....look at the race for the top 4 now we dream of it but we doubt we can get it but we are still in with a chance but all you hear is well Gooners looking good spuds and manure then there's a pause and West Ham may still have a chance? what is there problem?
West Ham: Areola, Johnson, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Fornals, Lanzini, Benrahma, Antonio
Subs: Fabiański, Randolph, Alese, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Chesters, Král, Noble, Vlašić, Yarmolenko, Perkins
Sevilla: Bono, Navas, Koundé, Gudelj, Augustinsson, Jordán, Delaney, Rakitić, Corona, En-Nesyri, Martial
Subs: Dmitrović (GK), Flores (GK), Montiel, Munir, Rafa Mir, Torres, Luismi, Carmona, Romero, Zarzana, Scotta, Salas
England's loss will be West Ham's gain during this year's 'Notion's Cups', as Gareth Southgate has NOT included Jarrod Bowen in the England squad announced earlier today, Bowen's name had been mentioned by many as a likely call up, but the England manager elected not to select the 25 year old, despite the Hammers forward's astonishing goals and assists this season.
Far from being indignant, we at the Org are overjoyed at Bowen's omission, for far too long being selected for what are essentially 2nd rate money making tournaments for global football authorities to swell their coffers has been seen as a pinnacle of success, but the Nations League? Come on who is kidding who?
Let other teams with far bigger squads enjoy the dubious accolades they receive for 'providing' players for these 'sports washed tournaments, let Jarrod Bowen get fit and well enough to play for West HAM! - Ed
The full extent of Manuel Pellegrini's profligacy while at the helm of West Ham is STILL coming home to roost, the Chilean sanctioned the staggering £45 Million acquisition of Sebastien Haller from Eintrecht Frankfurt among other disastrously expensive and ultimately useless signings.
Since leaving West Ham to join Ajax, Haller has been a revelation and has managed to write himself into the Champions League history book as he became the first player to score across seven consecutive UEFA Champions League matches during one year! Haller has also scored goals for fun domestically and Internationally, so you would expect his value to have soared from the 'bargain basement' £20 Million Ajax paid for him.
However according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan directors have met Sébastien Haller’s agents to discuss a potential transfer, but Ajax want €35m to sell the 27-year-old. Being the scorer of 32 goals in 34 games across all competitions this season, Haller is one of the most prolific strikers in Europe in 2021-22. The 27-year-old’s contract expires in June 2025 and according to La Gazzetta dello Sport his agents met Inter earlier this week to discuss a possible move to San Siro at the end of the season.
The striker’s representative have informed Inter about Ajax’s asking price for their client, which is in the region of €35m. The Nerazzurri can’t offer as much, but a move to Italy tempts Haller, so the two parties will remain in touch. So even with one of the BEST scoring records in Europe. AND at the height of his physical fitness AND at a perfect age, Haller's still isn't worth even 2/3rds of what Hammers paid.
WE are not sure exactly what went on, but there must be a sneaking suspicion that a bit of good old fashioned 'Brown Enveloping' must have gone on between Pellegrini and Husillos. Hammers are STILL paying the price for Pellegrini! - LN
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