Forum | Non-Football Related

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Keita, Henderson (c), Fabinho, Salah, Mane, Diaz. Subs: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Elliott, Jones, Minamino, Jota, Origi.
West Ham: Fabianski, Johnson, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell (c), Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Lanzini, Vlasic, Antonio. Subs: Areola, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Okoflex, Chesters, Noble, Kral, Benrahma.

“I am just trying to enjoy my career. It is going quick already. I think of three years ago, when I won Young Player of the Year, it has flown by since. There have been so many good moments. Hopefully, my career can keep progressing and WE can start adding some big trophies as well.”

So said Hammers in demand central midfielder Declan Rice who has been hailed as the best in Europe and possibly the World! Rice along with his manager David Moyes picked up a gong at the London football awards, recognition of the superb progress the player, his manager and their team have made in the last 18 months.

West Ham have endured a torrid spell ever since the last International break, results have not been good but they haven't been good either for Hammers Champions League chasing competitors either. Every time it looks as if hopes of a champions league slot have disappeared, the clubs around West Ham, particularly Tottingham and Manchester United conspire in failing to take advantage.

Obviously the luck will run out at some time and a daunting visit to Anfied this afternoon will not fill fans with anticipation of anything other than a resounding defeat, but stranger things have happened in the past!

The Press love 'deciding' which club Declan Rice will join, completely omitting to mention the fact that Rice has two years remaining on his contract AND the club have an option to extend by a further year. The 'WE' Declan was referring to wasn't about Chelsea, Man City or their poorer neighbours, it was about WEST HAM UNITED.

There will be plenty of time for analysis and conjecture come the end of the season, but right now the players focus is on the club finishing as high as possible in the Premier League and to try and progress in the Europa League Cup, the winners of the trophy of course directly qualify for the Champions League.

No one gives Hammers a prayer for a positive result against Jurgen Kloppp's Liverpool, but the players who take to the field will NOT be intimidated by the 'Anfield roar', after all they are used to playing week in week out in front of a far bigger crowd at the Stratford Stadium.

Including today's game, there are 11 Premier League games left to play against Villa, Tottingham, Everton, Brentford, Burnley, Chelsea, Arsenal, Norwich, Man City and Brighton. The games against London rivals Arsenal and Tottingham will be pivotal as to the club's fortunes, hopefully they won't fade and die. - LN

The absolute glee with which Hammers FA Cup exit away to Southampton has been reported does go to show how envious many are of what David Moyes and his West Ham team have achieved in the last two years. The transformation from regular relegation fighters to genuine top six contenders has been nothing short of miraculous, especially so given the limited resources Moyes has had at his disposal.

Exiting the League Cup at the 1/4 final stage and reaching the last 16 of the FA Cup are significant signs of a club 'on the up', Hammers are also due to play Seville next Thursday for the first of their two legged Europa League last 16 Cup tie. Why anyone would lead with headlines like 'Hammers season nearly over' is quite beyond us, perhaps many were concerned that little old West Ham might upset the elite Old Guard at the top of the League?

Yes things could have worked out better, but they could also have worked out a lot worse! The players and the manager were not right at the top of their game against Southampton, but to read the reviews you would think the team played appallingly, which they didn't.

Instead of highlighting what has gone wrong, it might be preferable to concentrate on what has gone right over the last two years. The club's chronic lack of recruitment IS a salient lesson in how to do things wrong admittedly, but take a look at some of the Premier League's recent big spenders and see just how well their spending sprees have affected their success.

David Moyes constantly talks about building the club on firm foundations, to a great extent he has succeeded in that quest, but he never said it would be easy did he? Sometimes it is easy to forget what a disparate and desperate club West Ham were before his arrival, it hasn't been all plain sailing but we would suggest that fans be careful what they wish for, as the grass is most definitely NOT always greener on the other side. - Ed

David Moyes gave one of his 'vague' pressers at Hammers Goose green training ground ahead of tomorrow's fifth round FA Cup tie away to Southampton, the gist of what he was saying is that he wants the club to be near to the top of the Premier League as possible because those near the top invariably win.

"We've been involved in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, got to a good stage of the FA Cup, and we're involved in Europe. The Club's doing a really good job. We want to be more around the Cup Competitions, but even through history, it's been the top teams who have tended to win the competitions, so we have to try and get ourselves in a position where we've got more of a chance of reaching semi-finals and finals and hopefully winning them as well."

The manager then addressed his thoughts on the impending game against the Saints. "I think Southampton's form recently has been very good. The Premier League at different times of the season does that. We've had interesting games against them over the years. They came out on top last time, so we know it's going to be a really difficult game. A good run of form keeps you in there all the time. They're recovered from a difficult start and I think they're doing very well at the moment."

Last season Souhampton were on fire at the beginning, but fell away atrociously towards the end of it, sounds familiar? Hammers fall from grace has not been as acute as that of the South coast club's, but a poor run of form, injuries and of course 'Kittygate', all conspired to derail what promised to be an astonishing season.

Those elements and the 'phantom of the transfers' almost sucked the life out of the indomitable spirit Moyes had engendered in his squad, Sunday's vital victory over Wolves might have been a bit scrappy, but no one cares about the style when the points are added up at the end of the season!

We expect David Moyes to 'go strong' with his team selection for Wednesday's game, it may mean sacrificing players ahead of the Liverpool game, but realistically it is highly unlikely that the game will be anything other than a dead rubber. Mind you, whoever gets to play at Anfield will be able to do so knowing that ALL they have to do is give it a REAL GO, fans can forget a poor result, but tend not to forgive a lack of effort. - Ed