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West Ham United: Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Nolan (c), Tomkins, Jarvis, Zarate, Noble, O'Brien, Maiga, Amalfitano
Subs: Randolph, Collins, Poyet, Hendrie, Samuelsen, Lee, Pike

Birkirkara FC: Haber, Mazzetti, Fenech (c), Miccoli, Vukanac, Murga, Liliu, J.Zerafa, Z. Muscat, R.Muscat
Subs: Sciberras, Agius, Plut, Akpan, D.Zerafa, Zammir, Aquilina

Hammers line up looks a little like a shop window!

Raheem Sterling's transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City will net QPR around £9 Million as a result of the 20% sell on fee that was negotiated at the time of his transfer from the west London club to Anfield. This massive cash bonus will enable QPR to maintain their stance over Austin's £15 Million valuation, not good news for those clubs, including West Ham, who were hoping to take advantage of QPR's relegation and financial plight.

Peterborough: Alnwick, Smith, Ntlhe, Anderson, Zakuani, Santos, Bostwick, Gormley, Washington, Maddison, Taylor
Subs: Edwards, Rowling, Brisley, Ferdinand, Lopes, Anderson, Payne and two un named trialists
West Ham : Adrian, Alex Pike, Winston Reid, James Collins , Aaron Cresswell, Pedro Obiang, Martin Samuelsen, Mark Noble , Kevin Nolan, Diafra Sakho, Modibo Maiga
Subs: Doneil Henry Sam Howes, Stephen Hendrie, Djair Parfitt-Williams, Josh Pask, Nathan Mavila, Jaanai Gordon, Moses Makasi, Amos Nasha, Kyle Knoyle .

The signing of Angelo Ogbonna along with that of Dmitri Payet and Pedro Obiang by West Ham United represents a significant upping of the ante with regards to the club's aspirations and future recruitment frame work. Gone are the days of signing past it has beens looking for a final pay day, or of getting loan players who will never be played by the manager because their face or their agent doesn't fit! So, happy days, but hasn't the club overstretched itself a little?

West Ham starting XI: Randolph, O'Brien, Tomkins, Burke, Page, Amalfitano, Poyet, Cullen, Jarvis, Lee, Sakho. Subs: Spiegel, S Westley, Knoyle, Oxford, Nasha, Parfitt-Williams, Brown. Mauro Zarate probably would have played but picked up an injury in the first tie at the Boleyn, it is a pity for Zarate because he seemed to impress Salven Billic with his work rate, however his loss is Lee's gain. Elliot Lee has threatened to do well, tonight he has the start he so cherishes, this is not an FA or League Cup tie where he is being thrown in at the deep end, more a rigorous work out.

West Ham United
Randolph, O'Brien, Tomkins (c), Burke, Page, Amalfitano, Oxford, Poyet, Jarvis, Zarate, Sakho

Substitutes
Spiegel, Lee, Cullen, Westley, Knoyle, Nasha, Parfitt-Williams

Lusitans
Gerardo, Acosta, M San Nicolas, Munoz, Romero, dos Reis, Aguilar, Molina, L San Nicolas, Soares, Maciel (c)

Substitutes
Sonejee, Moya, Conteh, Pires, Moreira, Fernandes, Benitez

New West Ham boss, Slaven Billic, will undoubtedly want to have his 'general' on the field, obviously it will not be Kevin Nolan, but who? Firstly who ever it is will need to be able to speak a bit of french and spanish as well as english and geordie! The arrival of Dimitri Payet and Pedro Obiang is a clear illustration of where the club is going, a more 'continental' balance while still retaining a UK identity, the question is who is best suited to what could be a rather difficult role?

West Ham United's official website www.whufc.com has gone into melt down, continually crashing since tickets became available to the general public, such has been the demand that the club has been forced to advise ticket purchasers to 'try going back to the main page and start over again'. Unfortunately this results in another site cul de sac!
We will let you know when it is possible to actually go through the whole purchase process, and end up with a ticket! Don't try phoning either, the phone lines are perpetually engaged as well! -Ed

Although we have been deprived of the services of 'Doris The Tea Lady' since her retirement, we have, ironically touched base with a 'West Ham United Insider', known to us via an old media connection, and not in the Vicki Butler Henderson sense! Anyway, word has reached us that West Ham United are about to bid for Michu from Swansea.

West Ham United will play the first leg of their Europa League campaign at home to Andorran team FC Lusitans on July the 2nd, not July the 9th. This is after the initial schedule was reversed to avoid a fixture clash with Andorra's other representatives, Sant Julia, who were also drawn at home to Denmark's Randers in the first leg. The clear benefit for West Ham is that the tube strike threatened for the original home date will now have no effect!