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Having taken over from Steven Gerrard as Rangers manager a year ago, Giovanni van Bronckhorst enjoyed a remarkable run to the Europa League final which plastered over over the cracks of their domestic form. Europe got everybody excited and it didn't seem to matter too much that while they were beating Borussia Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade they were drawing with Aberdeen and Ross County.

Saïd Benrahma is an incredibly gifted but occasionally wayward footballer, he possesses skill in abundance and the ability to put opposition defenders on their back sides with the drop of a shoulder or the slightest feint of movement, yet it was only in the last few games before the Qatar whitewash Cup that he was given a starting berth in David Moyes' new 'super team', comprised of £180 Million of new signings in addition to the quality players who were already at the club.

Denial is a part of our make up as human beings, without it we would never 'soldier on' regardless on many occasions, recognising denial is in itself an achievement as many people muddle on oblivious to the obvious and seem quite content with their lot in life. The sports wash that is about to begin in Qatar might move the emphasis of what is going on domestically for a little while, but sooner or later certain home truths WILL come home to roost it is a question of when not if.

West Ham: Fabiański, Kehrer, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Rice ©, Souček, Bowen, Paquetá, Benrahma, Scamacca Subs: Areola (GK), Johnson, Coufal, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Emerson
Leicester: Ward, Castagne, Faes, Amartey, Thomas, Soumaré, Maddison, Tielemans ©, Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes, Daka Subs: Iversen (GK), Evans, Mendy, Praet, Ndidi, Albrighton, Pérez, Vardy, Iheanacho

When Armando Broja turned down a permanent move to West Ham United in the summer, his intentions were clear. After loan spells at Vitesse Arnhem and Southampton, the Albanian international saw a chance to establish himself at parent club Chelsea.

The results of that decision have been mixed. Broja has been a regular part of the Chelsea squad at the beginning of the season, but he’s largely started from the bench. With the domestic campaign about to break for the World Cup, it’s a good time to assess the striker’s progress and to ask whether the Hammers should go back in.

The old adages and oxymoron phrases will keep on coming thick and fast IF Hammers persist in their David Moyes 'blind faith' journey, there is simply no visible light at the end of a very long tunnel and action needs to be taken now! This is NOT a knee jerk reaction to the club's exit from the 'useless' cup as t is known in 'soccer's' inner circle, well most of the new breed of owners call it soccer now don't they?

West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Johnson, Aguerd, Ogbonna (c), Emerson, Lanzini, Coventry, Downes, Antonio, Fornals. Subs: Randolph, Heygi, Dawson, Zouma, Soucek, Benrahma, Bowen, Scamacca, Cresswell.
Blackburn: Pears, Rankin-Costello, Carter, Mola, Edun, Buckley, Wharton, Dolan, Dack (c), Makanday, Vale. Subs: Kaminski, Hyam, Szmodics, Martin, Hirst, Brereton Diaz, Garrett, Phillips, Batty.

News that struggling Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest are keen to offload Jesse Lingard and cancel his contract in January has been greeted with joy and FEAR by the Hammers faithful, joy that his time at the City ground has been such a disaster as it was rightly or wrongly viewed that he only went there for the money and absolute FEAR or terror that Moyes might finally get his man in what might be one of his final acts as a manager of WesT Ham United!

It is just as well that Tottingham supporting Mayor 'Sadist' Khan ensured the Overground wasn't functioning for the West Ham v Palace game otherwise there may have been some unpleasant scenes as many supporters of both clubs would have had to share the same carriages home on what would have been a journey of paradoxcical highs and lows.

West Ham: Fabianski, Kehrer, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice (c), Paqueta, Benrahma, Bowen, Scamacca Subs: Areola, Coufal, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Lanzini, Downes, Antonio, Fornals, Emerson
Palace: Guaita, Clyne, Andersen, Guéhi ©, Mitchell, Schlupp, Doucouré, Eze, Olise, Ayew, Zaha Subs: Johnstone (GK), Whitworth (GK), Ward, Tomkins, Riedewald, Milivojević, Hughes, Ebiowei, Mateta