Morning! Hoep you are enjoying the gouch between Christmas and New Year. Boredom is finally broken as we get to go down The Arsenal tonight, Although I am unimpressed by the 8:15 kick off – another decision made for the TV audience.

Arsenal’s Twitter account has rattled the Cockney rejects with a simple picture of Declan Rice:

Check out the replies on the Tweet from the club. Those Essex Boys have had a proper heads gone over it. Maybe they are finally learning that, despite their posturing, we were the winners with the Rice deal.

We clearly did not over pay and have ended up getting a player that has improved so much this season that he is now the best in the world.

Saying that, West Ham have been decent this season, and I do not really understand the clamour amongst their fanbase to get rid of David Moyes.

Moyes saved west Ham from relegation in his first season back with the club. They had gained just 1 point from 18 before he was appointed.

In his second season, Moyes took West Ham to 6th in the league – their highest finish since 1998/99. This would see West Ham qualify for the Europa League.

2021/22 would see Moyes take West Ham to the Europa League and finish 7th, ensuring back to back European qualification. A hyear later he would win them the Europa Conference League – their first trophy in over 40-years!

For the first time in their history, they are playing in European competition 3 seasons in a row, comfortably topped their Europa League group and sit 7th in the league (above the likes of Newcastle, Brighton and Chelsea).

Yes, they were thrashed at Anfield in the League Cup, but Moyes had to shuffle his squad after illness went through the camp.

Moyes is clearly a good manager, but West Ham fans seem to think they are bigger than him. Those same West Ham fans thought they were better than James Ward Prowse when he joined. They act like they are Arsenal or Liverpool, when they are not even a Tottenham or Newcastle.

History shows they are a mid-lower league team who get relegated as often as they have finished top 6 since the Premier League came into existence. And for those saying “there was football before the Premier League”, you’re right, and West Ham were not even a “founder” member of the Premier League. They did not join until the 1993/94 season.

Their fans need to be careful what they wish for – both in owners and managers. They are no different in size (considering fan base, trophies and history) to a Leeds United, and look how their fans have suffered over the years due to being so poorly run.

Getting in a Steve Cooper or a Graham Potter will not suddenly make them a top 6 team. In fact they will probably take West Ham backwards as they look to implement their style of football on the club.

Considering the financial wealth of the traditional big 6, and the new wealth of Newcastle, the likes of West Ham, Aston Villa, Brighton and others are basically playing for 8th. Anything above that position should be considered a huge success!

Be careful what you wish for Hammers fans…sack Moyes and you could be back to those lower-mid table finishes and relegation battles with no Europe!

Ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta has given West Ham the credit they are due, saying: “They are a really good side. They’re really well coached and when you look at the success that they had last year and how they’ve played this season, they’ve shown a lot of consistency.

“They’ve beaten Spurs and Manchester United – that tells you everything about the difficulty of the game tomorrow. We’ll have to be really, really good.”

Nothing has changed injury-wise, with Thomas Partey, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jurrien Timber and Fabio Vieira still out. The first 2 are expected back in January, just as the African Nations and Asia Cup are starting! Kai Havertz also misses the game due to suspension.

I would not be surprised if it is (almost) the same XI as what faced Liverpool last Saturday (the players have had an 8 days break) – the only change being Leandro Trossard coming in for the suspended Rice.

I do wonder whether Arteta might rotate a little more with Fulham on Sunday. But then again, playing Saturday,Thursday, Sunday is not an unusual workload for a side like ours that are used to playing twice a week.

West Ham will not be easy, and we will have to be careful of those counter attacks. Mohammed Kudus is a fabulous player and could cause Olexsandr Zinchenko real problems on our left hand side (and with Tomi and Timber out, we do not have thise more defensive options).

UTA!

Keenos