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Huge incentive for the Irons

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Antonio ruled out again

Antonio ruled out again

No imagination is needed to realise exactly what a win over Spurs would mean to the Irons – 11th position.

No winding up or motivational chat is required from the manager as the Hammers look to leapfrog over Bournemouth, Palace, Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield.

A win would give the Irons 24 points and improve our goal difference after the horrendous numbers they were showing earlier in the season.

Harry Kane is expected to return to the starting line-up in place of Fernando Llorente and manager Mauricio Pochettino awaits news on the fitness of Mousa Dembele and Danny Rose, while Toby Alderweireld remains out until February.

David Moyes has a decision to make on Aaron Cresswell’s injury, Andre Ayew has been troubled by a hamstring injury and Michail Antonio is again expected to miss out.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

0 comments

  • markro says:

    A win woukld be great, but I’d take a draw!

  • Hammerintheblood says:

    Totally agree M, I hope the lads put in a first class shift and run their bollx off, a win tonight will ease the pressure this is definitely the game that could make our season and against the ***s..NO better team to beat for us ..it could be party time down Wembley way……..not an easy task…..COYI

  • kevin says:

    Couldn’t agree more , Markro .
    Hoping for a pleasant surprise does no harm though . But it’s definitely going to be a nervy evening for all concerned . Yet another Crucial game ,,,, none ending this season . The League Table is split into two parts at the moment . Top ten & Bottom ten . Nobody safely in the middle . It looks as though anybody outside the top eight still have a fight on Thier hands . Surprise package right now is Palace ; one has to say “ well done Hodgson “ in fairness . But having said that Moyes is making us look sharper ., we seem to have more confidence and willingness + commitment about us . Tottenham are definitely favourites but we have a recent history of upsetting them .
    COYHAMMERS.

  • Hammer64 says:

    10/10 for positive thinking Hugh, but two away wins over Spurs-in the same decade let alone the same season? I would also be well chuffed with a draw after Tuesday’s win. Five points from the four Christmas games would good. Four points is disappointing but not a disaster, as long as the defence does not cave in & Kane doesn’t go berserk tonight. If we give them a good game I will feel there is hope for the rest of the season. But it needs saying again that the squad has to be strengthened- and fast. At the moment there are too many passengers who are playing regularly, not just as subs or backup. We have to notch up some wins.

    • Max Willow says:

      HiHammer64
      Happy New Year from Sydney, mate! Hope it is a good one!
      I totally agree with your comments about strengthening the squad; while we have an excellent group of U-23’s, it would be a bit unfair to rely too much on them at this stage.
      INMHO- I feel we need to strengthen the midfield, with stronger and better quality players who could rotate with Obiang, Kouyate, and Noble. I like Carvlho, his mate Ismanol Agiree,
      Harry Arter, and Joe Allen. If we could get 2 of these guys in January, that would be good.
      With the imminent departure of Sakho, we also need a ‘clinical’ old-fashioned striker/CF, but not many guys available!
      Cheers

  • Bil155 says:

    I thought we already done it this decade when we done the treble over them

  • dusty miller says:

    It’s Dean the spuds surporter? So my advice to the team is play well play fair but don’t give him any excuse to send off any one ! I know it sounds defeatist but keep the goal difference down or even beat em! But the way some referees are handing our game’s of late they seem to have a hidden agenda about our status and the London Stadium?? We need all our players fit and NOT BANNED over the next 3 or 4 games! So park the bus if you have to and man -mark Kane ,don’t let Dele Ali draw a sending off . Remember sometimes you have to lose a battle but in the long run win a war? Keep the faith C.O.Y.I.

  • Lazurus. rises like a salmon says:

    Bang on dusty ! The biggest threat is dean ? The showboat spud man and cheat !!! Wengers had enough of the untouchables and its about time more managers and chairman made a noise . it costs them millions in todays game ? VAR asap ! But guess what the FA has appointed Neil smalldick as the var judge ? On Friday !! They are already putting their stamp on it for the future of manipulating it and keep the status quo and basically keep it the same using the same controversy as we experiance now !! Its called not losing power and keeping control as they see fit ! Bent as a ninebob note !! It should be a independant body not the cause of its introduction !! Blatant in youre face fek you all ?
    As for tonight attack and not shut up shop because they will unpick the lock if you let them !
    Not that it needs a locksmith by our standards so attack them and give it a go , play poppodom up top on his own and were done ! What’s the incentive in that ! 😉

  • jimbo says:

    Do we get 2 points for a draw and 4 for a win cos it’s the spuds? In which case the players should be incentivised anyway, surely?

  • West Ham Fan No 32 says:

    Well they had us dreaming for a few minutes I was getting pretty excited at 1 – 0 we actually started to play with a bit more freedom then when they got the equaliser it went back to the same old.

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