Although disappointing, Sunday's game against Leicester Ciy DID prove that there is 'life after Zouma', whether it was because he had no time to dwell on the match beforehand or not, Issa Diop was called in to the starting line up after Kurt Zouma felt 'ill' during the warm up, and played an absolute blinder, his best game in a Hammers shirt for ages.
Saturday's high noon fixture against Newcastle could be a defining moment for both clubs, a win for the visitors would all but propel them towards Premier League survival, a win for David Moyes' West Ham would firm up the club's grip on a European top slot, something has to give, or does it?
Having achieved far more than expected last season, this one was always going to be the 'David Moyes Experience's' difficult second album, but it hasn't. To continue with the music metaphor, this season has been like Pink Floyd following up Dark side of the Moon with Wish you were here, the magnificence of the former obscured the brilliance of the latter for quite some time.
Leicester: Schmeichel (c); Justin, Söyüncü, Amartey, Pereira, Dewsbury-Hall, Tielemans, Ndidi, Barnes, Maddison, Daka Subs: Ward (GK), Albrighton, Iheanacho, Perez, Choudhury, Vestergaard, Mendy, Thomas, Lookman
West Ham: Fabiański; Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell; Rice (c), Souček, Bowen, Lanzini, Fornals, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Diop, Fredericks, Johnson, Kral, Noble, Vlašić, Benrahma, Yarmolenko
It has been an awful long time coming, but one of Hammers brightest stars has finally returned to being the player who was universally nick named the 'little diamond', feted by non other than Lionel Messi, the World was at Manuel lanzini's feet until that fateful day while training with the Argentine National team when he received an acute ACL injury that ultimately threatened to end his career.
West Ham will play their first fixture since 'Zoumagate' this afternoon against Leicester City at the King Power, the furore over the Iron's ex-Chelsea centre back is unabated with politicians even jumping on the bandwagon by adding their very dubious opinions.
By the middle of June this year, we will be able to retire the over used and hackneyed Michael Mc Donald inspired "Yarmo be there" copy line once and for all as Andriy Yarmolenko shuffles back home to a war zone and begins to worry about where he stores the 'nest egg' he has squirrelled away while earning just shy of £6 Million per year for the last FOUR YEARS!
Everyone and their Aunt have been chipping in with their thoughts on the now infamous Kurt kicks the cat video shared by his younger brother on snap chat, now Mr Permatan himself, Simon Jordan, has added his thoughts on the issue and interestingly pointed out the hypocrisy of some fans who are openly condemning Zouma's actions, with some even calling for the player to be jailed for the offence.
Pundits and fans far and wide have joined the bandwagon seeking legal sanction against West Ham's Kurt Zouma following the player's despicable acts of violence against one of his pet cats, an act that was perversely filmed by his younger brother and then inexplicably uploaded to snap chat.
The violence against the Cat was unforgivable and although the player has been contrite with his apologies, his actions DO warrant further actions on the basis that no one is above the Law, not even extremely well paid footballers!
Kicking a Cat and then grabbing it in order to 'slap' it's face, is an abhorrent act and one that needs sanctioning of the highest order, in a similar way to a young man sitting with his girl friend in a Pub who stands up to some pissed rowdy who has come over and started being impertinent and invasive, ends up being hospitalised by the drunken thug and his cowardly pals!