Watford: Bachmann, Femenia, Sierralta, Cathcart, Masina, Tufan, Sissoko©️, Kucka, Hernandez, King, Dennis. Subs: Angelini, Louza, Pedro, Sema, Gosling, Fletcher, Morris, Conteh.
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Johnson, Soucek, Noble©️, Bowen, Lanzini, Benrahma, Antonio. Subs: Areola, Yarmolenko, Vlasic, Fredericks, Masuaku, Kral, Alese, Ashby, Oko-Flex.

The Queen Elizabeth Park area is becoming something of a satellite state of the Czech Republic, with THREE players currently at West Ham AND of course the new 27% co-owner of the club Daniel Kretinsky all hailing from there. That three might possibly become four if the transfer planets align.

Footballers heading to next month's Africa Cup of Nations finals will be allowed to play for their clubs until January the 3rd, the Confederation of African Football [CAF] have confirmed. Many were set to miss matches because of the rule that dictates clubs must release players 14 days before a continental championship or the World Cup. However the CAF has agreed to allow players to play for their clubs between December the 27th and January the 3rd before joining up with their national squads for the Cup of Nations finals, which kick-off in Cameroon on January the 9th 2022.

Although recent injuries have steered Hammers towards acquiring a centre back and a left back, there is still the matter of bringing in a striker to play alongside or even compete with Mikey Antonio. The list is endless of players 'associated' with a potential move to East London, most of the 'noises' emanating from media outlets are 'agent driven' and should be taken with a rather large grain of salt for the scratched record they are!

If you are planning on heading out to Hertfordshire to see the Watford v West Ham fixture scheduled for 3PM this afternoon, we highly recommend you keep your eyes and ears open for updates regarding the match, either on the O/S, here or any radio outlet, including Talkshite.

Hammers descendancy from possible surprise Premier League top four contenders, to mid table mediocrity has left many 'elite' managers with a smile on their faces as those upstarts from the East End see their challenge fall by the wayside. Many fans and fansites were perhaps guilty of 'squad denial' as David Moyes oversaw what seemed like a minor miracle, unfortunately all those hopes appear to have unravelled as the team drops down the Premier League table.

West Ham: Fabiański, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Masuaku, Rice ©️, Souček, Fornals, Benrahma, Vlašić, Bowen
Subs: Areola (GK), Fredericks, Ashby, Johnson, Lanzini, Noble, Král, Yarmolenko, Antonio

Southampton: Forster, Livramento, Salisu, Bednarek, Walker-Peters, Romeu. Ward-Prowse (c), Redmond, Walcott,Elyounoussi, Broja
Subs: Caballero (GK), Long, A. Armstrong, Adams, Perraud, S. Armstrong, Diallo, Simeu, Valery

We have been made aware by several supporters that there has been a very serious glitch in the club's ticketing system that relates to under 18 year olds and their Covid declarations ahead of the game. Season ticket holders had ALL been sent a Covid questionnaire ahead of the game, however many under 18's were unable to fill in their own declarations due to a default setting that ONLY allows people over 18 to fill the form in.

What ever way you look at it, even with the most claret and blue tinted glasses, the wheels have truly come off the Hammers' bandwagon. So much emphasis was placed and effort concentrated on finding a replacement for Seb Haller, that defensive considerations took a back seat, no one contemplated the sequence of events that has seen Hammers ENTIRE back line changed in recent games.