“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country” was a phrase proposed as a typing drill by a teacher named Charles E. Weller. Originallythe phrase ended with the word 'party', but it was altered by many to country because it exactly fills out a 70-space line. Of course this quasi Sheakespearian expression has been hijacked and used for various crowd inspiring speeches in movies and TV shows, not forgetting dreary bi-election speeches!

Last night's comprehensive win over perennial champions league qualifiers Dinamo Zagreb strangely threw up more questions than answers, for a start David Moyes played a very strong line up which included the backbone of his successful league side, this was not necessarily his expected course of action with many guessing, incorrectly, that he would give Mark Noble a start and play Alphonse Areola in goal.

Hammers front line and of course Declan '£200 Million' Rice, have rightly received the plaudits from previous critics for their superb performance against Dinamo Zagreb in last night's Europa Cup victory, but it was the exploits of the defence, snuffing out what is normally a formidable Dinamo attack, that played a strong second fiddle.

West Ham went into what on paper was their hardest Europa Cup group stage fixture as an unknown quantity, well they are a known one now. David Moyes was 'forced' to alter his original game plan for the match due to Michail Antonio's red card against Southampton and the player's subsequent lack of availability for the crucial fixture double header against Ronaldo United.

Dinamo: Livakovic, Sutalo, Lauritsen,Théophile-Catherine, Ristovski, Ademi (c), Misic, Franjic, Ivanusec, Petkovic, Orsic Subs: Zagorac(GK), Moharrami, Stefulj, Gojak, Andric, Tolic, Bulat, Juric, Baturina, Dilaver, Menalo, Spikic
West Ham: Fabiański, Fredericks, Zouma, Diop, Cresswell, Rice (c), Souček, Vlašić, Fornals, Lanzini, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Randolph (GK), Coufal, Johnson, Masuaku, Ogbonna, Dawson, Noble, Král, Benrahma, Yarmolenko, Bowen

It's been a long long time, but the West Ham bandwagon is back on the road, a fresh lick of paint and a new ticket was all that was needed to fire up the Atkins transport coach that had been mothballed for forty years!
Those who are old enough to remember will have conveniently forgotten some of the poorer excursions and will choose only to remember the great European nights of old.

Wouldn't you Adam & Eve it? Hammers reject Sebasien Haller embarked on a one man demolition of Sporting Lisbon on their home patch by scoring FOUR goals in Ajax's 5-1 victory. Having lost £25 Million in the sale of the Frenchman to the Dutch club west Ham will at least be grateful there is a 25% sell on clause in Haller's contract.

During the summer transfer window much attention was paid to West Ham United's search for a striker, a search that ultimately proved to be unsuccessful. However although the need for a striker was blatantly obvious, the need for strengthening the defence was equally as important, to that purpose David Moyes signed Kurt Zouma from Chelsea in a bid to stop the club leaking goals.

Thursday evening's fixture against Dinamo Zagreb will provide a firm indication as to whether West Ham have 'turned the corner' or are still the underperforming mismanaged 'sleeping giant' they always have been since the glory days of the sixties.

Fans who think Zagreb are going to be a walkover might wish to remember it was Zagreb who tonked 'Tottingham' last season, they are by far the strongest competition in Hammers Europa League group and will be backed by a boisterous home crowd at what will be a packed Stadion Maksimir.

With two games against Manchester United fast approaching on the horizon after Hammers fixture against Dinamo Zagreb this Thursday, much attention will be given to David Moyes' team selection, Whoever is 'in' on the night might not necessarily be 'in' for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash, likewise those who play on Sunday will more than likely NOT play on Wednesday's relatively meaningless Moose Cup fixture.