Big Mich Antonio, or Mikey as his manager likes to call him, is the ever popular and effervescent 'false' striker employed by David Moyes to fill the expensive void left by the club's most expensive signing Sebastien Haller. The sale of the aforementioned to Ajax at an astonishing £25 Million loss, necessitated more game time for Antonio who has struggled with hamstring and thigh issues, mainly hamstring, ever since his arrival at the club from Nottingham Forest.

Mark Noble's comments, regurgitated by the Star, in which he discusses announcing his retirement and the club's potential to be playing in Europe next season, seem to make little sense, which is probably due to some amateurish copy and pasting!

Any one in the media who criticises David Moyes's achievements at West Ham does so knowing they are being at the least slightly disingenuous, the Hammers manager has exceeded all expectations in this his first full year in charge.

When the team sheets became available ahead of the Irons game against Manchester United, the inclusion of Mark Noble in the starting line up came as a shock to most West Ham fans. Now hindsight is a wonderful, but eventually an ineffective influence on the final outcome of the 1-0 defeat against Man U, but on reflection David Moyes would admit, at least privately, that  starting with 'Nobes' was  probably the wrong decision, perhaps Noble's new contract took one of the most experienced Barclays Premier League managers' eyes off the ball temporarily.

Manchester: Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Greenwood, Fernandes, James, Rashford Subs: Grant (GK), Bishop (GK), Bailly, Alex Telles, Williams, Tuanzebe, Matic, Diallo, Shoretire
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Cresswell, Johnson, Rice, Soucek, Noble (c), Bowen, Antonio Subs: Martin (GK), Trott (GK), Balbuena, Alvez, Coventry, Lanzini, Benrahma, Odubeko

Many Hammers fans have been questioning the 'wisdom' of allowing home grown talent Oladapo Afolayan's potential move to Bolton Wanderers on loan with an option to acquire the player on a free transfer at the beginning of next season. David Moyes alluded to the issue in his most recent comments regarding Hammers strikers, or the lack of them to be more precise. His own frustration with Odubeko’s situation, which is complicated by Covid bubble arrangements, is obvious.

In order to undermine the implications of Hammers remarkable form this season, certain sections of the media have chosen to infer West Ham United would be nowhere had it not been for the 'imports' of Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal from Slavia Prague.

West Ham secured another valuable win over Leeds United, but you might have been forgiven in thinking they had lost considering the reaction of manager David Moyes and his players. The Irons managed to produce a dogged performance to grind out a 2-0 win over Marcelo Bielsa’s men, and it’s that type of display that could see West Ham secure European football for next term.
Moyes Sets the Standards

Irrespective of what position West Ham United finally occupy in the Barclays Premier League, the need for an extensive re-build is acute, David Moyes began that process by ditching 'luxury players' like Felipe Anderson, who was sent on loan to Porto, and selling Sebastien Haller at a huge loss to Ajax.

The fiscal act of 'removing' the 'dead wood' from the squad is expensive, but the toxicity of the under performing players has been removed as well! Consequently David Moyes has a team that doesn't have, and will not tolerate, Prima Donnas in any way shape or form.

West Ham United's 'award' of a new 12 month contract for Mark Noble, has been seen by many fans as sentimental and not good business sense for a player who has notched up over half a thousand games for the club! Perhaps it is the previous regime's dreadful treatment of 'Sir' Bobby Moore that prompted the club to extend 'Nobes's' contract, but is more likely the fact that Mark Noble is West Ham through and through, to see him running out wearing another team's colours is almost unimaginable, and the player himself has no desire to go down that route.