*It's fair to say that things were looking pretty bleak at the beginning of November, with West Ham deeply entrenched in a battle for survival at the foot of the Premier League table. Fast forward two months and the Hammers sit in 16th and whilst far from secure, they appear to have gained the belief and the momentum to keep them away from a return to the dreaded drop zone.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Aurier, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Davies, Dier, Sissoko, Alli, Eriksen, Son, Kane. Subs: Vorm, Trippier, Lamela, Wanyama, Llorente, Dembele, Winks.
West Ham United: Adrian, Zabaleta, Ogbonna, Reid, Rice, Obiang, Kouyate, Masuaku, Lanzini, Noble, Chicarito. Subs: Hart, Carroll, Ayew, Haksabanovic, Martinez, Quina, Makasi.
Sometimes it's time to say enough is enough, even if it's to one of your augmented family, or as some would say "time to call a spade a spade", now this phrase, deliberately chosen, is extremely contentious as in most people's minds it is racist and yet was a turn of phrase used commonly in the past.
All those hardy souls, including those from West Bromwich, who ventured out in appalling weather to see West Ham take on the Baggies were rewarded with a cagey but energetic relegation 'six pointer' that saw Hammers eventually run out 2 - 1 winners.
West Ham United: Adrian, Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Zabaleta, Kouyate, Lanzini, Obiang, Masuaku, Carroll. Arnautovic. Subs: Hart, Hernandez , Quina, Ayew, Noble, Rice, Haksabanovic.
West Bromwich Albion:Foster; Dawson, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs; Livermore, ; Brunt, Phillips, Rodriguez; Robson-Kanu. Subs: Myhill, Nyom, McAuley, Yacob, McClean, Krychowiak, Burke.
Hopes that West Ham United could persuade Rafa Benitez to sell them creative midfielder John Jo Shelvey have taken an almighty hit, the player who began his career with the Hammers as a youth player was part of the starting line up for Newcastle in their match against Stoke City.
It's amazing how original the Mirror and countless others are, the day after we ran our Ayew in exchange for Mawson article the Mirror, The Cardiff Centennial and of course our old DDoS friends at C & H and a whole bunch of other sites all ran stories that were extremely similar, however none of them were actually able to name their source and that is because they couldn't!
As the media hunker down in anticipation of the January transfer window opening we can confirm one 'snippet' that is 'from the horses mouth', namely that Hammers are trying to do a 'Good Bit Of Business' by arranging a swap deal with Swansea City involving returning Andre Ayew who they had previously purchased for £20 Million and getting £25 Million rated centre back Alfie Mawson in exchange.
It is the Christmas season and down on the South Coast along with many other traditional holiday resorts Bournemouth do a roaring trade in Pantomime, currently Jack and the Bean Stalk is running at the Pavilion Theatre. If they suddenly need a back up Panto villain then they need look no further than referee Bobby Madley!
Bournemouth: Begovic, Francis, S Cook, Ake, Gosling, Smith, L Cook, Fraser, King, Ibe, Wilson. Subs: Boruc, Pugh, Afobe, Hyndman, Mahoney, Mousset, Simpson.
West Ham: Adrian, Cresswell, Collins, Ogbonna, Zabaleta, Kouyate, Lanzini, Obiang, Masuaku, Ayew, Arnautovic. Subs: Hart, Reid, Carroll, Sakho, Hernandez, Quina, Rice.