From Out Of The Ashes - Glory! Watch Out Tottenham and Man City!

Weeks don't come much worse than this one! The stabbing of Davenport, rumours of Ashton's early retirement, Collison's personal tragedy, defeat to Tottenham under 'Arry the Albatross, an inept first half performance against Millwall, the stabbing, the riots, the racist chanting and the pitch invasions. Who in their right minds would choose to be a Hammers fan? Well, unhappily or otherwise, it isn't a choice - a blessing, a curse, an affliction, a disease - you takes your pick but choice doesn't come into it. I was born in East Ham Maternity Hospital and was breast fed on the good milk of the club. Moore, Hurst, Peters, Brooking, Bonds, Devonshire, Di Canio, Rio, Carrick, Joe Cole - the gods have been kind sometimes!

Now we can look forward. Diamanti, it seems, is in the bag and there are still rumours about Eider and Chamakh. Upson came on last night with the score at 3-1, suggesting that he, at least, is going nowhere before the window closes. Parker also played. Despite the carnage and shame last night, there were positives: Stanislas is growing as a player and can score from midfield, Collison is already mature beyond his years and possesses a huge heart obviously, Gabbidon returned and stayed on for the full 120 minutes, future England captain Tomkins made his seasonal bow, Hines took his chance superbly and looks as if he could be a useful impact sub at least, Parker is fit enough to play two high tempo games in the space of three days and Faubert continues to impress.

And best of all, Behrami is on his way back.

The ingredients are so nearly there for a very good team. Collins would be a loss but he can be replaced - for now Upson is the more important defensive lynch pin. Put Upson, Jimenez, Diamanti, Ilunga, Noble and Dyer into the team that played last night and you will have a side bristling with goal scoring potential. Add Eider to that side and from goal shy, we could become goal gluttons! Imagine, for a moment, a 4-2-3-1 team made up thus:

Green
Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga;
Parker, Behrami;
Eider, Diamante, Jimenez;
Cole.

We would still have Dyer, Collison, Stanislas, Kovac, Savio and Noble on the bench, not to mention Chamakh!

I tell you what, whisper it quietly, but that team would be a match for ANY team in the division, with the possible exception of Chelsea. If Zola and Duxbury deliver that squad by the time the window closes, I will retract EVERYTHING I have said. I would have to because, with a little luck with injuries, we would be in with a real shout of finishing in the top 4! The Tottenham and Unreal City fans may mock but out of adversity comes...