Manuel Pellegrini has named his starting eleven to take on Spurs at London Stadium and there has been some uproar among the fans but also, some appreciation to boot.
The Chilean has made two changes to the team that was thumped 3-0 by Burnley prior to the international break with Angelo Ogbonna starting at centre back and Andriy Yarmolenko coming back in to the team.
Out go Fabian Balbuena and Pablo Fornals but the manager has seemingly stuck to his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation that hasn't been particularly impressive for most of the season.
Ogbonna has been recalled for the first time in a month at the expense of Balbuena who has been badly out of form since he replaced the Italian for no apparent reason for the draw with Sheffield United.
Yarmolenko's up and down campaign continues as well as he is rafted back in having been left on the bench for Fornals at Turf Moor.
Under-fire keeper Roberto has also kept his place in goal despite his recent gaffe-prone displays as David Martin remains on the bench.
While the fans are seemingly happy that Ogbonna is back in at the heart of a Hammers defence that hasn't kept a clean sheet since the win over Manchester United on September 22, the lack of a change of formation and also the continued absence of Arthur Masuaku from the squad has been picked up.
Masuaku was handed a new five-year contract extension earlier this summer but has played just once since he was sent off against Aston Villa and ha failed to make the squad for five of the last six games.
Jack Wilshere is also not in the matchday 18 having picked up a stomach injury in training this week and he has not featured since the 2-0 loss away at Everton when he came off the bench.
