One hopes it will be the hope that kills them.

I was hoping for extra time to exhaust West Ham.
Leverkusen looked good in the second half.
I'd certainly take Frimpong at Palace

This Sunday will be their fourth hard game in 10 days

OG has just confirmed that Lerma is out for the next few games. Ward is also out for Sunday and possibly Hughes too. Holding back in training but only recently so I doubt he's ready to start. Lerma will be a huge miss as he leaps like a salmon and has been great at the back. It makes you wonder who will be left-centre back in the three on Sunday. Tomkins? Mitchell? Mateta?(!)

This injury news has perhaps tempered my expectations, especially with Bowen returning for Spam, along with Paquetta.

I had predicted a win for W.Ham by a single goal, however given our injury woes I am now of the belief that the victory will be more decisive.
A case of 'After the Lord Mayor's Show'.

Losing Lerma is a blow as we lack pace and physicality to deal with Antonio.
At the moment it seems unclear who will form the back 3 other than Anderson.
I doubt Holding will be thrown straight in after being out so long, nor Richards who has only had one light training session.
Ward is also carrying an injury so it might be;
Clyne , Anderson, Jairo
as a back 3.
It needs to be factored in that we have 3 games this week too.

Perhaps the objective should be to take the game to them and keep them away from our goal.
Nonetheless, they have Ward Prowse on set pieces and two giant centre halves, Sousek and Antonio to attack them.
I anticipate a difficult game and score draw.