This Premier League season is by far one of the most eventful in the history of the competition.
Leicester City are a good shout to win the league, Spurs are right in contention (despite last night's wobble), Manchester United are a mad house having a crap season with some incredible moments mixed in, Arsenal are pushing the boundaries of what we all thought was 'so Arsenal' to ridiculous levels, and Liverpool are wild.
At least, that's all that anyone is talking about. Aside from a dismissive tut at Aston Villa's results as they roll in and come closer to confirming relegation, the rest of the league is all a bundle of teams who ride waves of very patchy form or are probably going down. There is one team would usually fall into that category but this year have looked consistently impressive, and that is West Ham United.
Under Slaven Bilic, West Ham have transformed from a side who always seems to be up for the big games under the lights at Upton Park, into a side that plays courageous, attractive football while remaining very well organised in defence nearly every time they go out.
Here are some reasons why I believe more people should be talking about how damn good West Ham are right now.
The Keepers
Adrían is the most underrated goalkeeper in the league for my money. He consistently makes important saves, keeps his teams in games when they are put under pressure, and rarely makes a mistake.
When he does, such as trying to decapitate Jamie Vardy, then West Ham have a goalkeeper who gets man of the match every time he plays in Darren Randolph. Honestly, he was spoken about as outstanding in every game he has played in the last 8 months. For Ireland, he has to be number one, and it honestly seems unfortunate that he is patiently playing the role of stand-in.
Mark Noble
Arguably the most improved player in the league this season apart from a certain Jamie Vardy. Marky Nobes is the engine room. If he isn't involved in the England team for Euro 2016 then that's just stupid.
Does anyone deserve an England call more than Mark Noble? @OulalaGames present the stats: https://t.co/oSzvhuc5q0 pic.twitter.com/1WBtbHSTx7
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 2, 2016
He's only 28, even if it feels like he's been around for ages, he's at the peak of his career. He's everywhere on the pitch, in every highlight, and does the captain's armband justice.
Michail Antonio
What a great story.
A player who looked every bit to be a run-of-the-mill Championship player until he got a run of games and never looked back. Proof that there is Premier League talent all over the Championship if they are given a chance work their asses off. He plays the basics so well and never stops moving, and he's undroppable now because of it.
And he celebrated like Homer Simpson.
There's A Good Chance They Could Get Better
West Ham are moving into a bigger stadium next season, they slapped a fat old contract on their best player, and the calibre of names they will be able to attract from the end of this season will only go up. Being a London club is huge for the interest of players on the continent, so the coming transfer windows will be interesting viewing.
The Sexiest Jersey In The League
Anniversary jerseys are often the ones with most care taken, and for West Ham's last season at the Boylen Ground, Umbro pulled out an absolute stunner.
It's so clean you could eat your dinner off of it, and the colours are beautiful. West Ham have had some shockers, but this is a cut above.
Lots Of Vital Squad Players
'Squad players' may be a term that grates for some, but what I mean by that are guys who are not 'irreplaceable' but are still very important to the team. In here I would include Aaron Cresswell, Winston Reid, Cheikhou Kouyate, Enner Valencia, and Diafra Sakho, all of whom would be a good addition to any team in the league.
The supporting cast to the likes of Payet are performing with impressive consistency and are the reason why West Ham are so entertaining to watch.
The Coolest Manager Going
The type of guy that looks like he belongs in a Guy Ritchie film as the foreigner you don't want to mess with, but by all accounts is an immensely likeable chap.
Oh, and he's a good manager too. His side always look like they have done their homework.
Dimitri Payet
The song in the stands goes:
We've got Payet, Dimitri Payet, I just don't think you understand.
And they're right. We don't understand.
Not since Paulo Di Canio have West Ham had a maverick foreigner who leaves the supporters leaving the ground a warm, fuzzy feeling inside, but while the crazy Italian gave them a few of those moments a season, the irresistible Frenchman is doing it every single game.
Dimitri Payet is pure class. Every touch of the ball he has is elegant, and his dead ball striking is the cleanest you will find. What Ham fans think we don't understand is how lucky they feel to have this guy at their club, because he has given them reason to anticipate something every time he has possession.
What a player.
