Fan blogger Ollie Hirst looks ahead to tonight's game against FC Astra...
Four fixtures down and another four to go if we're to qualify for the Europa League proper. At least they're coming in quick succession. With our best players now suitably rested, this is where things start to get serious. Last week's Malta shootout was too close a call and there can be no repeats if we want to be in that hat for that group stage draw in a month's time.
Reassuringly, that also seems to be the message from the top. Co-chairman David Gold has promised we will field "our strongest team possible" on Thursday evening, when Romanians Astra Giurgiu are the visitors to what will be a packed Upton Park.
It is vital we take a healthy lead into next week's second leg, as we did against Lusitans and as we did not when Birkirkara visited the East End a fortnight ago. We saw in Malta how difficult these European away trips can be.
Mr Gold's claims point at a first proper introduction to a number of summer recruits, although it is unclear if Pedro Obiang will be fit to make an appearance. James Tomkins' suspension opens the door for Angelo Ogbonna to play alongside James Collins, while Carl Jenkinson could also feature in place of Joey O'Brien.
After an impressive display down at Southend the other week, you would expect Slaven to find room for eight-figure signing Dimitri Payet, who is arguably our most exciting piece of business, while Manuel Lanzini should at least make the 18. For those who won't have seen Payet in action at Roots Hall, he is likely to be the main attraction against Astra.
Diafra Sakho's suspension and Andy Carroll's continued unavailability highlights our need for offensive reinforcements in the remaining weeks of this transfer window, although it also provides further opportunity for Mauro Zarate, Enner Valencia and Modibo Maiga to impress.
Astra certainly shouldn't be taken lightly. They've already won once on these shores this past month; 1-0 at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who were the third best team in Scotland last season.
The Black Devils are also yet to concede in their two Europa League fixtures so far in 2015/16 and let's not forget they knocked seven-time French champions Lyon out of last season's competition in the play-off round, going on to draw twice against Celtic in the group stages.
Constantin Budescu, the Romanians' attacking midfielder and captain, scored both goals in Lyon and once again in Inverness and is one to keep an eye on at Upton Park.
But let's be clear, this shouldn't be anything other than a win for West Ham. Astra are living proof that upsets do happen, but after last week's exploits we should know better than to mess up this excellent opportunity
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