Fan blogger Ollie Hirst examines the Hammers' 2015/16 fixture list...
So the fixtures are out and, shock horror, it looks like we play everybody in the Premier League twice. On first glance, the schedule has been rather kind. Each time we play one of the so-called big boys (Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United) there's a more favourable-looking fixture immediately after (Leicester, Newcastle, Norwich, Watford, Stoke).
It all begins at the Emirates, which isn't as daunting as it might sound. The Gunners have won only one of their last five opening day fixtures and if we can get a core squad together early, there's a good chance of us springing a surprise across town.
I expect our second opponents, Leicester City to be much improved from last season but we should still be aiming for a nice early three points on our own turf, in addition to whatever happens the week before.
New boys Bournemouth are next up at home, although this will be pushed back by at least a day if we're still involved in the Europa League at this stage. That is where problems are likely to arise if we don't have an adequate squad in place.
A trip to Liverpool follows at the end of August, in another fixture subject to chance based on our exploits in Europe, before a well-earned rest and - fingers crossed - as few players as possible heading off for internationals.
Should we make the Europa League group stages - still eight games away yet - then our subsequent domestic fixtures against Manchester City (A), Sunderland (A) and Chelsea (H) will all be rearranged. It would get a little easier, though, on paper at least, with home games against Everton, West Brom and Stoke City proceeding our next three weeks in Europe.
A trip to Tottenham, where we've not lost in three, follows November's break for internationals, ahead of a festive schedule that sees us travel to Aston Villa on Boxing Day. We might win one for a change! Our past three turkey-hangover-day fixtures have been at away to Chelsea, home to Arsenal and the postponed game against Arsenal the year before because of a tube strike. In fact, it's five years since our last win on December 26.
After this, a familiar big-boy smaller-boy fixture pattern: Liverpool followed by Bournemouth; Man City followed by Villa; Chelsea followed by Palace; Arsenal followed by Leicester and Man United followed by West Brom, before Stoke and Swansea to close the season. The game against Swansea though will at least have a more powerful meaning with it being our last game at the Boleyn Ground.
Hopefully, the prospect of a European final in Basel will keep us interested in the season's latter stages as we gear up for Champions League football at our new home in Stratford.
COYI.
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