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West Ham: First choice XI for 2016-17

By Tom Bogert

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 10: Mark Noble (16), Andy Carroll (9) and Dimitri Payet of West Ham United (27) celebrate victory after the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground on May 10, 2016 in London, England. West Ham United are playing their last ever home match at the Boleyn Ground after their 112 year stay at the stadium. The Hammers will move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016-17 season. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble of West Ham United celebrate at the final whistle during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford at Boleyn Ground on April 20, 2016 in London, England (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble of West Ham United celebrate at the final whistle during the Barclays Premier League match between West Ham United and Watford at Boleyn Ground on April 20, 2016 in London, England (Photo by James Griffiths/West Ham United via Getty Images) /

DM Mark Noble

The West Ham legend in the making, Noble has made 364 appearances for the London side and has scored 42 goals. The 29-year-old completed 86% of his passes and created 50 goal scoring opportunities in 37 appearances in the league last season, per Squakwa. Those 50 chances created were more than any Hammer not named Payet.

Noble has been with West Ham his entire senior career after moving to the club from Arsenal’s youth academy due to transportation difficulties in getting to training as a kid.

Thanks to his spot kick prowess Noble bagged a respectable seven goals last season.

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DM Cheikhou Kouyate

Signed from Anderlecht in 2014, Kouyate has already made 70 appearances for West Ham in just two seasons.

Kouyate is deceptively limber for a player whose 6’4″ and a huge asset on set pieces. For a defensive midfielder to chip in with five goals is a tidy number.

Those aren’t his best features, though. He averages three successful tackles, two interceptions and three aerial duels per game as he sweeps up in front of Ogbonna and Reid.

Kouyate and Noble’s partnership has formed well and was accentuated with Payet’s addition to the midfield last season. Noble and Kouyate helped to give those ahead of them the freedom to play as they plugged the middle. With an ever improving roster around them, they’ll look to perform similar duties and carry similar form in 2016-17 as West Ham attack the Europa League and challenge towards Champions League qualification.

Next: Attacking midfielders

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