Defeated by a last-gasp goal at the Emirates in a clash that and rooted at the foot of the Premier League table with just six points from ten games, the last thing West Ham needed was another piece of bad news.

Unfortunately for the Hammers, that’s exactly what they received this week when it emerged that Mark Noble is set to be out of action for up to a month after having his appendix removed.

Noble, who, despite seeming like an experienced campaigner for the Hammers at times, is still just 23, started complaining of stomach problems earlier this week and after an assessment from West Ham’s doctor was forced to undergo surgery.

The news will come as a particular blow to the Hammers as Noble, along with Scott Parker, has been in particularly good form so far this season, providing a ray of hope in the club’s otherwise dismal start to the campaign.

He clearly has the faith of Avram Grant, with the West Ham boss including the midfielder in his starting 11 in every league match so far this season. Injury problems to other key players in the middle of the park, including Thomas Hitzlsperger and Jack Collison, also make Noble’s absence particularly troublesome. The Betfair Football rumour mill suggests Grant could look to strengthen the midfield in January if he is given the chance to do so.

West Ham are currently preparing for a trio of games that could see them improve their position in the league drastically, with Birmingham, West Brom, and Blackpool all on the horizon, games the football predictions suggest the Irons are more than capable of winning.

If they can string together some decent performances before then, the impact of Noble’s absence may not be as major as initially feared.