#2 Cheikhou Kouyate
The current Senegalese captain, Kouyate might not receive the same amount of praise as the likes of Dimitri Payet or Michel Antonio, but he is one player who continues to impress for the Hammers despite their horrible season thus far.
Kouyate has been at the heart of the West Ham midfield and his industrious performances as the defensive midfielder of the unit has proved to be vital for the Hammers in the current season. Tidy going into tackles, with the ball at his feet, but it is his aerial prowess where he helps his side the most. His ability to make frequent interceptions (48 interceptions in 18 appearances) adds to his credentials as one of the most effective defensive midfielders in the league.
Like every player, he too has certain deficiencies that need fine tuning, the biggest of them being his decision making.
