"West Ham’s chances of finishing above halfway for the second straight season will depend on how quicklythey can ascend to the famed 40-point platform."
Recommended Bet: Back-to-lay West Ham for a top-half finish @ 5.59/2
Michael Lintorn admires West Ham's rapid rise up the table during a campaign of contradictions at the Boleyn Ground...
West Ham are undergoing the most surreal of seasons.
They are relegation candidates who keep a clean sheet every other game and boast two more than anyone else in the division: a side who hadn't won successive Premier League matches under Sam Allardyce before just delivering three in a row.
Goalkeeper Adrian hadn't played in the league before December 21 yet less than two months on is the overwhelming crowd favourite. Record signing Andy Carroll's suspension has inspired their most clinical finishing of the campaign.
Star centre back Winston Reid is on the bench during their longest ever Premier League clean sheet streak, while Mohamed Diame, Ravel Morrison and Antonio Nocerino can't get a start because left winger Matt Taylor - who started none of the first 16 - is bossing things in the centre of the park.
However, the greatest oddity of all is that two victories in four days against Aston Villa and Norwich have launched them from the relegation zone to the top half, with the ongoing potential to yo-yo between either realm. The Irons are 5.59/2 to secure a top-ten finish, compared to 9.617/2 to go down.
Which is more likely? The fact that there is only one top-half vacancy - ninth-placed Newcastle are nine points ahead with a home game in hand against Tottenham - compared to three for a spot in the Championship means that there is little in it.
West Ham's chances of finishing above halfway for the second straight season will depend on how quickly - if at all, of course - they can ascend to the famed 40-point platform. Stationed on 28 with 12 fixtures to snare the required four wins from, it sounds simple, but isn't quite.
They face seven of the top eight in that final 12, including four of the supposed Big Six in their closing six, and Spurs are the only top-ten team that they have beaten.
The helpful recent habit of defeating the clubs around them - something that they struggled with previously - must therefore be retained, with Hull and Crystal Palace at home and Stoke, Sunderland and West Brom away the key clashes.
The biggest indicator though could be how they fare in their next two encounters against the least intimidating of the top eight - Southampton at home and Everton away.
Four points from that double header would really put them in the frame, whereas failure to win either would relaunch their relegation battle. It is consequently vital that momentum is maintained over the upcoming FA Cup-inflicted 11-day game break before hosting Southampton.
Recommended Bet: Back-to-lay West Ham for a top-half finish @ 5.59/2
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