West Ham United

West Ham United V Burnley

Date & Kick-Off: Monday, 21st February – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park
Competition: FA Cup; Fifth Round
TV Coverage: ESPN

The fact these two clubs have rarely come face-to-face with one another in recent years only adds to the intrigue surrounding what should be a thoroughly entertaining contest between a West Ham side who have excelled in cup competitions this season and Eddie Howe’s in-form Burnley.

West Ham are the favourites, the Hammers boasting home advantage at Upton Park where, incidentally, their FA Cup campaign thus far has centred around – beating Barnsley 2-0 in Third Round and Nottingham Forest 3-2 in the Fourth Round – and where Burnley have failed to win on their previous five visits.

As far as momentum heading into this Fifth Round tie goes, it’s difficult to weigh up who has the edge. Burnley are without defeat in their last three matches but were held to a 1-1 draw away at Cardiff City last time out, a result which put an end to their two-match winning streak, while West Ham have failed to win any of their last two games but produced one of the comebacks of the season in their most recent encounter, coming from 3-0 down away at West Brom to draw 3-3.

So who tickles your fancy? The Hammers have been a force to be reckoned with outside of the Premier League this season but made hard work of beating Championship opposition in the previous round, whereas Burnley haven’t beat Premiership opposition in the FA Cup since 2005, when famously dumping Liverpool out in the Third Round.

A Burnley victory wouldn’t be a giant-killing, nor would it send shock waves around the country, but it would turn a few heads and a whole host of firms, including one of my personal favourites PaddyPower, go a generous 3/1 (4.00) on the Clarets upsetting the odds. Neither party would be overly eager to take this tie into a replay, though Burnley would definitely fancy their chances back at Turf Moor, with the Draw a best-priced 11/4 (3.75) with StanJames. Those who cannot see past the Premier League oufit can get EVENS (2.00) with BetFred and WilliamHill on West Ham winning their seventh successive cup match on home soil.

West Ham United

In a bid to turn their stumbling season around, Hammers boss Avram Grant organised a day of karting as a means to unite his dressing room but also reward the team for their valiant efforts a week previous when coming from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns. Between then and now, however, nine days will have passed meaning Grant’s men should be fresher than their Fifth Round rivals, who were in action during the week, but also raring to go and eager to stretch their winning run at Upton Park in the cups to seven.

As stunning as their second-half display against the Baggies was a little over a week ago, in reality it was still a disappointing point against one of their main rivals for safety in a match which, had their defending even been at of an adequate standard, may have seen them clinch all three points. As it is, the club’s situation with regards to survival is still very much precarious, with the Hammers second-from-bottom in the league and now three points from safety.

In a season which has been stop-start, the misery of fighting a relegation battle has been countered by some impressive runs in the cups. In the Carling Cup, West Ham came agonisingly close to reaching the final only to be knocked out by Birmingham City in Extra-Time while the Hammers are still alive and kicking in the FA Cup, with their manager, Avram Grant, eager to maintain his fantastic record of having appeared in a major final with every English club he’s managed – Taking Chelsea to the Champions League final in Moscow and last season working miracles with a cash-strapped Portsmouth, the Israeli guiding a team which eventually finished rock-bottom in the Premier League that season all the way to the final only to lose 1-0 to Chelsea.

Leading West Ham to Wembley and the final of the FA Cup wouldn’t be a case of Grant working minor miracles but it would be some achievements nonetheless. This a team which has spent much of the league campaign rooted to the basement of the Barclay’s Premier League. And to make life just that little bit more stressful for the Hammers tactician, James Tomkins, Matthew Upson and Robbie Keane are all sidelined with various bumps and scrapes, while Victor Obinna, scorer of a hat-trick in the previous round against Not’m Forest, is also rated as doubtful.

Burnley

Last season Burnley were plying their trade in the top-flight of English football, and in the early stages were holding their own against the country’s very best – beating Manchester United 1-0 at Turf Moor one of their more memorable moments. Unfortunately, their early success was short-lived, the Clarets eventually relegated with the worst defensive record the Premiership has ever seen and there were growing concerns that the club would struggle to recover and drift into the shadows. On Monday, Burnley are aiming to serve us up a kindly reminder that the Lancashire Clarets certainly haven’t disappeared.

Since their relegation from the Premier League, Burnley have ousted Brian Laws from the managerial hot-seat and brought in a younger model in the form of former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, the 33-year old aiming to bring Premiership football back to Turf Moor. He may succeed in his attempts sooner than many expected, with a draw enough to drag West Ham back to Turf Moor where Burnley beat the Hammers 2-1 when they clashed in the Premier League last term.

Fans, though, want to watch teams of a Premier League calibre on a more regular basis, and after a sluggish start to life back in the Championship, it would appear Burnley are ready to at least hand supporters the opportunity to get behind the team in a bid to make an instant return to the big-time. Just one defeat in their last seven in the league, one in nine in all competitions, has seen Burney make some real in-roads in the league and move within six-points of the play-off’s.

In the mean time, though, it’s making progress in the FA Cup which takes center stage and with so much confidence to be had from their recent form, and with the players responding positively to Eddie Howe’s appointment, I wouldn’t be too hasty in writing off their chances.

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Match Pointers

West Ham

- The Hammers have been victorious in 9 of 19 matches played at Upton Park this season (W9 D4 L6), that includes all competitions.
- Avram Grant’s men have won four of their previous six home games, while their record in cups at home is imperious having won all six (2 FA Cup & 4 League Cup).
- Have won only two of their last six games, home or away and in all competitions, and are without a victory in their last two.
- West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any of his last eight starts between the sticks, with his last on Jan 8 when beating Barnsley 2-0 in the Third Round of the FA Cup, while the Hammers only have four to their name for the term.

Burnley

- The Clarets have had their fair share of problems churning out victories on the road, although have improved of late, the Championship side winning only 4 of 18 away matches so far this season.
- Burnley are in a rich vein of form having lost just one of their last nine matches in all competitions, winning four of their previous six.
- Haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six games, and just 2 in their last 21.

Head-to-Head

- West Ham have lost only two of the last eleven meetings, and are without defeat in their last five at home.
- These two have met twice in the FA Cup, during the 1963/64 and 1967/68 seasons, with West Ham winning both.
- West Ham won the most recent encounter between the two at Upton Park 5-3, during the 2009/2010 Premier League, with Carlton Cole and Chris Eagles, two players who should start for West Ham and Burnley respectively, both on the scoresheet that day.

Match Prediction: Draw -3.75 StanJames

Few have taken to cup competitions like West Ham have under Avram Grant, but this is also a Burnley side who enjoy life outside of domestic affairs, so it won’t be straightforward for the Premiership club. In fact, I suspect they’ll be given a rough ride at Upton Park by a Burnley team in buoyant mood and who actually played some very good football.

The visitors will carve out chances, as they always do, while they’re never afraid to commit men forward to attack, and against a West Ham defence which is without its regular centre-half partnership of Matthew Upson and James Tomkins, I strongly fancy Burnley to at least get on the scoresheet. I only hope West Ham’s better class of players cancels out to some degree the energy and enthusiasm of a Burnley side who will come to town with a fearless attitude, unphased by the venue, the opposing fans nor their opposition.

Value Bet: Both Teams to Score -1.83 SkyBet

West Bromwich Albion V West Ham United

Saturday, 15th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: The Hawthorns

It came as a surprise, although you could also argue that the club had some justification in their ruthless, business-like decision to axe Roberto Di Matteo on the back of a dismal stretch of form which has seen West Brom win just one of their last nine games in the Premier League. So how will a Matteo-less Baggies cope against bottom-of-the league West Ham?

Hammers boss Avram Grant must be counting his lucky stars that he’s still in a job and his former opposite number isn’t, as the Italian had fared a great deal better than the Israeli considering the latter has enjoyed a better wealth of resources as well as boast a better array of players. Grant will also be disgruntled that those shoots of revival were trampled on last Sunday, as Birmingham came to town and left Upton Park with a hard-fought 1-0 victory which saw the Bubble-Blowing Hammers return to the basement of the Premier League, where they’ve spent much of the season.

So who will rein supreme in this latest relegation six-pointer? Neither boast particularly strong claims so it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see punters take chunks out of the price on the draw.

Match Odds:

West Brom – 2.00 Coral (General)
Draw – 3.75 VictorChandler
West Ham – 4.00 Bet365

West Bromwich Albion

The club’s sudden decision to part ways with former Baggies chief Roberto Di Matteo has thrust West Brom into the limelight, as the news came as a shock to everyone and even took the LMA (League Managers Association) by surprise. Fifteen months loyal service and promotion to the most watched league on the planet clearly didn’t merit the respect it deserved as the Italian was unfairly given his marching orders. In the meantime, the show must go on and the club have now entrusted the youngest ever manager in Premier League history, Michael Appelton, 35, with the immediate responsibility of steering West Bromwich Albion away from the relegation zone until a full-time replacement is found.

Despite having never managed a professional football club in his life, Michael Appelton has not only been left with the unenviable task of keeping West Brom afloat and above the relegation zone, he’s also extremely keen on landing the job full-time. The club, meanwhile, aren’t as enthusiastic and have quickly been linked with the likes of Chris Hughton and Roy Hodgson, managers who were shown the door by fellow Premiership outfits earlier in the season but have a wealth of experience at all levels of the game compared to the current stand-in boss.

You never know, especially in the crazy world that is the Barclay’s Premier League. A couple of quick-fire wins and the league’s youngest ever manager may well find himself considered a strong candidate for the full-time position, although winning isn’t something the Baggies do a lot of in fairness. Roberto Di Matteo picked up seven in all during his brief spell in the top-flight, which is two more than Avram Grant has conjured with relegation rivals West Ham, so that clearly wasn’t a sackable offence. What was, however, was one solitary win in a little over two months.

From the beginning of December, West Brom mustered just one win from nine games, seven of those culminating in defeats, and, in the end, the club felt the team’s current plight was too alarming to simply brush under the carpet and ignore. Understandable reasoning I suppose, although, what I didn’t agree with was the timing. Why sack a manager who has established an understanding with the team immediately before a crunch game with one of your fiercest rivals for survival? Why leave the team hanging in the lurch with a manager who has no experience of management at any professional level ahead of a match they are more than capable of winning? It just doesn’t make any sense. With Di Matteo at the helm, I would have fancied the Baggies to get a result from an unquestionably glorious fixture against basement occupants West Ham. Now I’m not so sure, despite the Baggies collecting four points from their previous two home league games (West Brom 3-2 Blackpool & West Brom 2-2 Wigan Athletic).

West Ham United

After seeing his counterpart leave through the exit door earlier in the week, it wasn’t the biggest surprise in the world to see Avram Grant quickly come to the defence of Roberto Di Matteo; after all, the Israeli is a manager under immense pressure to restore West Ham’s Premiership status and has been constantly been linked with the sack himself. Barely a week has gone by without someone suggesting the club’s trigger-happy owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, are considering Grant’s future as manager, so if anyone is fit to hand out advice or lament what was a terrible decision, Grant’s the man.

While matters on the pitch take precedent over anything else, Grant may well be in for a reprieve on Friday should the Olympic Park legacy Company confirm what has been the worst kept secret for the best part of 48 hours. The reports suggest West Ham have beaten London rivals Tottenham to the vacant Olympic Stadium, or at least it will be vacant after the 2012 Olympic games. The club’s owners have been embroiled in a war of words with the Spurs representatives for some time now, so news that West Ham will be moving into a new home in 2012 should keep the two meddling David’s satisfied and off Grant’s back, in the meantime at least.

To his credit, Grant has performed admirably under testing circumstances; mass amounts of scrutiny from the club’s own supporters on match days, intense media speculation regarding his future and an obvious lack of faith from his bosses. However, the club did finally came to his aid in the end and Grant wasted little time bolstering his ranks with a couple of interesting January additions. Wayne Bridge, Gary O’Neill and Robbie Keane were all brought in to reinforce what was a threadbare squad. Players of a Premiership calibre were brought in and now there’s some genuine competition for places. All of a sudden, the likes of Carlton Cole and Victor Obinna have come out of their shells and began performing again, the former boasting five goals in his last three games.

Recent winter reinforcements had done the trick, with the Hammers grounding out a creditable 2-2 draw at Everton last month before securing back-to-back wins over Nottingham Forest (3-2) in the FA Cup and Blackpool (1-3) in the league, the latter away from home as well. Goals were flying in, and that’s not like the Hammers. However, the good times didn’t last long as a wasteful performance from Avram Grant’s men saw them spurn a fabulous opportunity to leap out of the bottom three only to make a distasteful return to the foot of the table. Fortunately, a trip to The Hawthorns to face a now managerless West Brom side is their chance to redeem themselves, as a win would be enough for the Hammers to leapfrog the Baggies and possibly spend the forthcoming week on safe ground for a change.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

West Brom

Premiership: Manchester City 3-0 West Brom
Premiership: West Brom 2-2 Wigan Athletic
Premiership: Blackburn Rovers 2-0 West Brom
Premiership: West Brom 3-2 Blackpool
FA Cup: Reading 1-0 West Brom

West Ham

Premiership: West Ham 0-1 Birmingham City
Premiership: Blackpool 1-3 West Ham
FA Cup: West Ham 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham
Premiership: Everton 2-2 West Ham

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

West Brom

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-5-13 (Home: 5-3-4)
Goal Difference: 31-48 (Home: 18-19)
Form: LWLDL (Home: WLLWD)
Top Scorer: Peter Odemwingie (9)

West Ham

League Position: 20th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-9-12 (Away: 2-5-6)
Goal Difference: 27-45 (Away: 13-25)
Form: LLDWL (Away: DWLDW)
Top Scorer: Frederic Piquionne (6)

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Head-to-Head (Premiership: Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: West Ham 2-2 West Brom

2008/2009: West Ham 0-0 West Brom
2008/2009: West Brom 3-2 West Ham

2005/2006: West Brom 0-1 West Ham
2005/2006: West Ham 1-0 West Brom

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West Ham United V Birmingham City

Sunday, 6th February – 13:30 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park
TV coverage: Sky Sports HD1

West Ham United

Few managers have had more on their plate this season than Avram Grant, the Israeli having to put up with constant speculation in the media surrounding his future as West Ham manager as his was continually undermined by the club’s board. David Gold and David Sullivan, the co-owners of West Ham United FC, did finally hand the Israeli the vote of confidence he was in desperate need of and with the circus now having moved on, the club are beginning to reap instant benefits.

A combination of Grant and the players finally knowing where they stand along with a few fresh faces has revitalised the West Ham ranks, not least kick-started a mid-season revival which could turn out to be the turning point in their season. Among those who were brought in at the end of January was Robbie Keane, one of the Premier League’s greatest ever goal-getters, and the Republic of Ireland forward didn’t take long to make his presence felt. Keane scored West Ham’s second as the Hammers secured only their second away win of the season at Blackpool, Victor Obinna also popping up with a brace as Grant celebrated a 3-1 victory which lift his team off the bottom of the league. 

Unfortunately, despite how well they performed at Bloomfield Road against a Blackpool side who weren’t entirely at the races, the win wasn’t enough to lift the Hammers out of the relegation zone. A second successive win, however, would certainly do the trick and who better to do so against than Birmingham City, the team which agonisingly beat West Ham 4-3 on aggregate in the Semi-Final of the Carling Cup? Because of this very notion, they’ll be that extra bit of fire in their bellies, especially as victory over the Blues would relegate the Midlanders into the bottom three.

Avram Grant firmly believes that his team has turned a corner after collecting four points from their last two league games, and although his comments may seem a little hasty and careless, we believe the glum Israeli maybe on to something. We have to admit, we still aren’t overly keen on their defence, which is the worst in the entire Premier League, however Grant now has a potent forward-line which does have goals in it. Robbie Keane is a high-class player despite his age, Frederic Piquionne has been their only really regular source of goals this season with six to his name, while only last season Carlton Cole was attracting plenty of interest from some big clubs. But Victor Obinna really has come into his own in recent weeks, his two-goal haul on Wednesday – His second an absolute stunner – was his fifth in two games following his hat-trick last weekend in the FA Cup.

Within the blink of an eye, West Ham suddenly seem a different proposition. A team playing with far more confidence but with a great deal more belief to go with it. They firmly believe they can now dig themselves out of trouble, and I’m beginning to think so too. Of course, it is early days and there are still a number of hurdles that will trouble them, but there have been encouraging signs of late that the Hammers are ready to blast their way out of trouble.

Birmingham City

Alex McLeish, who is an under-fire Birmingham manager, may feel he holds all the aces after it was he who guided his team to the final of the Carling Cup at the expense of their relegation rivals West Ham. Ironically, though, it was the Scot who went into the deciding second leg under intense pressure following reports that the Birmingham board were willing to offload the former Scotland manager had he not delivered a dream date with Wembley. Whether those reports, or rumours, were true remains to be seen, however it doesn’t take a genius to come to the conclusion that Alex McLeish is a manager under immense pressure to bring home the bacon in the Premier League, a feat he has achieved just four times all season and just once in his last nine attempts.

As wins have come at a premium, McLeish’s stock has fallen dramatically. The 52-year old performed miracles last season when guiding the Midlands outfit to a top-ten finish, but it would appear the board aren’t interested in what the current Birmingham chief achieved last term but only his performance as manager in the present term, which, in fairness, hasn’t been great. The Scot has overseen a dire league campaign which has seen the Blues registered a meagre 24 points from a possible 69; their tally of four victories is the joint-lowest in the top-flight while only Wigan has scored fewer goals although no team has created fewer chances than a Birmingham side who have struggled to reach the heights they sailed last season.

It is unlikely that McLeish will be sacked before February 27th, the date of the Carling Cup final, though his position will become untenable should his team continue along their winless path. Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City at St Andrews was actually a creditable result, especially as in their last league encounter with a Manchester club they were hammered 5-0, losing at Old Trafford to Manchester United two weeks ago. The Blues are also through to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup as well, but it’s survival in the Premier League which is of utmost concern and at this moment in time, Alex McLeish’s side aren’t picking up sufficient points, nor shaping as though a win is just around the corner, to suggest they are going to fend off the relegation zone for too much longer. In the meantime, goal difference is the difference between Birmingham City occupying safe ground of a relegation spot – defeat at Upton Park on Sunday would result in another unpleasant spell inside the bottom three.

The Birmingham manager’s cause isn’t helped by a number of unavailable players, Obafemi Martins being one of those. The on-loan Nigerian still awaits his Visa and is highly unlikely to receive one before Sunday, while Barry Ferguson, Cameron Jerome and Roger Johnson are all doubts. Curtis Davies may start his first match for the Blues since joining from Aston Villa.

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Recent Form (Last 5)

West Ham United

Premiership: Blackpool 1-3 West Ham United
FA Cup: West Ham United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United
Premiership: Everton 2-2 West Ham United
Premiership: West Ham United 0-3 Arsenal

Birmingham City

Premiership: Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham United
FA Cup: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City
Premiership: Birmingham City 1-1 Aston Villa

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

West Ham United

League Position: 18th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-9-11 (Home: 3-4-5)
Goal Difference: 27-44 (Home: 14-19)
Top Scorer: Frederic Piquionne (6)
Form: WLLDW (Home: WLDWL)

Birmingham City

League Position: 17th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-12-7 (Away: 1-5-5)
Goal Difference: 23-33 (Away: 11-20)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (5)
Form: LWDLD (Away: DDLWL)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Birmingham City 2-2 West Ham United

2009/2010: West Ham United 2-0 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 1-0 West Ham United

2007/2008: West Ham United 1-1 Birmingham City
2007/2008: Birmingham City 0-1 West Ham United

2005/2006: West Ham United 3-0 Birmingham City
2005/2006: Birmingham City 1-2 West Ham United

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Match Prediction: West Ham United to WIN – 2.10 WilliamHill

I do like West Ham’s chances on Sunday, in what is a definite relegation six-pointer, however their odds aren’t great and while I will side with Avram Grant’s improving Hammers, I wouldn’t write off Birmingham’s chances of grounding out a result at Upton Park.

The extra fire-power at West Ham will be a massive lure for punters, as it is for me. There is no an abundance of goals in this Hammers side, which is in stark contrast to the one at the start of the season, and with their tails wagging following their impressive 3-1 victory away at Blackpool on Wednesday, are difficult to overlook.

Defensively, I would still rate Birmingham as one of the best in the Premier League, so they are certainly capable of frustrating the hosts. They too recorded a morale boosting result in midweek, holding Man City to a 2-2 draw at St Andrews. Their form away from home is, however, alarming having won just once on their travels all season. The fact they were also leathered 5-0 by Manchester United in their most recent away outing only adds to the growing list of worrying negatives for Birmingham, who are a definite no-go at the present time, in my opinion.

Value Bet: Victor Obinna to Score – 3.60 Unibet

After five goals in his last two appearances, including a hat-trick in the FA Cup, Victor Obinna is playing like a player reborn. Full of confidence, no longer afraid to have a pop from distance, the Nigerian is worth a dabble in the scorer markets.

Match Odds:

West Ham United – 2.10 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.50 Bet365
Birmingham City – 4.00 StanJames

Blackpool V West Ham United

Wednesday, 2nd February – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Bloomfield Road

Blackpool

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway was delighted to retain the services of influential midfielder Charlie Adam until at least the end of the season, despite the Scotland international desperately seeking a move during the January window. A weak bid from Liverpool and a last-ditch effort from Tottenham wasn’t enough to prize Adam away from Bloomfield Road, and although the former Rangers outcast was devastated that no move materialized, the Blackpool skipper expressed that he remained fully committed to the club’s survival cause and that he would put his January heartache aside for the benefit of Blackpool FC – An admirable act from a player who deserves his dream move.

As Ian Holloway would openly tell you, Blackpool are ecstatic the January transfer window is closed and that finally there will be no more distractions as the club unite to leap the last few obstacles that remain in their bid to avoid relegation. Realistically, the Tangerines require only twelve more points, the equivalent of four victories, to secure survival and reach that magic 40-point milestone. It all seems straightforward enough, especially as only Birmingham City have more fixtures to contest in the second part of the season than Blackpool. However, I’m sure the doubters would have leaped out of the woodwork had Charlie Adam left in January, such has been the influence the midfielder has had in Blackpool’s maiden season in the Barclay’s Premier League.

Despite the elation of bidding fare well to January, and how much the club despised the latest transfer window, Blackpool still made more of it than most. No less than six players were brought in during January to bolster Ian Holloway’s ranks. James Beattie, Sergei Kornilenko and Jason Puncheon were all brought in to bolster Holloway’s offensive options, while the acquisition of Andy Reid appeared a direct replacement for the seemingly out-of-the-door Charlie Adam. All the aforementioned players could feature on Wednesday, so it should be a capacity crowd at Bloomfield Road as fans look to get their first glimpses of Holloway’s latest bargain buys.

As mentioned a little earlier, Blackpool have plenty of games left in order to acquire those elusive 12 points. Between now and the end of the season, Ian Holloway will lead his troops into battle on no less than 15 occasions, and on each occasion with the same collective objective: To clinch all three points. Some match days will be tougher than others, there are even half-a-dozen where points are unlikely to fall their way, so when you see a fixture like this – Blackpool at home against bottom-of-the-league West Ham – you know the manager will be drilling it into his players just how significant a game this is. Blackpool always give their all, but they’ll be working that little bit more on Wednesday night in a match they know full well they can ill afford not to win, let alone lose.

West Ham United

After finally receiving what appeared a concrete vote of confidence from the club’s owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, Avram Grant was allowed to get down to business without the distraction of not knowing when the bullet would arrive. But instead of flirting with potential managers, the owners decided to back up their current manager by handing him the necessary resources to dig the club out of the mess they find themselves in, which is a dire situation with regards to the Premier League and no longer boasting the security net of an exciting run in the Carling Cup – The Hammers eliminated at the Semi-Final stage by Birmingham City on aggregate seven days ago.

Grant didn’t waste much time in going to town with the club’s credit card, digging deep to acquire the services of Wayne Bridge, who has already made several appearances for the club on loan from Man City, Gary O’Neill, Robbie Keane and Demba Ba, the former three all on loan deals. In fairness, all four could turn out to be shrewd signings by the Israeli, though all four also arrive with whacking great wage packets which should the club fail in their bid to secure Premiership football for the next calender year, could have major repercussions on top of an already growing mountain of debt.

We expect Grant to throw caution to the wind on Wednesday night, with Robbie Kean set to make his début as Wayne Bridge and Gary O’Neill continue their gelling process with the rest of the Hammers pack. Demba Ba has fitness issues and is unlikely to start, though it’s interesting to see just how much fire-power Avram Grant now has at his disposal. Frederic Piquionne has scored some crucial goals this season and is the team’s leading scorer in the league. Carlton Cole has also chipped in with a couple while Victor Obinna slammed home a hat-trick at the weekend as West Ham saw off a spirited Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup to progress into the Fifth Round. We all know Robbie Keane is a talented forward, one of the league’s greatest ever goal-getters, although the Republic of Ireland isn’t getting any younger and hasn’t played an awful lot of football this season.

Suddenly, the fact the team have plundered just 24 goals in the league all season isn’t as alarming as it was heading into Christmas, even though the club are still rooted to the bottom of the Barclay’s Premier League, as they were a month ago. If only Grant reinforced his leaky defence, one which has shipped ten goals in its last four matches, West Ham would look a far more alluring bet on paper to defy the drop, something which looked inevitable at Christmas but is now seemingly back in West Ham’s own hands. But if this new-look forward line can start firing from the word ‘go, starting at Blackpool in what is a stand-out fixture for them – few games will be as golden in terms of the winnable factor than this trip to Bloomfield Road, then the mist may descend from Upton Park, as a win on Wednesday has the ability to lift the Hammers out of the  relegation zone.

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Last 5 Results

Blackpool

Premiership: Blackpool 2-3 Manchester United
Premiership: Blackpool 1-2 Sunderland
Premiership: West Brom 3-2 Blackpool
Premiership: Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool
FA Cup: Southampton 2-0 Blackpool

West Ham United

FA Cup: West Ham United 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham United (after Extra-Time)
Premiership: Everton 2-2 West Ham United
Premiership: West Ham United 0-3 Arsenal
Carling Cup: West Ham United 2-1 Birmingham City

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2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Blackpool

League Position: 12th
Win-Draw-Lose: 8-4-11 (Home: 3-2-5)
Goal Difference: 34-41 (Home: 17-19)
Leading Goalscorer: DJ Campbell (8)
Form: LWLLL (Home: WLWLL)

West Ham United

League Position: 20th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-9-11 (Away: 1-5-6)
Goal Difference: 24-43 (Away: 10-24)
Leading Goalscorer: Frederic Piquionne (6)
Form: DWLLD (Away: LDWLD)

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Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: West Ham United 0-0 Blackpool

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Pointers

Blackpool

- Blackpool have the worst home record in the Premier League, registering just ten points from as many – matches at Bloomfield Road this season.
- The Tangerines have lost six of their last seven games in all competitions.
- Blackpool haven’t kept a clean sheet at home all season, nor have they failed to score on their own patch.
- Only Wigan Athletic (18th) have conceded more goals at home this season than Blackpool (19).
- DJ Campbell has scored in three of his last four appearances at Bloomfield Road for Blackpool, though only three of his eight goals in the Premier League this term have come on home soil.

West Ham United

- The Hammers will be contesting their third game in eight days.
- West Ham have scored in all but one of their last six matches in all competitions.
- Are without a win in their last three Premiership games, though a 2-2 draw away at Everton in their most recent league fixture did end a two-match losing sequence.
- Since the start of the term, West Ham have won just one of twelve away from home in the league.
- Only Wolves and West Ham, who have both scored nine away goal, have scored fewer goals on their travels this season than West Ham (10).
- Have the third weakest away defence in the Premiership, shipping 24 goals in 12 away fixtures.
- On seven occasions West Ham have failed to find the back of the net in an away fixture (League).

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Team News

Blackpool – Blackpool boss Ian Holloway somehow managed to retain the services of Charlie Adam, so the Scotland international will continue to captain the side in the heart of the midfield. However, Holloway is still shorn of the likes of Matt Gilks (Goalie), Chris Basham, Stephen Crainey, Billy Clarke and David Carney. It remains to be seen whether deadline day signings James Beattie, Sergei Kornilenko, Jason Puncheon or Andy Reid play any part on Wednesday against the Hammers.

West Ham – Jack Collison and Junior Stanislas remained sidelined for Avram Grant, however Thomas Hitzlsperger and Manuel Da Costa are nearing returns. January signing Demba Ba could make his début after completing a £5M+ switch from Hoffenheim, although his fitness is a concern, after failing two medicals in January. Robbie Keane also joined the Hammers on loan from Spurs on deadline day and despite making only a handful of appearances for Tottenham this season, is set to lead the line on Wednesday at Bloomfield Road, either alongside a rejuvenated Carlton Cole and Victor Obinna, or top scorer Frederic Piquionne – The possibilities are endless for Grant it would seem. Gary O’Neill also joined on loan in January after featuring in West Ham’s 3-2 triumph over Nott’m Forest in the FA Cup at the weekend, could start his second successive game for the Hammers.

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Match Odds:

Blackpool – 2.38 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.40 totesport
West Ham United – 3.13 VictorChandler

Birmingham City V West Ham United

Wednesday, 26th January – 19:45 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

Birmingham City

On one hand, Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will be delighted for his team to get away from all the doom and gloom of a disappointing league campaign which sees the Blues struggling near the foot of the table and very much in the midst of a fight for survival. Then again, well aware that he doesn’t boast the strongest of squads when it comes to strength in depth, the Scot would have ideally liked to have handed some of his key figures some much needed respite following what has been a typically arduous festive period, however their hectic schedule means that isn’t a viable option.

After their Carling Cup Semi-Final second leg with West Ham on Wednesday, Birmingham entertain Coventry City in the fourth-round of the FA Cup in what will be their third game in a week – their most recent a morale-bashing 5-0 defeat away at Manchester United in the league. If it hasn’t already, fatigue will begin to set in and you get the feeling Alex McLeish will need to make sacrifices over the forthcoming weeks, and by that I mean he may need to make wholesale changes in either Wednesday’s Carling Cup encounter or their weekend tie with Coventry in order to preserve the conditioning and availability of influential players. I would hazard a guess at the FA Cup slipping down the club’s list of priorities, as the Blues are potentially just 90 minutes away from booking their place in their first major final since losing out to Liverpool in the 2000/2001 Worthington Cup, now named the Carling Cup.

Unfortunately, despite doing some digging, we aren’t entirely sure whether McLeish will name his strongest possible eleven on Wednesday. However, the Blues chief may have had his hand forced following comments from club chairman Peter Pannu regarding how disappointing McLeish’s signings have been during his, what we would define as successful tenure as manager. A point to prove perhaps for the former Rangers and Scotland boss? An appearance at Wembley in the final of the Carling Cup would certainly go some way to silencing his critics.

Speaking of McLeish’s signings, David Bentley is ineligible after featuring for his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur, in the earlier rounds. Defensive stalwart Scott Dann is the only other notable absentee for Birmingham, though the Blues do at least have home comforts to fall back on. The St Andrews faithful has seen their team lose just two of their previous 32 competitive matches on home soil, as well as four wins on the spin in the Carling Cup this season over Rochdale (3-2), MK Dons (3-1), Brentford (1-1P) and arch-rivals Aston Villa (2-1), though one of those was via a penalty shoot-out.

West Ham United

Love him or loath him, Avram Grant has an almost unrivaled record when it comes to leading clubs to finals. The Israeli guided Chelsea to the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow, while two years later he took already relegated Portsmouth to the 2009/2010 FA Cup final against all the odds – However, the 55-year old was unsuccessful on both occasions and still awaits his first piece of silverware in English football.

With speculation over his future at the club having hit fever point in recent weeks, this may be Grant’s last opportunity to advertise his credentials as a manager, not least to continue his trend of having guided every club he has managed in English football to a final. Fortunately for him his Hammers side are well placed to maintain the trend, goals from Mark Noble and Carlton Cole at Upton Park two weeks ago handing West Ham a 2-1 aggregate lead meaning a first final in over twenty years beckons for the club provided Avram Grant’s men avoid defeat at St Andrews, a ground they’ve failed to win at on their two previous visits.

While the aggregate score would suggest West Ham are the favourites to book a Wembley date with Arsenal on February 27th, their away record this season would imply that Grant has a mammoth task on his hands. In the Premier League, West Ham have only won one of twelve away matches this season – Fulham 1-3 West Ham, losing half of those, and have an away goal difference in the league of -14 (10-24). However, the Hammers do at least arrive at St Andrews with some away reassurances having lost just one of their last four away encounters, though they haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home all season, whatever the competition.

Well aware that each game could be his last should the result not be to the board’s satisfaction, Avram Grant will have no qualms in naming the strongest team possible at St Andrews, a game the Hammers only need to avoid defeat in to qualify for the final. He will, though, have to put together a starting XI which doesn’t contain the suspended Victor Obinna or Frederic Piquionne, while Carlton Cole is nursing a knee injury and may not recover in time. On the plus side, Scott Parker will return to add some steel to a midfield which simply must hold its own in the center of the park if the Hammers are to avoid being overrun in an area of the pitch where games are so often won and lost.

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Pointers

Birmingham City

- The club’s last appearance in a major final was in this very competition nearly a decade ago, losing out to Liverpool on penalties in what was the Worthington Cup back in 2001.

- Birmingham have lost just two of their last 32 competitive matches at St Andrews.

- Birmingham have scored two or more goals in any one match in just two of their last nine competitive matches, neither of those coming at St Andrews.

West Ham United

- West Ham manager Avram Grant has made it to two major finals during his short managerial career, the 2007/2008 UEFA Champions League final in Moscow with Chelsea and the 2009/2010 FA Cup with Portsmouth, the Israeli losing both.

- The Hammers have won just one of their last 30 away games in the Premier League, just three of their last 33 away matches in all competitions.

- Have an immaculate record in the cups this season under Avram Grant, the Hammers having won all five of their matches in the Carling Cup, albeit one of those with the assistance of extra-time, and one FA Cup tie.

Head-to-Head

- In five Premiership encounters at St Andrews since 2003, Birmingham have only won one of them compared to West Ham’s two – Lee Bowyer with the only goal of the game when Birmingham won 1-0 last season.

- West Ham were victorious in the most recent League Cup clash, Joe Cole on the scoresheet that night as the Hammers recorded a 3-2 win at St Andrews back in 1999.

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Match Prediction: Draw – 3.60 BetFred

It’s simple for Birmingham: Win the second leg outright and you’re through to next month’s final to face Arsenal. Anything less and the Hammers will do their victory parade on Birmingham turf. Only a 2-1 scoreline in favour of Birmingham will take this tie into extra-time, possibly even penalties should neither score thereafter.

Don’t get me wrong, St Andrews has been something of a fortress for Birmingham City ever since their return to the Premiership for the 2009/2010 season (You’ll find a couple of eye-catching statistics in the ‘Pointers’ section). However, the Hammers have shown some real grit and determination in recent weeks during a period where their manager has found his tenure as manager hanging by the slimmest of threads.

Being without Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne, the latter the club’s leading goalscorer this season, does hinder their chances, however the return of Scott Parker was telling for us. In a match where West Ham require players with heart rather than an eye for the goal, Parker really does lead by example with his workmanlike attitude. I expect the likes of Parker, Upson and Robert Green to shine on the night as Grant continues to defy not just all the odds, but adversity.

Value Bet: West Ham to Qualify – 1.67 SkyBet

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 2.10 Bet365 (General)
Draw – 3.60 BetFred
West Ham United – 3.60 VictorChandler

West Ham United V Everton

Kick-off: Tuesday, 28th December – 17:30 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

East London was bouncing on Boxing Day as the Hammers broke their away duct of sixteen months without winning away from home in the Premier League, though one man in particular was more relieved than jubilant. West Ham manager Avram Grant was reportedly handed three games before the New Year to save his job, and probably the club’s Premiership status, and four points from their last two fixtures is a more fruitful return that many envisaged for a team who went into Christmas bottom but have already made positive strides in the right direction just in time for the club and their supporters to welcome in 2011.

Sunday’s emphatic victory over fellow Londoner’s Fulham was West Ham’s first away win since the opening day of last season, August 2009 and has thus lifted an away curse which had been plaguing the Hammers for so long. The previous weekend they collected another encouraging result away at Blackburn, who have been so difficult to play against at home during 2010, so for Avram Grant to guide the team through such a tricky encounter unscathed, with a point to show for their industrious work, even if it wasn’t glamorous nor entertaining in their slightest, was some achievement even though we predicted such an occurrence.

So, the only way is up, surely. It’s not as though they can get any lower to be honest, although defeat on Tuesday in one of two LIVE encounters on Sky Sports HD1 would leave the door open for Wolves to leapfrog them, which would then result in the Hammers having spent both Christmas and New Year’s in the basement. Crucially, though, Wolves face Liverpool at Anfield just 24 hours later, so there shouldn’t be any risk of West Ham falling back to 20th while there’s also a massive window of opportunity here for Avram Grant to really state his case for more time in the hot-seat as a positive result at home to Everton, whom claimed the scalp of Manchester City in their most recent encounter but weren’t involved on Boxing Day, would set them up nicely for a surge up the table, with Wolves arriving at Upton Park on January 1st.

Were West Ham to do the unthinkable and record another two successive wins, both at home against Everton and Wolves, then there’s every chance of the Hammers finally putting pay to their gloomy spell inside the bottom three, where they’ve seemingly spent an eternity. It’s a big ask considering, considering they’ve been woeful throughout most of the first half of the campaign, but it isn’t out of the question. It’s also a huge incentive for the players.

West Ham’s revival will, though, be well and truly put through its paces when David Moyes’ Everton come to town seeking their second successive away win, and it isn’t as if the Toffees aren’t just as desperate for the points, either.

David Moyes finds himself in a quandary as Tim Cahill prepares to jet off to Qatar with the Australia team for the AFC Asian Championships. Cahill accounts for almost half of Everton’s league goals for the term, racking up nine so far in a campaign where without his goals Everton would arguably find themselves slumped in the bottom three. However, with the Aussie likely to spend the next month abroad, Moyes is now left with a huge void, one none of his covering strikers have shown any sort of promise of filling, in presence perhaps but certainly not in quality or performance.

Furthermore, Moyes has revealed that he has absolutely nothing to spend in the January transfer window meaning Louis Saha, Jermaine Beckford and Yakubu simply have to pull their socks up over the next month if Everton are to continue where they left off in Manchester.

The good news for Moyes, and he could certainly do with some, is that both Saha and Yakubu have a prolific scoring record against the Hammers. The former has scored five goals in his last four appearances for Everton, the latter three goals in four. The bad news is that neither one of them has been performing anywhere near the standard required from Everton striker’s, with all of the club’s forward lacking in goals and, as a result, confidence and that vital sharpness in front of goal.

Looking at Tuesday’s fixture positively, Everton do at least have a very encouraging record at West Ham’s Upton Park having won there on their previous three visits in the league, scoring a fair amount of goals in the process – 7 in total. On the back of their Manchester City success as well, thoroughly deserving of the victory they fought and worked so hard for in Manchester as their seven-match winless drought finally came crashing to an end, and in some style. However, it would be a crying shame, and would take some of the varnish of that Eastlands scalp, were they to return to their disappointing selves at West Ham, where they’ve collected plenty of points in recent visits and are contesting a fixture with a team situated in 19th position.

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Last 5 Matches

West Ham United

Premier League: Fulham 1-3 West Ham
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 West Ham
Premier League: West Ham 1-3 Manchester City
Premier League: Sunderland 1-0 West Ham
Carling Cup: West Ham 4-0 Manchester United

Everton

Premier League: Everton P-P Birmingham City
Premier League: Manchester City 1-2 Blackburn Rovers
Premier League: Everton 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Premier League: Chelsea 1-1 Everton
Premier League: Everton 1-4 West Brom

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Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 10)

2009/2010: Everton 2-2 West Ham
2009/2010: West Ham 1-2 Everton

2008/2009: Everton 3-1 West Ham
2008/2009: West Ham 1-3 Everton

2007/2008: Everton 1-1 West Ham
2007/2008: West Ham 0-2 Everton

2006/2007: West Ham 1-0 Everton
2006/2007: Everton 2-0 West Ham

2005/2006: West Ham 2-2 Everton
2005/2006: Everton 1-2 West Ham

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2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

West Ham United

League Position: 19th
Win-Draw-Lose: 3-7-9 (Home: 2-3-4)
Form: WLLDW (Home: LDDWL)
Goal Difference: 19-32 (Home: 11-15)
Top Scorer: Frederic Piquionne (5)

Everton

League Position: 14th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-9-5 (Away: 2-5-2)
Form: DLDDW (Away: DDDDW)
Goal Difference: 20-21 (Away: 10-9)
Top Scorer: Tim Cahill (9)

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Team News

West Ham

No manager has more injuries on his plate right now than Hammers boss Avram Grant, whom could name a treatment room starting XI which would be unrivalled by anyone else in the top-flight.

Valon Behrami, Luis Boa Morte, Zeb Hines, Lars Jacobsen and Victor Obinna are all doubts, while Jack Collison, Manuel Da Costa, Mark Noble and Thomas Hitzlsperger are all out until 2011 at the bare minimum.

With Carlton Cole and Frederic Piquionne both getting themselves on the scoresheet away at Fulham on Boxing Day, the former twice, Grant is expected to stick with the same attacking line-up which saw him complete his festive objective of winning at least one of his league fixtures before the end of 2010. Freddy Sears was recalled from his loan spell and instantly named in the West Ham starting XI, and his industry and hunger in the middle of the park means he stands a good chance of retaining his starting berth, although Grant may decide to bring in the fresh legs of Obinna, who offer a different dimension with his pace, should the Nigerian be fit.

Everton

David Moyes will demand a high-octane and world-class display from his Everton team at Upton Park on Tuesday after their weekend game with Birmingham was called off due to a burst water pipe at Goodison Park. However the Scot is without the suspended Victor Anichebe, although he could welcome back John Heitinga and Steven Pienaar from injury. Centre-half Phil Jagielka is unlikely to be risked.

This is one of just two games left where Everton must make the most of their top-scorer Tim Cahill, with the Aussie set to join up with the Australian national side for the AFC Championships in Qatar.

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Match Odds:

West Ham United – 3.30 bWin
Draw – 3.40 SkyBet
Everton – 2.40 WilliamHill

Blackburn Rovers V West Ham United

Kick-off: Saturday, 18th December – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers

Within the space of a fortnight we’ve seen the ridiculous, with Newcastle sacking a manager respect both inside and outside of the club in Chris Hughton, to the outrageous as Blackburn Rovers begin life without ‘Big Sam’ this Saturday.

Venky’s, the club’s new owners who have made their living from the poultry industry, shocked everyone when they revealed that Sam Allardyce would no longer be in charge of first-team affairs from last Monday onwards, with Steve Kean no in charge until a permanent manager is found, just 24 hours after the team lost to Bolton in the league despite the fact Rovers sat fourth in the form chart before Sunday’s bitter defeat. In fact, had Blackburn of beaten Bolton on Sunday, and they should and could of considering they had a numerical advantage, then Sam Allardyce would have found himself in charge of a team positioned 6th in the table.

Although it would seem like the former Bolton and Newcastle boss lost his job due to fine margins, we reckon his position was under threat as soon as Venky’s took over the club not even a month ago, with Indian owners under the impression that the Lancashire outfit, a team which has spent the majority of its tenure in the Premier League bidding to avoid the drop, should be challenging for a top-four and playing football similar to Barcelona. We can’t wait to see the magician they employ as manager, although ‘Big Sam’ maintaining the club’s Premier League status for all these years was ‘rabbit from the hat’ material.

In the meantime, Steve Kean will take charge on an interim basis although, with the owners suggesting that it could take as long as until the end of the season until a replacement is found, Kean could be handed the role permanently should he perform the miracles the board are asking for, which is to get this average bunch of Ewooder’s playing attractive football even though half of the players at the club would struggle to get into a Championship starting XI. Anuradha Desai, one of the co-owners of Blackburn Rovers, claims the dismissal of Allardyce will benefit the club in the long run. If we’re brutally honest, we’re worried sick about the short-term future of the club. No doubt Desai and Rao will have drilled it into interim manager Kean that Blackburn must start playing the standard of football they demand, so basically more passing and more technical qualities are to seen in Blackburn performances from now. This isn’t Blackburn, these qualities haven’t been what have kept the club afloat for so long under ‘Big Sam’ and they aren’t the attributes the current crop have within them. As soon as Blackburn relinquish their rustle & bustle approach to matches, where they get in amongst it and really cause teams problems with their strength and aerial presence, the quicker their demise will be.

I really do worry for Blackburn Rovers, especially for the fans. Some are delighted to see Allardyce’s tenure come to an end, with the team’s football not always pretty, but it was damn effective. Supporters are clueless these days. Anyone with any sense would put success before anything else, unless you have the money to buy both. The owners claim they’ll spend in the transfer window but I really don’t see how. Their company makes a lot of annual income, but not enough to continue buying reinforcements year in, year out.

As far as Saturday’s encounter with bottom of the league West Ham goes, you would of fancied their chances had Sam Allardyce been in charge. The Hammers are in dire straights at the moment, with their manager on the verge of being chopped also, and it’s this sort of scenario which Sam would have thrived on. Instead, everyone will have their doubts. Moreover, Blackburn’s record against the Hammers is abysmal, with their last win in the league coming way back in 2005, one of only two victories over West Ham in the Premier League this side of the Millennium, having lost six of the previous ten league meetings.

West Ham

In a sudden and dramatic turn of events, West Ham manager Avram Grant, despite being issued with several votes of confidence this season from the board of directors, has been handed an ultimatum: Win one of the club’s next three Premier League matches or you’re out. It’s as simple as that for the Israeli. Fortunately for Grant, West Ham’s next three matches are all very much winnable, but with the team currently stranded in 20th position and four points adrift of safety, and with the January transfer window looming large and the board eager to bolster their ranks as soon as, you get the impression that even if Grant could mastermind one win over either Blackburn, Fulham or Everton he would still face the axe considering three points from a possible nine would still leave the club rooted to the bottom of the league and still in the same old sticky situation as before, just with less games to dig themselves out of the trench they find themselves in, although it looks as though Grant is the one who will be buried alive.

Despite the ultimatum the club have dropped on Grant’s lap, the two David’s are eager to keep Grant on board providing he can show them that he has the expertise to guide the Hammers out of the doldrums they’re in currently. And Grant himself, despite the pressure cooker having been turned up several degrees in the last week alone, is adamant that he can mastermind West Ham’s survival and that he is fully focused on the job at hand. Even with a trip to Wembley for the final of the Carling Cup a real possibility for the club, Grant insists he’s concentrating solely on fixing the problems at hand, which at this point would appear to be wavering levels of morale and a lack of quality individuals, in specific few actual match winners.

While transfer matters and the recruitment of potential relegation hero’s is now beyond his control, the worrying levels of confidence inside the West Ham dressing is something he should be able to resolve. Any manager worth his salt can rally a group of players ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, yet we, and so it would seem the West Ham board, have little faith in Grant achieving this. At the end of last month, the Hammers put an end to a dismal run of results which had seen them go eight matches without winning in the league by beating fellow struggler’s Wigan at home, however, the West Ham of old quickly made an appearance and results have declined once more. They were comfortably beaten by Man City last weekend 3-1, with the scoreline flattering West Ham, and even though the players are now well aware that their manager’s future at the club is hanging by the slimmest of threads, there is still no certainty that Grant will galvanize his team ahead of Saturday’s opportunistic meeting with Blackburn Rovers.

Few would argue that Blackburn are ripe for the taking this weekend, on the back of Sam Allardyce’s dismissal, with the Blackburn players left stunned by the decision and the majority of fans enraged. Furthermore, West Ham are unbeaten in top-flight action against Rovers in eight meetings, so it isn’t as though the omens aren’t stacking up in their favour. At least they were until we took at look at their away record this season to find they’re still without an away win and have lost five of their eight away fixtures thus far. Coincided with an abysmal away goal difference of 4-15, we have no faith whatsoever in the Hammers despite our alarming levels of concerns for their opponent’s.

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Recent Form (Last 5):

Blackburn Rovers

Premier League: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 3-0 Wolves
Premier League: Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 2-0 Aston Villa
Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 Blackburn Rovers

West Ham United

Premier League: West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
Premier League: Sunderland 1-0 West Ham United
Carling Cup: West Ham United 4-0 Manchester United
Premier League: West Ham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic
Premier League: Liverpool 3-0 West Ham United

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Head-to-Head (Premier League):

2009/2010: West Ham United 0-0 Blackburn Rovers
2009/2010: Blackburn Rovers 0-0 West Ham United
2008/2009: Blackburn Rovers 1-1 West Ham United
2008/2009: West Ham United 4-1 Blackburn Rovers
2007/2008: West Ham United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
2007/2008: Blackburn Rovers 0-1 West Ham United
2006/2007: Blackburn Rovers 1-2 West Ham United
2006/2007: West Ham United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
2005/2006: Blackburn Rovers 3-2 West Ham United
2005/2006: West Ham United 3-1 Blackburn Rovers

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Statistics (Premier League):

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 13th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-3-8 (Home: 4-2-2)
Form: LWLWL (Home: DLWWW)
Goal Difference: 22-27 (Home: 11-6)
Top Goalscorer: Morten Gamst Pedersen (4)

West Ham United

League Position: 20th
Win-Draw-Lose: 2-6-9 (Away: 0-3-5)
Form: DLWLL (Away: DLDLL)
Goal Difference: 15-30 (Away: 4-15)
Top Goalscorer: Frederic Piquionne & Scott Parker (4)

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Match Prediction: Draw – 3.75 VictorChandler

If you took the time to read through both sets of previews then you would have quickly realised that we aren’t a fan of either, with Blackburn now a question mark following the shock and disgraceful sacking of Sam Allardyce as manager and West Ham stuck in a rut. You would expect the Hammers to rally round their manager in this time of need, with ‘need’ the appropriate word right now. West Ham boss Avram Grant desperately needs results over Christmas starting with this trip to Lancashire. The thing is, they’ve been dire at the best of times, abysmal all of the time away from home so how they’ll get a result at Ewood Park is beyond me. With that said, I’m sure most managers would love a trip to Lancashire right now, with Blackburn interim manager Steven Kean told he must ditch long-ball tactics and their aggressive, physical style and play with more guile and with an elegance. Knowing Blackburn like we do, they’ll probably fall over their feet doing step-overs, kick themselves in the shin doing a back-heel and break a collar-bone attempting an over-head kick.

I couldn’t back either side right now, so the draw was the only option left. Nasty game between two sides in nasty predicaments.

Match Odds:

Blackburn Rovers – 1.83 PaddyPower
Draw – 3.75 VictorChandler
West Ham United – 4.80 totesport

West Ham V Blackpool

Saturday, 13th November – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Upton Park

West Ham

League Position: 20th
League Form: DLLDD

Doom and gloom would be a pleasant way of describing West Ham’s current predicament, bottom of the table and at risk of becoming stranded from those which can afford the luxury of safe ground. The deficit between themselves and safety has now risen to four points thanks to their wastefulness in recent games which has seen them throw away winning positions and points away to Birmingham (Leading 2-0 before drawing 2-2) and at home to West Brom in midweek (Leading 2-1 until the Baggies restored parity midway through the second period). So is there any positive news we can bring to hapless Hammers fans? Not really, unless you count Kieron Dyer playing his first full 90 minutes in the first team in over three years.

The former Newcastle United star confirmed what we all knew ahead of Saturday’s crunch encounter with one of the newly promoted sides, Blackpool. Dyer confessed that anything less than a winning performance at home to the Tangerines, who haven’t let the odds stacked against them intimidate them one little bit in their début Premier League campaign, will be seen as a dire result, no pun intended. The attacking-midfielder went on to highlight how his team mates are currently deprived of any confidence or self belief, with life at the bottom never a party. He’s urged his team mates to show a bit of fighting determination and to try and match their opponents hunger and desire as this is arguably their most winnable fixture of the entire season.

Although we don’t believe a word they say any more, but I’m quite shocked that neither David Gold or David Sullivan, two owners I would never enjoy the prospect of working under if I was manager, has come out and had a sly dig at the work being done by Avram Grant, a manager we do not rate in the slightest despite his efforts in guiding Portsmouth’s misfits to the FA Cup final last season. The Israeli has overseen the Hammer’ worst ever start to a season en route to clinching just the one set of maximum points. To put it bluntly, it’s been an abysmal season to date, with the players clearly not thriving under a manager with the personality of a slug. While we are never a fan of sacking managers early on, quite how Avram Grant is still in the jobl, considering this is the same club which sacked Gianfranco Zola at the end of last season despite the Italian guiding the club to survival in successive season, we will never know.

The only real plus point for Grant is that West Ham have been a slightly better outfit at home, although they are only two points better off at Upton Park. The telling difference, though, is that they score more on home soil, seven in total and three more than on their travels, and that is at least something for punters to think about as no team will win games if they aren’t scoring. But then you could quite easily counter that with Blackpool’s ease at which they score goals so unless the Hammers have a couple of goals stored up waiting to be unleashed at the weekend, we don’t see any value in backing the hapless Hammers to keep up with Blackpool’s free-scoring habit.

Blackpool

League Position: 14th
League Form: LLWDL

Ian Holloway will be a journalist favourite up and down the country, because of his witty charm and his humorous nature, but he’s got everyone in pickle ahead of Saturday’s trip to the capital. In the aftermath of Holloway ringing the changes away to Aston Villa on Wednesday, a match in which the Tangerines lost 3-2, the FA were quick to announce that they would be looking into the matter as the similarities between Blackpool’s wholesale changes and Wolves’ against Manchester United last season were uncanny. Holloway’s response was to threaten the FA with his resignation should any punishment be handed out, which means the rest of this preview could be a load of rubbish and partly irrelevant if Holloway does pack his bags and leave the Seasiders well and truly in the lurch, Steve Coppell style.

Even though a lot was made of Holloway’s decision to ring the changes for their midweek clash with Aston Villa at Villa Park, we don’t see what all the fuss about. For starters, managers should have every right to rotate their squad as, after all, it’s a long, arduous season which takes a lot out of the small clubs with smaller budgeted squads. Secondly, you wouldn’t of noticed the difference as the Tangerines were once again superb. In fact, it proved a double edged sword in the end as while Holloway was selecting players which had played very little this season, which meant in turn the chemistry should have been non-existent, those given a rare opportunity to shine seized their moment with both hands. To push Aston Villa all the way at Villa Park takes some doing, and the fact that Villa needed an 89th minute winner to see off the Premiership’s most endearing club will only make any retrospective punishment come across as ridiculous and absurd.

The question now is, of those which put in a fair old shift in midweek, those which did make a positive impact on an intrigued Ian Holloway, will start at Upton Park against the Hammers in a match which is very much there for the taken. We’re anticipating changes, that’s a formality, but Holloway may have a selection headache ahead of the weekend’s visit to West Ham as he aims to field a team capable of causing a troubled West Ham all sorts of problems in the English capital. Problem being, Blackpool have been shipping a worryingly high amount of goals on the road this season, 16 in total and over two goals a game on average, going eight matches without a clean sheet.

As I’m sure so many other are, we’re waiting for Blackpool’s bubble to burst, much like Burnley’s was last season after the Clarets charmed their way into the public’s hearts before sinking to the depths of the Premier League table where they were never to return. What makes Blackpool so unique from the rest which have enjoyed their early 15 minutes of fame is they aren’t phased by losing outcomes, nor are they left wounded for too long following heavy defeats. It really is a breath of fresh air to see a team quite clearly lacking in big name players head out onto the pitch fearless, not afraid of anyone nor any team. However, it will be interesting to see how they cope in a match where they won’t be completely written off.

Match Odds:

West Ham – 1.95 totesport
Draw – 3.80 WilliamHill
Blackpool – 4.33 BetFred

West Ham V Fulham

Saturday, 2nd October – 15:00 GMT
Venue: Upton Park

West Ham

League Position: 19th
League Form: WDLLL

Are we looking at a changed Hammers side? Has Avram Grant finally found the right formula, cracked the formation and sussed the right team selection to really take West Ham places? It would appear he’s made a start, with West Ham finally ending the wait for their first league win of the campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday. But, just to rain on your parade a little and bring some perspective back down to Upton Park, West Ham still find themselves inside the relegation zone, with their work far from done and a great deal of improvement still required if the Hammers are to continue along this upward curve.

West Ham rarely do lengthy unbeaten runs, but their 1-0 win over Spurs last Saturday, courtesy of Frederic Piqiuonne’s first league goal of the season, has put the Hammers in the idyllic position of entering into unfamiliar terrain. January, the last time West Ham went three games unbeaten in the Premier League. A run they will at least match so long as they avoid defeat on Saturday against a Fulham side with a  well documented poor away record in the Premier League, and also a team lacking in striking personnel. In fact, I don’t think Avram Grant could of hand-picked a fixture more generous than this, but will his team make the most of what could potentially be a season defining period for the Hammers.

Were West Ham to embark upon a three match unbeaten streak then who’s to say it won’t lift the troops and inspire them from here on out. So far they’ve been a team deprived of confidence, severely lacking in self belief, but all this should start oozing back into West Ham’s system should they go into the international break on a real high. The problem we have with them is their fragile looking backline, but they’re fortunate in that their very next opponent are without a recognised striker meaning there’s an opportunity here for Robert Green, who let the media know full well what he thought of the recent stinging criticism he’s been receiving with a kind post-match gesture, to register his second clean sheet in back-to-back games, an unheard if feat for West Ham these days.

I can’t remember the last time West Ham were favourites for a Premier League fixture, so we will embrace Saturday like no other, a rare day of the year where the bookies actually fancy West Ham’s chances of securing all three points. To be honest, I’m of the same opinion. Confidence in camp is currently higher than it’s been for quite some time, the players and manager finally have a smile on their face while their opponents are facing up to life without any sort of striker. If West Ham don’t seal their second win in succession then they seriously need a kick up the backside as opportunities to register three points don’t tend to come as golden as this, certainly not for West Ham United.

Fulham

League Position: 7th
League Form: DDWDD

You cannot help by have sympathy for Fulham manager Mark Hughes, who’s reign at Craven Cottage has so far been solid, if unspectacular, but now blighted by injuries to crucial personnel which is putting their unbeaten start to the season in jeopardy. The horrific injury to Bobby Zamora has been well publicised, with the striker out of action until at least the new year, while recently Hughes lost the services of his one remaining forward left on the books in Moussa Dembele – one of Hughes’ summer acquisitions – although Dembele is expected back a lot sooner than Zamora. Even so, so far it has been all uphill for the former Blackburn and Man City manager, having to defy adversity each weekend and it will be more of the same unfortunately this Saturday as he takes his Fulham side across to capital to Upton Park.

I wouldn’t entirely say life without a recognised forward at Craven Cottage went well for Mark Hughes and Fulham, despite the Cottagers earning an invaluable point against bottom of the league Everton. Invaluable simply because of how the game went, with chances few and far between for the hosts, Fulham, but the same couldn’t be said for the Toffees, who had only Mark Schwarzer standing in their way of a first league win of the season. That lack of presence, no-one to hold up the ball and continue the attacking play nearly cost Fulham their impressive start to the season and it was perhaps a sign of things to come, where Fulham’s problems up front lead to them spending most of their upcoming games on the backfoot.

The one thing working in Fulham’s favour is their unbeaten start to the season, this six-match steak of theirs without losing in the Premier League. For now, while that impressive run is still in tact, every single player will be doing their utmost to try and preserve that unbeaten status. Mark Schwarzer was the hero last weekend, Mark Hughes will be praying it’s a forward which claims the plaudits this weekend as you cannot help but have doubts over whether Schwarzer can put in another shift like his last. Eventually one will squeeze its way through so it’s down to the likes of Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey, Danny Murphy and Zolton Gera to make best of a lousy situation.

It isn’t as if Fulham have relied heavily on their forwards for scoring goals so far this season, but that is the deceiving factor with Fulham nowadays. While Bobby Zamora has never been a prolific goalscorer, his hold up play and distribution of the ball is second to none and that is why we’re anticipating Fulham to struggle over the upcoming weeks, as without Zamora their attacks tend to go nowhere. Even so, of the seven league goals Fulham have scored so far, four have been scored from non-strikers. One player in particular partial to popping up every now and again with a crucial strike is American Clint Dempsey, scorer of the Cottagers’ last Premier League, and the confident American may well be worth siding with at Upton Park on Saturday to ensure Fulham don’t relinquish their unbeaten record immediately before the international break.

Match Prediction: West Ham to WIN – 2.40 WilliamHill

Now that the Hammers have found their feet, West Ham should be a team we can all bare in mind from now on, at least until they hit another slump in form, which they will. And perhaps there is no better time than the present to be backing Avram Grant’s rejuvenated Hammers, fresh off the back of a couple of decent wins, and playing against a Fulham side lacking an out-an-out striker, well, everything just seems to be going their way at present.

I reckon Clint Dempsey could be a player to watch in Fulham’s upcoming fixtures. Without either Zamora or Dembele for the next couple of games, Dempsey will more than likely be relied upon to score the main brunt of goals, how ever many that may be, in the meantime. Similar to Tim Cahill in that he knows exactly where the ball is going and somehow seems to find himself in the right place at the right time.

Highlighted Bets:

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.10 PaddyPower
First Goalscorer: Clint Dempsey – 8.00 SkyBet
Correct Score: 3-1 West Ham – 21.00 totesport

Match Odds:

West Ham – 2.40 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 Bet365
Fulham – 3.25 Ladbrokes

Stoke City V West Ham United

Kick-Off: Saturday, 18th September – 12:45 GMT
Venue: The Brittania
TV Coverage: Sky Sports 2

Stoke City

League Position: 18th
League Form: WLLL

The Potters’ spell at the bottom of the Premier League table came to an end on Monday night, as Stoke found another gear in their game with Aston Villa at The Brittania to come from a goal down at the break to clinch all the spoils with a last gasp Robert Huth goal. Huth’s first goal of the season spared Stoke’s blushes but it wasn’t enough to lift his team out of the relegation zone meaning he and his team-mates will need to do it all over again if they’re to finally break free from the lower reaches of the table.

First of we would like to other Tony Pulis our condolences, with his Mother sadly passing away in the hours leading up to Stoke’s clash with Aston Villa on Monday night. God only knows how he must have been feeling when the sad news filtered through to him, but to his credit he sprinted onto the sidelines immediately after the interval to offer his players some encouragement, some inspiration if you like, and my did it have the desired effect. The combination of Pulis’ passion for the club and some rousing words during the break helped produce a second half rally from Stoke, who never gave in and got their reward with two goals in the last ten minutes which only came about through dogged determination and forward persistence, with Kenwyn Jones heading home his first of what he hopes will be many for the club and Huth with a typical close range effort following a set-piece.

We wouldn’t dare say that Pulis’ brave appearance at The Brittania on Monday night would be in vein should Stoke not back it up with another positive display at home to West Ham on Saturday, with the Hammers currently rooted to the bottom of the table, far from it, but it would be a delight if the team could push on and continue their resurgence in a fixture which, if truth be told, they should be winning with something to spare. Their were moments during their 2-1 win over Aston Villa where Stoke did actually look half decent on the ground, with Jones missing a glorious opportunity early on, and the combination of Stoke’s aerial presence and threat with some tidy play in the final third should prove too much for a West Ham side which has been conceding goals for fun, and I do mean that in a literal sense for those of you which watched them lose 3-1 at home to Chelsea last Saturday.

Tony Pulis has a full fit squad to chose from, with the only exception being Sidibe, but despite picking up their first win of the campaign during the week, Pulis is likely to make a few changes, with summer signing Jonathan Walters likely to make way for either Ricardo Fuller or Tuncay. The former Ipswich front-man has yet to really make an impression for the Potters in his first couple of appearances and may well fall down the pecking order for Saturday’s home clash with West Ham.

West Ham United

League Position: 20th
League Form: LLLL

Who would dare be a West Ham fan right now? Not only are they seemingly getting worse with every passing game, they’re adding humour to their defeats just to keep their loyal fans entertained I suppose?! It was yet another calamitous performance from the Hammers over the weekend, with their fourth defeat of the campaign coming at home against league leaders Chelsea, in front of an Upton Park crowd which keeps on believing in this team, Avragm Grant’s team, but their patience is wearing thin.

It just keeps getting worse and worse if you’re a West ham supporter, with your team seemingly no closer to picking up your first league points of the season let alone actually going the whole nine yards and winning a match. There were, however, glimpses that their first points of this campaign are just around the corner, although they’ll need to show some grit and passion if they’re to compete with the raw hunger Stoke’s put into their games every week.

Some of Avram Grant’s summer signings are already facing scrutiny, with some rarely featuring through injury while others simply haven’t performed when given the chance, throwing cold water over their Premier League credentials. However, one player which did stand out in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea was Nigerian winger Victor Obinna, who looked a diamond in the rough at Upton Park in amongst a team of, let’s face it, losers! Scott Parker provide a touch of genius late on to reduce the arrears, but even captain fantastic was quite the opposite. No, Victor Obinna could be the player to spark a West Ham revolution. Insanely fast, good ball control, ambitious when in possession and is a personality, a player which clearly has en enthusiastic approach to the game and that should prove infectious over the course of the season.

Obinna is lacking in match sharpness because of the lack of football he had at former club Inter Milan, and it did show with some poor finishing. But the sheer fact he got into some decent scoring openings, often manufactured single handily by himself, is food for thought and certainly a glimmer of hope for Hammers fans. The problem being West Ham’s defence, which is quickly becoming diabolical. Robert Green’s World Cup nightmare has been prolonged, Matthew Upson the same, while how Tal Ben-Haim found himself in the Premiership is beyond me – I guess we can thank Sam Allardyce for that. Jokes aside, Grant needs to shore up that defence before any punter worth his salt can start taking them seriously again. Obinna has the potential to produce moments of brilliance but it will prove in vein unless some substantial changes and improvements come to fruition.

Match Prediction: Stoke City to WIN – 2.00 Bet365

Yet another ‘must win’ game for the Hammers, although nowadays they aren’t they all?

While I was very impressed with Victor Obinna’s Hammers début last Saturday, outshining his West Ham team-mates with an energetic and lively display in attack producing some goalscoring chances out of nothing. The Nigerian has plenty of pace which could trouble the Stoke defence, one which doesn’t boast a  great deal of leg speed if truth be told, but it’s difficult to see Stoke not muscling their way to a few goals themselves what with the way West Ham’s brittle defence is falling over lately.

The first goal could be crucial, especially from a West Ham perspective. The Hammers are every fragile right now mentally and if they go a goal down then we don’t see anyway back for Avram Grant’s side.

Soccer-Betting Value Bet: Victor Obinna Anytime Scorer – 3.75 SkyBet

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.00 Bet365
Draw – 3.40 PaddyPower
West Ham – 4.30 StanJames