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West Brom vs West Ham Match Preview & relegation thoughts

Tom Winnifrith
Sunday 16 December 2012

My correspondents in Stoke assure me that West Bromwich is a Grim Northern Shit Hole and that alone should make me nervous ahead of a 4 O’Clock kick off at the Hawthorns today. West Ham has a dire record against GNSH sides. Adding to our woes, the injury list grows by the day with Linda McCartney the latest casualty. Losing Diame last week was a blow and a midfield of Noble, Nolan and O’Brien is not quite the rock it once was.

Up front Carlton Cole has got the big C – confidence. Well what to make of it all? West Brom started the season superbly but has now lost three on the trot. Having said that, West Ham’s last five games have seen us pick up just 4 points so neither team could be described as a “form side.” So, on balance the home team must be favourites. And that brings me back to the question of relegation once again. I am sorry to be gloomy but have you looked at the table recently?

Over on West Ham Till I die, Iain Dale is blathering on about how if we win we go 7th and on 25 points. That would be the upside scenario.

I assume that we will lose to Everton next week. We always lose to Everton and so under the Iain Dale scenario we might go to Reading on the 29th thinking about reaching 28 points at the half way mark and being a good way to safety. But I offer you another scenario.

Lose today and to Everton and we go to Reading on 22 points. Reading (9 points as of now) look dead and buried. QPR are on 10 points. But Harry seems to be working his magic. It is a big ask but they could end up in the mid thirties come May. That probably is not enough. The Third bottom side is Wigan on 15 the same points total as Southampton. In other words we are just two wins and a draw ahead of them (ok GD is on our side call it three wins). But look how Villa and Norwich have started to string results together.

I am starting to think that safety this season will be 40 points. Reading will finish bottom with not very many points but the 18th team may well go down on 38, 39 or 40. We all know that you can be relegated on 42 points. I am sorry if this sounds rather gloomy but it is all very well saying we played well at Old Trafford or against Chelski, the reality is that if we don’t get a point today and a win against Reading we will go into the New Year less than a win or two above the relegation zone and staring at the table from the wrong end. And yet some folks still think that Fat Sam Alladyce is our saviour? Really? The jury has got to be out.

The favourites for the drop still have to be Reading, QPR and one of Wigan or Southampton (with Villa as a wild card). But there is a scenario where West Ham goes into 2013 in dire need of string a few quick wins together. In hope rather than expectation for this afternoon, COYI.

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About Tom Winnifrith
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Tom Winnifrith is the editor of TomWinnifrith.com. When he is not harvesting olives in Greece, he is (planning to) raise goats in Wales.
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