Expect goals as Hull take on West Ham
Before the season started most pundits reckoned that Hull would have a relegation fight on their hands - but not nearly as many thought that West Ham would struggle just as badly. Hull are fourth bottom, with West Ham third bottom.
Hull have two winnable home games over the next five days, starting with this game against West Ham on Saturday followed by Everton's visit on Wednesday. The extra mid-week fixture gives Phil Brown's team the opportunity to move significantly up the table to the extent that if eighth placed Sunderland are beaten by Arsenal, Hull can catch them on points over these two games. Phil Brown appears to have been given a brief stay of execution after his players fought hard to come from behind to win against Stoke, and The Tigers home record is good with two wins and a draw in the last three games. Hull will be quietly confident.
West Ham and their opponents have scored in every game since early September, the last nine West Ham scorelines read; 2-3, 1-3, 1-3, 2-2, 1-2, 2-2, 2-2, 2-1 and 1-2 - where the pattern is usually that The Hammers are prepared to trade goals, often with disastrous consequences. Sooner or later West Ham's defence will gel, but with problems at fullback and a lack of pace in central midfield too many teams create too many chances. If West Ham can keep it tight at the back then this is a winnable game, but West Ham will have to rediscover the performances that bagged their last two shut-outs in August.
Hull City vs West Ham United; Kick Off 3:00pm 21 Nov 2009
Prediction Panel
Our panel contains both Squarefootball writers and readers, the writers are marked: (sqf).
Dave Blackburn : 0 - 0
Chris Cox : TBC
Graham Enwright : 0 - 0
Sue Gardener : TBC
Chris Goodwin : 1 - 2
Paul Grech (sqf) : TBC
Colin Illingworth (sqf) : 1 - 1
Hugh Larkin (sqf) : TBC
Peter Lee : TBC
Don McMahon : 1 - 0
Antony Melvin (sqf) : 0 - 0
Paul O'Meara (sqf) : 1 - 1
Dave Nash : 1 - 0
Stephen Orford (sqf) : TBC
Tony Ratton : 2 - 1
Peter Rendle : 1 - 1
Dan Taylor : 1 - 2
Andy Wakeman : 1 - 2
Isaac Williams : TBC
Mark Williams : TBC
Panel Verdict
The panel is split, and is favouring a low scoring draw; 0-0 or 1-1.
Home: 3; Draw: 6; Away: 3; TBC: 8.
* Do we have it right, or do you know better? Please don't bother with derisory comments on the predictions after the match - unless you also pulled us up before it!
