Fulham Predictions I Wide of The Mark

I’d rather pundits do their research instead of herding together when they can’t find anything exciting to say.

It certainly seems the case with this week’s Fulham v West Ham clash attracting identical predictions from three of the UK’s leading former player media figures.

Simon covered Paul Merson earlier – what is surprising is that both Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton have followed suit and stuck with a 1-1 scoreline. You’d almost feel they have read each other’s minds – or columns – before whoever ghosts their pieces has gone to print.

Writing in The Metro , Shearer comments: “Another London derby for these sides at the Cottage, and I have mentioned before that I see these derbies tough to call:  West Ham have had a tougher start to the season so it remains to be seen what they can do just yet. There is likely not going to be much between them, so I am opting for another draw.”

Chris Sutton, by dramatic contrast, writes for the BBC website:  “This is tricky. These kind of games are the reason I have been losing every week, because I really can’t call them.

“Fulham are bright and try to play good football, and West Ham are the same. The Hammers actually ran Manchester City pretty close before the international break, but still ended up losing.

“There will be chances at both ends but I can’t pick a winner, so I am going to go with a draw – in fact the more I think about it, the more this game has got draw written all over it.”

So, there you have it, a punditry consensus stating  1-1: I’d be disappointed if West Ham don’t have enough to grab an away win. It is the kind of game we must aspire to winning if we are to build a Premier League campaign that culminates in a top seven finish. Am I wrong.. Should we be happy with a point? I’d still say we have Bowen, Kudus  and a 2-1 win  to look forward to.