Remembering that the self same ‘supercomputer’ accurately predicted the first two places in last season’s Championship race, my curiosity was piqued by a new article this afternoon from fellow Championship side Portsmouth’s local news paper, predicting the end of season positions in Nuno’s West Ham United side’s quest for promotion.
The predictions were apparently re-run after the latest round of games so of course will include West Ham’s last three results against QPR – drawn – and the two wins against Lincoln City and yesterday’s Swansea victory.
A delighted West Ham dressing room celebrated the victory over league leaders Swansea
The analysis makes good reading for West Ham fans. According to Portsmouth.co.uk there’s been a shift of standings with the Hammers banging in eight goals in three games, and the outcome is as we would all wish:
1st: West Ham – Predicted points: 84
2nd: Middlesbrough – Predicted points: 82
3rd: Swansea City – Predicted points: 78
5th equal: Wolves – Predicted points: 76
5th equal: Southampton – Predicted Points 76
Still well short of the ninety four points anecdotally targeted by the coaching staff as being the target to achieve automatic promotion.
All well and good but with just eight points separating the top five teams in this prediction, there’s very little margin for error and certainly no room for complacency. It shows the importance of next Saturdays’ game against Southampton and the up and coming visit from contenders Middlesborough in December.
And the same computer predicts woe for former Hammers striker Michail Antonio, whose new club Watford are deemed to be finishing bottom of the league. All good as a bit of fun and a useful pointer of form to date, but until the new year there’s very little to be read into league table positions – unless your team happens to be outside the promotion spots in which case it would be panic stations once again.
84 points is less than 2 a game, would hope we can better that. First we need to keep our momentum rolling, if Pablo can start every game we should be fine. He is even starting to get into better positions.