The critic I love to hate, Chris Sutton, has been back reading his runes for this weekends Premier League fixtures. He does have something of a knack for stating the obvious and sadly, at the moment, is proving only too correct with suggestions of losses or draws in games past. ( That’s probably why I hate reading his predictions!)
Today he has been pronouncing on West Ham v Everton – dubbed ‘El Sackio 2’ after last time at London Stadium doing for Erik ten Hag’s job: What does Sutton think, I wonder, about West Ham’s chances of doing for Sean Dyche in the same manner (although hopefully no dodgy VAR penalty decisions this weekend).
Says Sutton:
“West Ham are in trouble.. they don’t really have an identity under Julen Lopetegui.“
“He has always been a pragmatic manager in my eyes but they want to be a more expansive side and he is stuck somewhere in between at the moment.“
“There is a lot of uncertainty around them at present, and I am certainly not convinced by them at home. They beat Manchester United there a couple of weeks ago, but they were lucky to win that one.“
“The only team Everton have beaten away this season is Ipswich, so I would not feel confident backing them to bounce back with a win here. I don’t want to pick another draw, but this has got one written all over it.“
2-2 is his final prediction . Will that be enough to save Lopetegui? The biggest fear I have is that it will earn him a stay of execution through the International break. Beyond that lie tougher games against Leicester and Wolves – more ‘six pointer’ games: And a winter staring down the abyss of the relegation zone. With any ‘wiggle room’ to sack the head coach and replace him long gone by then.
I completely agree Martin. I do not see Lopetegui being around for long and once I arrived at that conclusion it makes sense for him to go asap so as to give whoever replaces him maximum chance. I’d like to see him go this weekend with someone in quickly during the international break. I always want to see us win so regardless of todays result.
A draw against Everton simply won’t cut it!
It would point to a relegation mindset and the levels of despair and desperation we have dropped to.
Respect the point reminds me of our most divisive manager under Sully …… BFS. At least he’s say it regarding away games! Sam’s football was dire but I’d say it’s more painful watching JLo’s games this season.
We look clueless!
It’s time for Sully to show true Leadership and act after the game. Loyalty and inaction would just be a total lack of ambition.
Admit you got it wrong and save our season!
It’s frustrating isn’t it Matt?Knowing the man in charge of West Ham isn’t going to sack Lopetegui whatever happens against Everton.
I’ll be going over to the LS this afternoon and of course hoping for a win but knowing that will just paper over a big crack.
It’s highly frustrating!
Football with all the TV money and PSR is a business! What frustrates me the most is that Sully is obviously a very astute and respected businessman. There are more than a billion reasons to justify this.
I just wish he would let others with more knowledge of football make the right decisions. That’s just sound business sense.
Let’s hope we bag 3 points today despite our manager being the worst we’ve had during Sully’s tenure.
“despite our manager being the worst we’ve had during Sully’s tenure.”
Worse than Avram Grant???
Blimey, you must really be p****** off?
Chris Sutton’s predictions on BBC are regularly wrong, he usually gets ‘out-predicted’ by most guests and overall is losing to the ‘unqualified’ public (‘you’) by 102 – 92 average score.
So far I’d say JLo & Grant are equally as bad as each other. I think if we don’t switch manager asap there is a strong chance we will go down!