OPINION
West Ham may not have been the most consistent side in the Premier League this season, but they certainly have a lot of quality in their squad, and for all of their foibles, they appear to have turned a corner under Manuel Pellegrini.
Now that Declan Rice is hitting top form and Manuel Lanzini is back amongst the action, they have a couple of top, top players at the core of their side, and they look like real contenders for a Europa League spot.
That’s why Hammers fans will be shaking their heads at Stan Collymore’s prediction for their clash with Cardiff City on Saturday.
According to the former Liverpool striker, the Irons are going to draw with the Bluebirds, with Collymore predicting a 1-1 tie on Twitter.
Predictions
Palace 2 Brighton 1
Cardiff 1 West Ham 1
Huddersfield 1 Bournemouth 1
Leicester 3 Fulham 0
Newcastle 2 Everton 1
Southampton 0 Spurs 2
Man City 4 Watford 0
Liverpool 2 Burnley 0
Chelsea 2 Wolves 2
Arsenal 1 Man United 2Want YOURS please! ????
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) March 9, 2019
That must be infuriating for supporters, who are desperate for their side to shake this image as an unreliable side.
You get the impression with West Ham that a lot of their issues stem from a lack of belief in their own abilities, and having pundits constantly knock them will not help with that shakiness.
They must steamroller Cardiff this afternoon. City might have more to play for, of course, but they are really lacking in quality, and now that Sol Bamba is out for the season, they look as if they are lacking a real leader too.
There has been no better time to play Cardiff this season, with Neil Warnock’s side suffering a real dip in form.
The Hammers must take advantage and prove Collymore wrong.