8th April 2016 Kickoff: 1500hrs West Ham United v Swansea City Football – England – Premier League The match between West Ham and Swansea on Saturday has more than a hint of relegation battle about it as both teams have endured disappointing spells of late. The Hammers looked to be well clear of the bottom three but five straight losses have seen them slip ever closer to relegation trouble. Swansea have returned to the bottom three after looking like they were going to move clear themselves after winning four in six, but three defeats in their last four have heaped the pressure on again and with games running out they have to start picking points up quickly.
It’s been a really frustrating season for West Ham in more ways than one. An early exit from the Europa League followed by taking more time than they hoped to settle into their new stadium was compounded at the end of the calendar year with the Dmitri Payet saga. All of that has combined to blight their on-field performances for much of the campaign but even in spite of their inconsistency they have still been able to pull out big performances and results when needed. That is until now. The Hammers current run of form has seen them go without a win from their last eight games – dating all the way back to the beginning of February. It’s the worst run since Slaven Bilic has been in charge and is proving to be a real test of his leadership. Wednesday’s 3-0 loss away to Arsenal will be concerning to the supporters as their team seemed to capitulate once losing the opening goal of the game. That is not a good trait for any team but especially one who are facing up to the very real possibility of a relegation battle for the remainder of the season.
Swansea were looking like pulling clear of the relegation zone a month or so ago when they went on their best run of the season. The dramatic 3-2 win at home to Burnley at the beginning of March looked like being a massive result for the Swans and one that would swee the kick on, but a couple of injuries to key players and poor results against teams also involved in the relegation battle means they remain right in the thick of it. Wednesday looked like being another key result for them, right up until the final minute. An early goal had them set for an excellent, and much needed, win against Tottenham only for Spurs to hit them with a three goal blitz to return the Welsh club to the bottom three – replacing Hull who themselves have had an excellent 2017 thus far. A real failing for Swansea has been their inability to win games on their travels with just three victories all season. With four of their final seven games on the road it really is getting to the crunch time and taking no points from their last two at home means they have to find a way to pick up results from their next two games, starting Saturday.
The relegation picture is beginning to pan out now and it’s looking more and more likely that Sunderland and Middlesbrough are being cast adrift, leaving one position – currently occupied by Swansea. The Swans are two points from safety but it’s arguable that there are three teams within their grasp, one of which are West Ham who are five points better off coming into this one.
West Ham United v Swansea City Betting Tip
A relegation battle would have been the furthest thing from the minds of all involved at West Ham but that’s the reality of the situation they find themselves in. It’s often said that this stage of the season is when each and every game is harder than it would have been if played six months previous due to the added pressure. Swansea are more accustomed to relegation battles than their weekend opponents and that could yet be in their favour. It really is a battle between two teams who are out of form and beginning to get nervous about what is ahead, which makes a prediction that bit harder. Another thing they have in common is that they have struggled defensively. The Swans have the worst defensive record in the league, conceding 66, and West Ham have not faired much better allowing 57. Both teams to score has came in 20 of Swansea’s game so far and the same number of West Ham’s league fixtures. The meeting earlier in the season finished 4-1 to the Hammers and although I do not envisage a similar score line, I’m confident both teams will find the back of the net once again.
Both teams to score 4/6 @ Bet365
