Paul Merson has launched a stinging attack on West Ham by branding them the Premier League’s worst side, as he and the top pundits deliver their predictions for the clash with Chelsea.
West Ham’s nightmare start to the season, a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of newly-promoted Sunderland, hardly inspires confidence ahead of a clash with world champions Chelsea.
If the Hammers couldn’t lay a glove on the Black Cats, it’s difficult to see how they can realistically trouble Graham Potter’s former club.
Chelsea have continued their aggressive recruitment drive, stockpiling some of the brightest young players in world football.
By contrast, West Ham’s summer business has looked like a desperate scramble, with free transfers such as Callum Wilson underlining just how far their much-vaunted rebuild – which Potter promised would be “exciting and interesting” – has fallen short.
Merson says West Ham are Premier League’s worst
Many journalists and pundits tipped West Ham for relegation ahead of the new Premier League season.
After just one game, it is clear to see they may be right.
There is now a sense of impending doom and potential crisis in east London.
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The vast gulf between the Hammers and Chelsea in terms of spending and ambition is stark.
If it is as obvious on the pitch at the London Stadium then Potter will find himself under serious pressure.
For Potter, this already feels like a potentially defining moment.
West Ham head coach Graham Potter and striker Niclas Fullkrug leave the pitch dejected after defeat to Sunderland
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Since arriving in east London nearly two years after his Chelsea dismissal, the 50-year-old has struggled to make any real impact.
Talk of a positive pre-season was given the relevance it deserved by the Sunderland shambles.
With just five wins from 20 matches so far, patience is wearing thin about Potter with fans.
With such a difficult fixture list early on, frustration and negativity are already seeping into the Hammers fanbase.
A limp display against Chelsea could turn the atmosphere very toxic, very quickly – as predicted by talkSPORT duo Darren Ambrose and Tony Cascarino over the summer.
There is some encouragement for West Ham ahead of the game.
The Hammers acquitted themselves well when they faced Chelsea under Potter at Stamford Bridge last season.
Top pundits predict West Ham vs Chelsea clash
West Ham led and put in a strong showing before slipping to a narrow 2-1 defeat.
Those performances have been too few and far between up to now.
Potter needs one against the Blues if he is to get people off his back and believing in his ideas.
Further encouragement comes from news four key Chelsea stars will miss the West Ham match.
But how do the pundits see it going?
Paul Merson says West Ham are the Premier League’s worst as top pundits predict the Chelsea clash.
Magic man Merson has predicted the Hammers will lose narrowly to the Blues 1-0.
He was unimpressed with both sides on the opening weekend.
But he says the Hammers were so bad they look in relegation danger from the off and were the worst team in the Premier League on the opening weekend.
West Ham boss Graham Potter embraces Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca on his return to Stamford Bridge
Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
“You know what? This is a huge, huge game now for both teams,” Merson told SportsKeeda.
“I thought both of them looked very poor last weekend. If Chelsea lose or draw to West Ham, that would be a massive blow. I actually think this will be a hard game for Chelsea, unlike what most people think! West Ham will not come out and have a go at the visitors, they will sit behind the ball and be patient.
“If Chelsea had won against Crystal Palace in their opening game, I would have tipped them to secure a comfortable win here. But they lacked any sort of cohesion in that game. West Ham were battered by Sunderland last Saturday. I believe they were the most disappointing team to watch in gameweek one and let themselves down with that performance. West Ham have no legs in midfield and look like they’re in danger already!
“West Ham will not want to open this game up. If that happens, there will only be one winner, and that’s Chelsea! So I reckon they will sit back and try to keep Palmer quiet. This is a must-win game for Chelsea, especially since they are a club with huge ambition every year. I’m going to back the Blues to secure a narrow win.”
Sutton and Sky Sports expert hold no hope for Hammers
Chris Sutton agreed with Merson’s comments and echoed his BBC colleague’s description of West Ham as ‘anaemic’.
Sutton says the Hammers may prove him wrong but he believes the game will see a 2-0 win for Chelsea.
“West Ham were as flat as anything at Sunderland. My colleague Ian Dennis on BBC Radio 5 Live called them anaemic. I’m a little bit worried for them this season,” Sutton told BBC Sport.
“I was at Chelsea’s last game against Crystal Palace and I thought they also lacked that spark.
“A lot has been made about Chelsea’s new attack. Joao Pedro was quiet, Cole Palmer was quiet. There’s a stat going around that Palmer hasn’t scored a league goal from open play since January.
“West Ham might prove me wrong, it is a London derby after all, but I still think Chelsea will find a way to edge it.”
Sky Sports’ leading football analyst Lewis Jones feels Potter is completely the wrong fit for West Ham.
And Jones also believes it will be a comfortable 2-0 win for Enzo Maresca’s Blues.
“If you take the relegated teams out of the equation, West Ham rank bottom in the Premier League per 90 for expected goals, shots, shots on target, chances created from open play and passes played into the box since Graham Potter took charge,” Jones revealed.
“There’s a clear problem with converting their possession and territorial advantage into quality chance creation and scoring goals – not the first time we’ve said that about a Potter team.
“It can be possession for the sake of possession, The structure is there, but the soul isn’t. It’s just not very West Ham. The locals want a team that plays with grit and conviction. It could just be that Potter is a bit too spreadsheety for the Hammers. And things could become worse in the short term.
“Chelsea played just fine last weekend against Palace and had the most possession (72 per cent) and made the most passes (568) of all Premier League teams but failed to score from an expected goals tally of 1.7.”
West Ham vs Chelsea is live on Sky Sports, kick-off at 8pm.