West Ham vs Fulham | PL | 27.12.25 | Prediction and Match Thread

[stubbo-admin]

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Match Centre: 

Live data by Scoreaxis

 Odds: 
WHU: 9/5
Draw: 5/2
Fulham: 17/10

 Pre-Match Press Conference: 
Official Site

 Match Preview: 
Analytics United

 Watch-along:
Hammers Chat

Streams:

Sport+

 If there above doesn't work go look for a Stream from the sites listed here!

https://champagne.pages.dev/docs/gettin ... ive-sports
 
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Well in the post-Christmas haze, we gear up for a game that is absolutely massive.

The first of a run of 6 matches that will determine if we're in the fight to stay up, or prepping for the Championship, West Ham host Fulham in what really is a must win.

Whilst the visitors have had a poor start to the season, they're an established side that know what they're doing, have a manager who has firmly embedded his way of playing on the Club with an enviable attacking outlook, and they played us off the park in recent times.

West Ham no longer have Fullkrug for a selection option with his deal to Milan sewn up. Diouf and Wan Bissaka remains away at AFCON, but other than that there are no lingering injuries or selection issues, although Scarles was withdrawn in precaution in the last game.

Predicted LineUp.

Areola

KWP. Mavropanos. Todibo. Scarles

Magassa

Fernandes.  Paqueta

Bowen.           Wilson.       Summerville

Subs:Hermansen, Myers, Kilman, Potts, Rodriguez, Irving, Soucek, Earthy, Marshall

Predicted Result:

West Ham 2 - 1 Fulham
(Bowen, Paqueta pen)

A win feels a long time ago, and I don't expect this to be a pretty performance but more in hope than expectation think we'll scrape this over the line....more because of how desperately we need it. 

COYI.

[Matt Holmes]

Wrong thread 

ffs

[Matt Holmes]

Unsure why mavro doesn’t start.
paqueta need to step up

[Matt Holmes]

Wilson in
according to bbc

West Ham XI: Areola, Walker-Peters, Todibo, Kilman, Scarles, Magassa, Potts, Fernandes, Paqueta, Wilson, Bowen.Subs: Hermansen, Summerville, Mavropanos, Rodriguez, Soucek, Earthy, Kante, Golambeckis, Mayers.

[Massive Attack]

As an example of this compare the desire, work rate and skill, at what Leeds did earlier today. Near the bottom of the table under pressure they still managed to pepper Sunderlands goal as the Away Team eventually scoring a classy goal whilst earning a well deserved draw and point away from home against a Team flying high up the table full of confidence. We haven't shown that level of determination and ability, we coast through most games praying we don't get hammered and feel obliged to accept, well at least we didn't get smashed today. This aint what West Ham should be about, we should be full of commitment, passion and hunger to drag ourselves out of it much like both Leeds and Forest have shown. We are miles off it and already 5 (6 with goal difference currently knackered) points adrift at Christmas. 

[Massive Attack]

Mex, I’m with you. I thought we were ok yesterday until the unfortunate mistake. The luck hasnt quite gone with us but..

we need to shore up and score.

We need to stop this mindset of thinking we played ok even up until they scored. It feels like our fans have been starved of seeing genuine decent Football for so long that we're conditioned to accept games like that. Sorry, not for me. I didn't even think Fulham played well, often making mistakes themselves and yet they still managed to out-pass, outscore and keep a clean sheet with ease Away.  Fulham didn't get out of 1st gear and didn't need to. I thought we looked awful bar a couple of half decent efforts at goal and always susceptible to conceding. Nowhere near good enough and it's been going on for far too long now. 

[Chedylan 3]

He didnt make money available for duran 

[theaxeman]

Think we need a centre back or 2 more than a striker

[simons]

I hate defending Sullivan. But he’s made money available over the years for strikers. The fact that none of them have really worked out, can’t be solely on him. I pin a lot of the blame on the three previous managers. 

[Chedylan 3]

Sullivan also didnt sign duran 

[simons]

All those strikers cost a fair bit of dough between them. I blame successive managers just as much for not identifying what is needed, or not playing to those striker’s strengths. Sullivan didn’t sign Füllkrug, he was just stupid enough to hand over the money, and it’s the reason we now rely on Calum Wilson. 

[Sweep]

Wilson made the difference yesterday. The world and his wife (certainly everyone in the stadium) could see that. He’s got the attributes we need in a striker, just signed him five years too late as usual. 

The striker position has been a problem for fuck knows how many years, and successive managers have done sweet fa to solve the problem. 


 

 

 

That sits with the owners and people who do the recruiting.

All throughout these owners' time in charge the club have struggled to sign a suitable outright CF of a decent age. 15 years and god knows how many managers.

The best we've had have usually been signed as wide players and then converted - Arnie/Antonio...

The string of failures - Carroll, Scamacca, Haller, Fulkrug etc looks the same , and the only management thing in common is Sullivan as owner.

[BRANDED]

We conceded with him on the pitch and didnt score.

[simons]

Wilson made the difference yesterday. The world and his wife (certainly everyone in the stadium) could see that. He’s got the attributes we need in a striker, just signed him five years too late as usual. 

The striker position has been a problem for fuck knows how many years, and successive managers have done sweet fa to solve the problem. 
 

[Westham67]

A nights sleep and nothing changes in perspective. We are mostly suffering from an inability to score which is down mostly to Sullivan I suspect. Potter supposefly said he didnt need a striker after Sullivan had got him 33 year old Wilson. We actually needed 2 although lets be honest we would have bought duds.

But a target man is the gaping chasm in the team followed by the need for a commanding CB.  Another engine / talent in midfield would be the 3 to give us a bare minimum squad fit for purpose. 

We wont get all of them, its too late anyway and they will not be of the quality required.

I can bear another relegation if only we could keep Magassa and Fernandes. I thought the former was our best player and should be given licence to drive forward in the final third in Morgan Rodgers style imo.  He is a tough to stop, strong, great passer and runs all day. Best recruited player in a long while imo. Is there anyway we could keep him? Yes by paying him more but Sullivan will see him as another asset to strip to recover the loss in shareholder value dropping to the championship means.  

I agree we need someone up front who can hold up the ball, as of now, we dont have that.

[boleyn8420]

Nuno even admits he fucked up the line up with his quote ' in the second half we created more chances' yes you cսnt because we had a striker on and balance, which should have been the case from the start but wasn't because of you. Sack him now.

[Nick QQQ2]

Personally I’m fed up with this we’re “unlucky” bullshit.  We’re not unlucky we bring this onto us every game where we defend for such long periods.  Whether winning or drawing a game we inevitably concede.   Oh and maybe picking a striker to help win a game would help

[Sir Alf]

A nights sleep and nothing changes in perspective. We are mostly suffering from an inability to score which is down mostly to Sullivan I suspect. Potter supposefly said he didnt need a striker after Sullivan had got him 33 year old Wilson. We actually needed 2 although lets be honest we would have bought duds.

But a target man is the gaping chasm in the team followed by the need for a commanding CB.  Another engine / talent in midfield would be the 3 to give us a bare minimum squad fit for purpose. 

We wont get all of them, its too late anyway and they will not be of the quality required.

I can bear another relegation if only we could keep Magassa and Fernandes. I thought the former was our best player and should be given licence to drive forward in the final third in Morgan Rodgers style imo.  He is a tough to stop, strong, great passer and runs all day. Best recruited player in a long while imo. Is there anyway we could keep him? Yes by paying him more but Sullivan will see him as another asset to strip to recover the loss in shareholder value dropping to the championship means.  

[BRANDED]

Mex, I’m with you. I thought we were ok yesterday until the unfortunate mistake. The luck hasnt quite gone with us but..

we need to shore up and score.

[Mex Martillo]

I have to agree it is looking bad. 
I don't fully see why. 
I keep hoping, taking it a game at a time.

[Westham67]

Under this management regime, the player recruitment, which Sullivan has always dabbled in over the last 6 or 7 years, has been nothing less than a disaster financially from MP recruitment onward. Look how much we will lose on the German

[twoleftfeet]

West Ham fan TV spot on as usual. Nicky, Big Dave and Marshy always worth listening to.

[cup of tea]

5:47 onwards

[cup of tea]

If you fancy a laugh read this....

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Match of the Day, said: "We have been punished by a mistake and we lose the game. Everybody cares, it's not about that but about the situation we are in."Everything bad happens to us. You can argue about the justice of the result, but the reality is we lost after an equal first half and in the second half we created situations we should have scored from."We have to react, the good part is we play another game in two days time. It's another chance to give back to our fans."

[cup of tea]

I admire some of you being hopeful of staying up but let's look at the facts. After 18 games, so practically half the season we are in the bottom 3 on 13 points, 5 (6 if you include GD) behind the safety of 17th place. The two teams ahead of us, Leeds and Forest arguably have a better team and squad and are picking up points, we are in free fall.

By my calculations with 20 games to go we would need to pick up around another 20 points, maybe more, to stay up. Is it possible? Yes, it is, but we'd need some bloody good signings through the door this window and a run of wins and also hope others don't pick up a lot of points. I haven't looked at the fixtures beyond January but I don't think it matters, draws won't cut it now and we ain't getting a run of 3-4 wins either.

Bin Nuno off around Feb/March when all hope is lost and get Carrick in the last part of the season to encourage and bed in the fringe/youth players ready for pre-season and the start of the Championship season 2026/27.

Finally, did I mention that we ARE FUCKED this season?



 

[Full Claret Jacket]

True Tex.  whats really depressing is knowimg we are stuck with Family Sullivan at the helm in the Championship. They wont relinquish any power and definitely wont sell because they will want a Premier League price for a Championship club. 

I could look forward to the Championship with Potts, Magassa, Fernandes, Diouf, Earthy and one or two other u21s along with continuing recruitment of young, hungry talent. But we will lise most of them as they ate the saleable assets and Sullivan is short term, will panic and try to sell everything he csn before doubling down on his way of piecemeal recruiting via agents. Whoever ieentified Magassa, Fernandes and Diouf shpuld be given the reigns? But Macaulay was dacked for blame purposes and Max Hahn will probably get the bullet as operatimg costs are slashed at the end of the season.

Sullivan is and always was clueless but beimg a narcissistic type he wont have the self awareness or ability to take any accountability. Things are about to get a lot worse.  We ae condemned to a life of torment and will continue to support the team though. 

 

 

It will be a proper fire sale if we go down as we have borrowed money against future Premier League earnings. Basically the club will be bust unless it sells all and sundry or finds a cash injection from somewhere. I'd rather sell now, get together an affordable side that can get a bit of experience before we drop. The manager is a total fraud. Found out at every club he has been at. This is what annoys me most. We pick up dud managers that have failed elsewhere and then wonder why they fail when  given a squad of misfits and nobodies. 
I cant believe we have booted JWP off the squad when we serve up shit every week. I'd have him in over Paqueta every game. All we have done is devalued him and made him a bargain for someone else. 

Get rid of the board
Get rid of the manager
Get rid of the terrible stadium
The club is dead. All through the previous messes in the 80s, 90s and 2000s it's not been as crap a day out as it is these days.