Sky Sports expert Paul Merson looks ahead to this weekend's live offerings.....
Merse on West Ham v Bolton
Merse on Everton v Newcastle
West Ham v Bolton
So often in football we talk about the thin line between success and failure.
Kinnear: the wrong man?
The Manchester United treble-winning team of 1999 are often said to be one of the greatest teams of all time. But in the FA Cup semi-final Dennis Bergkamp could have knocked them out if he'd scored a last-minute penalty; if Arsenal hadn't lost 1-0 to Leeds in their penultimate game they would have won the Premier League; and in the Champions League Final United were 1-0 down to Bayern Munich in the dying minutes. That's how close they were to winning absolutely nothing.
I reckon I'm the only Cockney left that didn't get offered the Newcastle job!
Paul Merson
Quotes of the week
1pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
Everton v Newcastle
3.30pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1 & HD1
In a similar way I could be sitting here writing about how Gianfranco Zola needs to win this game to avoid three league defeats on the trot. He's had a lot of luck so far and it's a very thin dividing line between being a great manager and being in trouble.
Nobody could deny Fulham deserved to get something last week, even with ten men, but they had a mad three minutes and West Ham punished them. That's the harsh reality of Premier League football and Zola knows he was lucky on that day.
I really hope he does well because he was one of the greatest foreign footballers to ever play in this country. I have a lot of respect for any manager because I've been there and I know how hard it is; you only need to have a bad eight weeks and you're out of a job.
It's hard to say if he'll do well or not, but a lot will come down to the expectations of the West Ham fans and the board. I think expectations have been too high for too long and I don't see how the team should be challenging for trophies when they're selling so many players. But I hope he gives the fans something to cheer about because they deserve it.
Hot Trotters
However, I can see West Ham struggling on Sunday, especially if they turn up thinking they're going to wipe the floor with Bolton.
If it hadn't been for a silly penalty from a silly referee, Bolton may well have got a point at Old Trafford last week, so this will be a difficult game for West Ham.
Bolton will go there to frustrate them, keep it tight and they are always a threat from set-pieces - and that's an area where West Ham are vulnerable. I just think this game is perfect for Bolton and I can see a shock on the cards. West Ham had a lot of luck last week and sooner or later that luck is going to run out.
MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Kevin Nolan -He's been out of the headlines for a while, but good players don't stay quiet for too long. He'd have been in the England team a couple of years ago if he hadn't been a Bolton player and I can see him popping up with the winner here.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Away win - If they can get through the first 20 minutes I can see Bolton winning the game. If Bolton go 1-0 up then West Ham will be chasing the game and I can see it finishing 2-1 to Bolton.
Everton v Newcastle
Newcastle are in all sort of trouble and could be heading for a relegation scrap this season.
I saw Michael Owen on TV saying that the confidence is as low as a snake's belly and when that happens you know you're in trouble. People on the outside maybe don't realise how important confidence is to footballers; they see players getting all this money and think they should be buzzing. Well it doesn't work like that and when you're not confident, it's a horrible feeling.
Is Joe Kinnear the man to pick these players up? No, no, no, no... and no! His appointment is a joke. Last week, if somebody had given me four days to name the next manager of Newcastle, I still wouldn't have got it. It was an unreal appointment and I'm struggling to see what positives you can take from it.
Kinnear did great with Wimbledon and the Crazy Gang, but it doesn't work like that any more. You can't go nailing players' shoes to the floor and setting their suits on fire because these days those suits cost about four grand! There's also more foreign players around nowadays and they won't understand that sort of thing.
He was a good manager and I'm sure Dennis Wise respects him, but time goes by. Wimbledon did great but they were a team with nothing to lose; if they got battered 5-0 it wouldn't exactly make the headlines. It won't be like that at Newcastle because this is a big club with high expectations, even if their league position doesn't reflect that.
I wish him all the best because it isn't his fault nobody else wanted the job. In fact, I reckon I'm the only Cockney that didn't get offered it. This should be one of the top five or six jobs in England because the supporters are so good. They haven't won anything since I was born - and I'm 40 - and they still probably have more away fans than anybody else. They don't deserve all the disarray that's going on at the moment.
They are a massive club but the thing that worries me is that their team of ten years ago is better than the team now. Shearer, Ferdinand, Lee, Ginola, Batty and the rest are better than the current crop. With the way football is moving forward how can that be right? Why aren't they moving with the times?
Tough Toffees
Things will look a lot brighter if they win on Sunday, but I just can't see anything other than an Everton win.
Even after a tough UEFA Cup game in midweek and without the suspended Tim Cahill I can them being too strong and quick for Newcastle. They were very direct against Liverpool last week, but you have to play to your strengths. In the derby they needed to get the ball away from their goal and try to play in Liverpool's half as much as possible but it didn't really work for them on the day.
But Newcastle and their leaky defence are a very different proposition to Liverpool.
MERSON'S MAGIC MAN
Yakubu - With Cahill out, Yakubu's got to step up to the plate and if he produces the goods Newcastle won't be able to cope with him. Steven Taylor is a good player but has a lot of pressure on his shoulders with confidence so low and so many new faces in the squad. The Yak could give him a very hard time.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Home win - I'm going for 2-0 to Everton. If Newcastle get the first goal, then the confidence might come flooding back and they could go on to win the game. But if Everton score first then Newcastle will find it almost impossible to get back into it.
Comments (29)
Geoff Smith (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
Does anyone know the name of the song played on sky sports one at the end of the program West ham v Bolton something about rain, it had a reggae sound to it.
Posted 20:01 7th October 2008
Reds Reds (Liverpool fan) says...
hehe look like paul has dissapointed some west ham fans.... but came out right... i'm first to admit, i didn't see it coming... but good, someone has spotted this
Posted 07:13 6th October 2008
Adam Smith (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
well done paul merson for your prediction of the west ham v bolton game. Although not 100% accurate on the score you called it exactly right on how the game went. The Hammers fans that believed you to be oh so wrong would be eating their words right now
Posted 03:02 6th October 2008
Tom Welsh (Bristol Rovers fan) says...
just wondered where the west ham fans are now? good job paul!
Posted 01:11 6th October 2008
Phil Eccles (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
3-1, obviously we did have the scoring ability.
Posted 21:18 5th October 2008
Simon Chadwick (Leeds United fan) says...
I think all you West Ham fans owe Merse an apology. He was spot on about everything, apart from the scoreline! West Ham were poor today and Bolton played excellently. They were extremely organised and West Ham just could not get much out of them. Well done, Paul, you were spot on!!
Posted 20:53 5th October 2008
Mark Bennett (Aston Villa fan) says...
Seems like he got the result right with Bolton/West Ham. Bolton went 1 better too. To the person who suggested Bolton weren't capable of scoring 2 goals and that Merson should have a drink, shame on you! I think you should post another comment apologising to Merson.
Posted 16:36 5th October 2008
Gareth Knight (Arsenal fan) says...
HA , HA , HA , HA , HA , Jack holloway , eat your words. Paul merson is a legend and knows his stuff , what he stated about set pieces was true , and look what happened. 2-1 , just as paul predicted. Well done Mers , or should I call you Meg !
Posted 16:06 5th October 2008
James Downes (Aston Villa fan) says...
I read this article before the West Ham game, and i thought to myself, spot on, especially after seeing the performance against Fulham even when they had 10 men. And you read the comments and who do West Ham think they are? They rate themselves as a real top side, and saying that Bolton won't be able to put 2 past their defence. West Ham fans, get off your high horses as you are no the side you think you are, and you write of teams like Bolton who on their day can beat any team and look what happens, they stick 3 past you. West Ham fans will act surprised but really they are just being ignorant and not watching the same West Ham side that goes out and performs like a mid table team every week which they are.
Posted 15:38 5th October 2008
Joel Harrison (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
Bolton will take 3-1 at West Ham. Good prediction by Merson. It looks like Bolton do have a goal scoring threat after all!
Posted 15:23 5th October 2008
Nick Sudbury (Arsenal fan) says...
Jack Holloway......your comment to the Magic Man Merse about "have a drink" are about as low as you would expect from a hammer. Get a life. Merse.......thanks for everything at The Arsenal. Loved seeing your career there and just wish you could have been more involved with England, as I'm sure you do. Cheers matey.
Posted 11:49 5th October 2008
Adam Davey (West Ham United fan) says...
Merson I really hope your wrong today, with West Ham you can never predict their results. Really Bolton are an average side and we should really be beating them at home. I'd love it Zola and the boys smash them up, esp now Gartside is thinking of claiming compensation of us as well. Talk about jumping on the bandwaggon, even Whelan the Wigan chairman is wanting points deducted as he is already worried about Wigan's upcoming relegation. As for Newcastle, appointing Kinnear is crazy, poor management decisions not being helped by impatient fans forcing Ashely to sell. Still think Newcastle have too much quality, just need a settle structure and they will be fine, although Everton may indeed win today.
Posted 11:22 5th October 2008
Gregory Monk (Blackburn Rovers fan) says...
Jack, how can a 2-1 prediction not be very 'accurate'? It is a prediction and is based on opinion, he isn't saying it is definitely going to happen. That is the whole idea of this section. I for one feel that the Hammers will stumble today, though i will be hoping for a draw since i dislike both teams. I can really see them struggling, particularly with neck ache as they are bombarded with high balls throughout. You can't win them all and class doesn't always shine through. All in all I think that was a fair set of predictions, hopefully Everton will score first then, thus keeping the laughs coming!
Posted 10:45 5th October 2008
Anthony Kent (West Ham United fan) says...
I have to agree with my peers on this one. West Ham are playing from a different era more like the Di Canio one. With Zola incharge of the attacking side of the game Bolton will be lucky to concede less than 2. West Ham win 3-1
Posted 23:36 4th October 2008
Fraser Ames (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
spot on. i can see bolton winning 2-0. say we survive the first 20 minutes (as stated), the west ham attack line will get slower and our back line will grow in confidence. then if elmander gets a goal in the first half, confidence will be sky high. after that i can see us holding out, but kevin davies grabbing us a goal, as you say, they are week from set peices. so an elmander rebound and a davies header.
Posted 21:40 4th October 2008
Jack Holloway (West Ham United fan) says...
Your 2-1 final score prediction isn't very accurate. I doubt Bolton have the goal scoring ability in to score two past our defence this year. We have been lucky in recent games. We have played badly yet still got 3 points on a number of occasions. Eventually when Zola's attacking influence reflects on the field, we will be a big threat going foward especially with the pace of Etherington, Bellamy and Faubert. Have a drink Paul your not thinking straight.
Posted 11:09 4th October 2008
Adam Waples (West Ham United fan) says...
I must say im suprised with your prediction of a Bolton win on Saturday Paul. They are currently one of the worst performers in the premier league, where as Zola seems to have brought a lease of life out of the current crop of hammers, i cant see anything other than a hammers win, 2-0! com on you irons!!!
Posted 00:50 4th October 2008
Daniel Shoebridge (West Ham United fan) says...
Seriously Paul, there is no way that you can say that West Ham are going to start getting complacent about their next game just because, as you've said they have had a good steak of luck. The next game that West Ham play is at Upton Park, a place where we have not only won but won by a large goal margin in each of our games. Against Bolton we have a fairly poor record home and away however I think that under Gianfranco and Clarke I think you will see a new team, a team that doesn't under estimate opponents, takes each game as it comes and if things are going wrong won't just roll over and have it's belly tiggled like a dog. So there goes your theory and the matter is finished there thank you very much and good day
Posted 20:51 3rd October 2008
Daniel S (Newcastle United fan) says...
I think you're right on both results Paul, i think Bolton will nick a 1-0 win and Newcastle could get a backlash; maybe 3 or 4. I still think Michael will get 1 though so i'm going for 3-1. I think everyone knows what the fans up here want and thats King Kev back. I honestly dont care if it's Mike Ashley on the board or an investor, as long as KK's here and Dennis Wise isnt then i'm happy. Just a quick P.S. to say Paul, you are a legend, as is Jeff Stelling.
Posted 20:48 3rd October 2008
James Whyte (West Ham United fan) says...
I cant believe Pauls comments about how lucky West Ham have been. Do your research Mers! Granted, we done well to pick up all 3 points at Fulham and a draw was probably a fair result. But against Newcastle it was completely one way and we could have had 5 or 6 if we hadn't have stepped off the gas! We are playing a much more expansive game, with a formation that is new to the team. The lads look full of confidence and bearing in mind what is going on away from football with the Tevez situation (Get over it Sheffield Utd, you went down because you were not good enough over 38 games!!) then i think we deserve a little more credit. If we continue to play with the same intensity and commitment in the coming weeks including Sunday then i'm predicting a bright start for Zola.!!! Come on you Irons.
Posted 15:56 3rd October 2008
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