It hasn't been the greatest season in the world for West Ham (12-11-13), which will finish dab smack in the middle of the EPL table. What could be an emotional farewell to both Boleyn Ground and manager Sam Allardyce might get it over the top in a mid-table duel with Everton (11-11-14, 44 Points).
ODDS ANALYSIS
This game is as pick 'em as pick 'em can be. Both teams are set at +150 on the moneyline, and the Asian handicap is set at a dead PK -110 on each side.
Heck, even the total is about as par for the course as is humanly possible. The number to beat is 2.5 (under -115).
KEY INJURIES
Everton just looks like a beaten team at the moment. Leighton Baines' age is starting to show, and he could be rested for this duel. Darron Gibson, Tony Hibbert, Bryan Oviedo and Steven Pienaar are all likely done for the year as well for the Toffees.
West Ham didn't play well down the stretch due to the fact that several of its biggest names have been missing due to injury. Andy Carroll, Winston Reid, Diafra Sakho and James Tomkins have all been long-term injuries the likes of which the Hammers never got over in their quest to get back to European soccer in 2015-16.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"For a number of weeks now, we have tried and tried and tried to find the goals you need, and we can't find them. Simple as that. Whatever we do, whatever chances we create, none of our players seem to convert them into goals. Because of that, life is extremely difficult." – West Ham manager Sam Allardyce on why the Hammers are struggling at the moment.
RECENT FORM
Recent form isn't exactly a topic that either of these teams want to discuss.
West Ham has played nothing but teams in the relegation fight of late, and a 1-1-1 record in those three matches against Aston Villa, Burnley and QPR was nothing to write home about.
Everton has been beaten in successive weeks by teams seeking to avoid the drop into Championship. The team was knocked off by Aston Villa on the road and Sunderland at home, the latter match of which the Toffees looked lifeless.
TALKING TOTALS
Not surprisingly, overs have been hard to find in West Ham matches. The Hammers' last over came back on April 4, and since that point, five straight duels have stayed under the total, many by convincing margins.
Everton might be struggling, but it surely isn't failing to create chances at goal. These last three duels have featured five goals apiece for both the Toffees and their foes, and two of the three games made it past the total.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Everton had 22 shots against Sunderland and just couldn't put one home. Quite frankly, it didn't get a lot of great looks either.
The difference between West Ham and Sunderland though, is that the Black Cats were able to hold their ground in defense and attack from the counter.
With all of the injuries up front for the Hammers, they probably don't have the necessary counterattacking prowess to get the job done if Everton gets sloppy.
In the end, West Ham could be dropped once again. Neither team is a convincing bet for sure, so the Asian handicap is the way to go, though given the choice, we would much rather have the visiting Toffees against a West Ham outfit which is just eager to rid itself of its manager and its home stadium as quickly as possible.
Everton 2, West Ham 1
BookMaker has BPL lines for every match of the season. West Ham is lined as a +150 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 2.5 (under -115). You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between West Ham and Everton is scheduled for Saturday, May 15, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. ET at Boleyn Ground. The match will be televised live on NBC Sports Live Extra.
