* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
West Ham have missed out on Champions League qualification – that much we know. What we also know is that there’s still a fairly sizeable prize on offer for the Hammers, but it’s not what you think it is.
No, it’s not European football for the club – a huge achievement in and of itself from the beginning of the season’s projections. It’s actually that a single point against Southampton would guarantee that either Spurs, Arsenal or Everton have to play next season in that mickey mouse Europa Conference League.
West Ham v Southampton
Sunday, May 23: 4pm
Sky One
Now, I’m aware that it’s petty and I understand football clubs have their own ambitions, but Europa League trips that fans probably won’t be able to go on next year aren’t too much of a carrot. But the idea of a London rival having an even more degrading experience than playing on a Thursday night in the Europa League is a season-long barrel of laughs.
Well, until they get inexplicably knocked out by some feeder club from Armenia, that is.m Anyway, with the Premier League coming to a close – it’s time for us to have one final shot at getting us in the money.
NEW TO PADDY POWER?
Short-Price Punt: West Ham to Win
They just will, won’t they?
Like, for all they’ve stumbled to the finishing line, they’ve been somewhat unlucky in the run-in. And while they should have turned those lacklustre performances into would-be crucial prepollent into the Champions League, they weren’t short of a few hard-luck stories along the way.
Perhaps this is the right occasion in which to cement the season and give fans at least a happy parting note before they digest what they’ve seen and call it a better time than countless they’ve witnessed before.
All in, Davey Moyes – all in.
Value Bet: Michail Antonio to Score Anytime
West Ham’s rise to contention was based around Jesse Lingard’s footwork and inexplicable quick-thinking given his Twitch shenanigans, but their core values are based on that of pragmatism.
And while Antonio has decided to go another way on the international scene, England could have done a whole lot worse than bringing him to the Euros this summer – much like the inclusion of a similar former-West Ham bruiser in Andy Carroll.
It just adds a dynamic. And as we all know, Southampton have really struggled with aerial bombardment this year.
Long Shot: West Ham to Come From Behind and Win
It wouldn’t shock me, you know. There’s something about scoring the opening goal on the final day that seems to lull teams to sleep. And Southampton are the kind of weak-willed side to fall for this trap again.
The Saints, for all their patient build-up, nifty wingers and deadly finishes from Danny Ings, really do lack the mental toughness to ‘hammer home’ advantages, and this could well be the final day definition of their season as a whole.
Still, never mind Saints fans – you’ve always got Danny Ings moving on in the summer to look forward to.
West Ham v Southampton tips
Short-Price Punt: West Ham to Win
Value Bet: Michail Antonio to Score Anytime
Long Shot: West Ham to Come From Behind and Win
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com right nowThe Paddy Power Guide To Responsible Gambling – Everything You Need To Know
