5 April 2025
West Ham 2 Bournemouth 2
Life in East London has not been going as well as Graham Potter had hoped when he joined the club. There is no doubt with the stadium and support that this club has, it should be achieving big things, as they did when David Moyes won the Conference League a few years ago. They welcomed an out of form Bournemouth to the London Stadium.
The first chance of the game dropped to the visitors. Semenyo put a delightful ball into the box which picked out Ouattara at the back post. His glancing header missed the target by the narrowest of margins. It was an early warning for Potter’s side, who have not looked convincing defensively this campaign. If anything, Areola has kept them in games that should have been dead and buried in.
Evanilson was starting to cause problems with his skill and trickery. He played it out wide to Ouattara whose attempted cross took a massive deflection and tested Areola at his near post. The save was far more impressive than his recent trip to the barber. He looked like a 16-year-old girl who had gone on holiday to the Dominican Republic with his parents and had corn-rows put in on the beach by some stoner.
The Cherries continued to press. After bombarding the West Ham box with crosses, the ball was cut back at the byline and it hit Soucek and headed towards goal. Only another smart stop by Areola could prevent the visitors going ahead in this one. The home fans were starting to get frustrated with what they were seeing out on the pitch.
West Ham were struggling to clear their lines all too often. Semenyo crossed and Evanilson got a first-time shot off that Areola blocked. The Brazilian reacted quickest as he hooked the ball into the back of the net. It was no more than Bournemouth deserved on the balance of play. The Hammers need to find something to spark them into life.
Bournemouth forced another corner and Zabarnyi flicked his header towards goal, only to see it strike the crossbar and come back out. Potter’s side were in danger of sinking without a trace. They were in dire need of the interval and some sage words from their manager. It had been a perfect start for The Cherries, looking to end a poor run of form.
Into the second-half and The Hammers seemed to come to life. They were making runs in behind the defence and finally asking some questions, which won the hosts a corner. Ward-Prowse swung in a teasing cross and Fullkrug rose to head it and bury it in the corner to draw West Ham level. Finally, they had given the fans something to get excited about.
This seemed to be the springboard the hosts needed. Kudus did well out wide and whipped in an inviting cross into the box. Bowen headed it into the far corner and sent the London Stadium into overdrive. In the space of just ten minutes, West Ham had completely turned this game on its head. It was a very different atmosphere in the capital now.
It is in this position that you can see how The Hammers need to strengthen. Their defensive capabilities are questionable at best. They don’t have a busy defensive midfielder who is going to disrupt their opponents to break up play but can also drop in as a defender to protect the back four. Maybe it is something they will address in the summer.
Bournemouth launched a free-kick into the box. Huijsen headed it towards the back post, where Evanilson ghosted in to score his second goal of the game. Same old West Ham, always letting leads go. This side would make possibly the worst dog-walking company possible. The country would be overrun with stray, unattended dogs marauding the streets.
The visitors started to turn the screw and look the more likely to get a winner. It was played to Semenyo, who ran at the West Ham defence from deep in their half. As he got within range he unleashed a vicious effort that Areola did well to save with his legs to deny The Cherries a winner. The Hammers’ keeper may be due some contract talks based on recent performances.
The point does neither West Ham nor Bournemouth any favours but they will still take the positive that not losing will do to their confidence. The Cherries in particular are looking dangerous in attack but it is just not clicking in front of goal. They waste far too many chances. Iraola needs to change that if they are going to get their season back on track.
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