Hammers showing signs of getting back to their old selves as they pick off Cherries
West Ham United 2 (1) Zouma 44, Benrahma 89
AFC Bournemouth 0 (0)
West Ham took another step towards getting their season back on track thanks to a scrappy 2-0 win against Bournemouth at the London Stadium, writes Dan Evans
A controversial Kurt Zouma goal and a late Said Benrahma penalty earned the Hammers all three points, securing a fifth win in eight games for David Moyes’ side as they continue to put a difficult start behind them.
A grim start to the campaign saw West Ham stuck in the relegation zone after a defeat at Moyes’ former club Everton in September, but their recent run has led them to the top half of the Premier League table and secured progress in Europe.
There was a nervousness about the home side in the first half on Monday night, a legacy of their recent good form coming unstuck in an unconvincing draw at Southampton and an unfortunate defeat at Liverpool last week.
Dominic Solanke very nearly handed Bournemouth an early lead when he escaped Zouma’s clutches in the box, only to be denied by the sprawling frame of Lukasz Fabianski.
The visitors have enjoyed a surprisingly positive start to the season despite the departure of manager Scott Parker, and they proved obdurate opposition for the Irons as the half progressed.
When their rear-guard was breached, goalkeeper Neto stood tall, denying Aaron Cresswell by tipping his powerful shot over the bar in the 20th minute.
A series of breaks in play for Bournemouth injuries only increased frustration amongst an unimpressed home crowd, but they were given something to cheer about before the interval.
The Hammers took the lead on the night when Zouma deftly touched home a Tomas Souček header after Bournemouth had failed to clear a corner on the stroke of half-time.
A brief VAR check confirmed the goal would stand, but replays suggested that Thilo Kehrer had been fortunate not to be penalised for handball as he attacked the initial delivery.
In another sign of West Ham re-finding their former selves, this was just their second goal from a set-piece this season. They found the net 29 times from dead-ball situations over the previous two campaigns.
The goal saw Moyes’ men return for the second half with a previously unseen sense of self-belief.
Benrahma in particular put an underwhelming opening 45 minutes behind him to orchestrate play from the left flank.
He twice fired wide when well positioned on the edge of the Bournemouth box, and had a third goal bound effort blocked, although new signing Gianluca Scamacca’s inability to make the most of the Algerian’s incisive passes suggests further adaptation to the Premier League is needed.
The most concrete sign of West Ham’s newfound belief was a rasping 30-yard effort from captain Declan Rice that stung the palms of substitute ‘keeper Mark Travers on the hour mark.
Shorn of both Neto and talisman Solanke due to injury, Bournemouth rarely threatened to find a way back into the game in the closing stages – possibly a further sign that West Ham are returning to their awkward best.
It was the home side who had the final say, Benrahma getting the goal his trickery deserved as he sent Travers the wrong way from the spot after VAR deemed that Jordan Zemura had handled a Vladimir Coufal cross.
Now sitting 10th in the league table, the Hammers host Silkeborg IF in the Conference League on Thursday looking to secure top spot in Group B before attempting to continue their domestic resurgence at Old Trafford next Sunday.
West Ham United: (4-3-3) Fabianski – Johnson, Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell – Souček, Rice, Downes (Fornals 87) – Bowen (Coufal 87), Scamacca, Benrahma. Subs not used: Areola, Randolph, Lanzini, Ogbonna, Coventry, Emerson
AFC Bournemouth: (4-3-3) Neto (Travers 45) – Fredricks (Zemura 57), Mepham, Senesi, Smith – Cook, Lerma, Billing – Christie (Anthony 57), Solanke (Moore 46), Tavernier. Subs not used: Stephens, Rothwell, Stacey, Stanislas, Pearson
Comments