When it comes to the back end of May and West Ham reflect on the season that was, there is every chance that this soggy Saturday will go down as a missed opportunity that proved decisive in their survival plight.
Victory here would have raised the possibility of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side ending the weekend out of the relegation zone for the first time since early December. In keeping with those over recent weeks, much of the performance was befitting of another three points. But, thanks to a couple of smart Djordje Petrovic saves and some profligacy in front of goal, the hosts had to make do with a draw – an expected goals (xG) total of 2.87 from 20 shots yielding a blank in the only column that matters.
Their side’s continued resurgence does provide some encouragement for the home fans, however. From a position of hopelessness in mid-January, West Ham have lost just one of their last six league games, and the gap to a safe position is down to two points, at least until Nottingham Forest host Liverpool on Sunday. That is something to take heart from despite the fact they largely overwhelmed a Bournemouth side whose unbeaten run extends to seven league games.
“We were really close,” said Nuno. “That is the feeling that stays with us – that we feel it is almost there for us to take and we didn’t take it.
“At the same time, we played well, we competed well and we were solid. But, overall, it was us who were really close and that’s why we are sad. Unfortunately today it was not to be.”
In a match devoid of life for the best part of the middle hour – all sense of urgency dissolving in the early evening drizzle – it was the start and end that provided the notable moments.
In the opening six minutes alone, West Ham had four shots. They should have scored at least one of them, but that would become a recurring theme as the afternoon wore on.
Axel Disasi had head in hands after Petrovic palmed away his initial header and he turned the rebound over the bar from a couple of yards out, all within 45 seconds of kick-off. A fabulous flowing move swiftly followed, culminating in Taty Castellanos delivering a peach of a cross for Crysencio Summerville, but the in-form winger could only prod into Petrovic’s hands.
Summerville has waited a considerable time for his West Ham career to catch light, but played with the confidence of someone who has scored six goals in his last seven appearances – a tally that makes him his team’s second highest scorer this season, despite all of them coming since the turn of the year. As West Ham’s main attacking outlet, Summerville displayed an abundance of trickery and a permanent desire to take on his opposite number, but provided little in the way of cutting edge.
Having earlier seen a shot deflected on to the roof of the net, he might have scored when presented with a prime opportunity inside the Bournemouth box in the closing stages, but could not get the ball out from under his feet.
Substitute Callum Wilson had a first-time flick excellently beaten away by Petrovic, a Castellanos bicycle kick briefly threatened the spectacular, and, deep in injury time, Jarrod Bowen failed to hit the target from a few yards out. “I was praying,” said Nuno, of the moment Bowen was played through on goal. It rather summed up the home side’s afternoon.
Having appeared motionless for the first few minutes of the match, Bournemouth did improve after half-time, but largely fed off scraps.
Bidding to become the first teenager to register a goal involvement in each of his first four Premier League outings, the precocious Rayan produced his side’s one notable moment. After picking the ball up deep inside his own half and nonchalantly flicking it over a slide tackle, he continued all the way to the edge of the West Ham 18-yard box and curled it against the outside of the post.
“It’s a good point for us,” said Andoni Iraola. “I didn’t like our performance in the first half; second half was much better. [West Ham] are in a good run and in need of results, and you can feel that from the beginning. We knew they would start strong, but we couldn’t equal their intensity.”
