⚽ AFC Bournemouth 0-4 West Ham Utd (23/4/23)

[funky chicken]

Premier League
Vitality Stadium
Sunday 23rd April
Kick-off: 14:00

Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn
Fourth official: Thomas Brammall
VAR: Andre Marriner
Assistant VAR: James Mainwaring

[RaddyKovac]

Suddenly feeling optimistic. Hopefully not misplaced. I love Gaz O'Neil and hope he keeps them up but not at our expense (but maybe at Southampton's could be funny!).

Torn between wondering if a confidence-filled Mic should start or needs some time off.

Delighted to see Emerson and Coufal play today. Hoping Rice and Paq continue to be the fulcrum. Think we should see Lanzini or Fornals this time out though. Maybe both? Fornals for Benny and Lanzini for Soucek?

Wouldn't mind an unchanged one but not much rest time.

[paulhs1]

Fab
Johnson
Zouma
Oggie
Cresswell
Rice
Lanzini
Fornals
Bowen
Benrahma
Antonio

[Ironing Board]

The momentum is building. Expect them to be dispatched with aplomb.

[DublinDave]

The momentum is building. Expect them to be dispatched with aplomb.

Who..?
Let's not go self fellating just yet IB.
Keep playing like the last 60 minutes of the last 2 games & we'll be OK I'd say...

[Ironing Board]

Who..?
Let's not go self fellating just yet IB.
Keep playing like the last 60 minutes of the last 2 games & we'll be OK I'd say...

To me the signs of recovery have been clear for quite a while, bar the odd hiccup. The steel is back. And I don't see Bournemouth being able to deal with Antonio or Ings.

In sports you tend to build towards a peak, and ours seems to be coming at just the right time in regards to the season. Moyes teams have a track record of finishing seasons very strongly, and this appears to be happening this time around.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Fabianski
Coufal Zouma Aguerd Cresswell
Soucek Rice Paqueta
Bowen Ings Benrahma

Soucek should start, Billing and Solanke will make it a physical battle in the middle.

[MB]

They’ve looked really good in the last few. Will be a really tough match. Defensively they aren’t anything great, but they pepper the goal. Hopefully being able to give Rice etc some minutes off tonight pays off. Have a feeling it will be a draw.

[RaddyKovac]

They’ve looked really good in the last few. Will be a really tough match. Defensively they aren’t anything great, but they pepper the goal. Hopefully being able to give Rice etc some minutes off tonight pays off. Have a feeling it will be a draw.

We play better against attacking teams.

[Paolopaul]

Anyone going to this game can look forward to the unique moment of the national alarm test going off at 3pm just before the second half.

Two confident sides, this should be a good game.

[SirStoneyOfBow]

Slight concerns we will be cream crackered after tonight’s epic display.
I’d take a draw if I’m honest at this stage, as it will be a tough game and they are certainly playing with confidence, and you have to hand it to Gary O’Neil for his style of management and tactics.
While not safe either, they are also a win or two away from safety so will be very hungry and determined to make their case on Sunday.
A point each wouldn’t hurt either team I don’t believe.

[NWhammer]

Prior to the last week we’d picked up some decent results but our performances had been crap. The performance against Arsenal may end up being the catalyst that kept us up and won us a trophy. Not many teams will get the better of us IF we play like we did against Arsenal and Gent.

Two changes from the Arsenal game, Emerson for Cresswell, Aguerd for Kehrer.

[DublinDave]

To me the signs of recovery have been clear for quite a while, bar the odd hiccup. The steel is back. And I don't see Bournemouth being able to deal with Antonio or Ings.

In sports you tend to build towards a peak, and ours seems to be coming at just the right time in regards to the season. Moyes teams have a track record of finishing seasons very strongly, and this appears to be happening this time around.

I hope you're right IB.
The shoots of Spring certainly seem to have enthused the squad & things are looking much better than a few months ago.

Bournemouth have won 2 on the bounce & haven't played in 7 days though. We need to be bang at it from the start.

[TheHandOfDog]

Anything but a defeat, will accept a draw with us putting in a performance of some sort. Thurs/Sun is scaring me a little

[funky chicken]

I can’t see us winning this, but I am hopeful we can pick up a point. In typical West Ham fashion I wouldn’t be surprised if we lose this game and then beat Liverpool at home.

I’d start 9 of the starting 11 we played last night. With the only changes being Fab for Areola and Oggy for Aguerd. Benrahma would’ve been another I would’ve dropped, but he does usually turn up against teams near the bottom, so I’d keep him in the team. He’s out for Wednesday night’s game though.

Our aim for the next 4-5 league games should be to get the job done in the league. To try and clinch our Premier League status before the Europa Conference semi-final, so then we can start resting more players in the league and throw the kitchen sink at European glory.

[Shabu]

I wouldn't be upset with a draw. But a win would be fantastic.

Be nice to see Lanzini & Fornals start but I doubt that happens.

Fab
Johnson Kehrer Ogbonna Cresswell
Lanzini Downes Rice Fornals
Ings Cornet

That's what I would start with and that's why I'm not a football manager

1 all.

[EvilC]

Of the three options, I’d say winning would be better than drawing, as it yields more points. Similarly, should we not be able to win, then a draw would be better than a defeat, brining in one point instead of none.

In summary, win > draw > defeat. I know this is quite complex but I hope most of you are able to get the gist of it. We can explore the topic further during future games.

[mumbles87]

I'd say same team as last night apart from ings for Antonio

Only because I think Antonio is vital to the midweek game Vs the scousers

[Garry]

To me the signs of recovery have been clear for quite a while, bar the odd hiccup. The steel is back. And I don't see Bournemouth being able to deal with Antonio or Ings.

In sports you tend to build towards a peak, and ours seems to be coming at just the right time in regards to the season. Moyes teams have a track record of finishing seasons very strongly, and this appears to be happening this time around.

Not being able to stop antonio and ings they stopped kane and son didn't they .

[Puff Daddy]

They play good football, this lot and are very intense with it, too