Andoni Iraola and his Bournemouth side will host West Ham on Saturday in their opening game of the Premier League. The Cherries are beginning an exciting new era after retaining their top-flight status last season. Among the Hammers’ fanbase, pessimism predominates over hope.
Preview (Bournemouth vs West Ham)
O’Neil’s remarkable achievements, however, only resulted in his dismissal from the ruthless Bill Foley. He has since watched his team test their mettle against a variety of continental foes. Bournemouth posted a respectable set of results. In addition to losses to Maccabi Tel Aviv and Atalanta BC, Bournemouth also had three triumphs over Hibernian, Southampton, and Ligue 1 team Lorient. David Brooks and Kieffer Moore scored in the latter match to help Bournemouth overcome Lorient 2-0.
Iraola will also receive a baptism of fire because, between now and the end of September, the Cherries will play Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Brentford, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion. Additionally, four of the Cherries’ final five home Premier League games from the previous season ended in defeat. Speaking about losses, the London Stadium began to worry more after West Ham’s final preseason match against Bayer Leverkusen.
Following a 3-1 defeat to Ligue 1 heavyweights Rennes in their last preseason game. Moyes’s team conceded four goals versus Leverkusen. There is already talk of a probable relegation battle.
West Ham’s accomplishments on the international stage last season were admirable. Their Premier League away form took a turn for the worse. They lost their final four top-flight games on the road. Additionally, the continued uncertainty surrounding Moyes’s future and the club’s inability to sign a single new player since the beginning of July threatens to further derail West Ham’s season plans. However, West Ham’s most recent away victory in the Premier League came at the end of April. They destroyed Bournemouth 4-0. Earlier, Moyes’ team had also triumphed 2-0 at the London Stadium in October. They extended their winning streak over their South Coast rivals to three games.
Team News
The Cherries manager is also skeptical about the likelihood that Adam Smith and Lloyd Kelly will be ready for the opening weekend due to muscle issues. Dominic Solanke and Ryan Christie both missed the victory over Lorient out of caution, but they should be given the all-clear to play here. Smith, Fredericks, and Kelly all have injuries, therefore it appears that Jaidon Anthony will open the season on Bournemouth’s right side. Meanwhile, Neto Moura is outdueling Inter Milan loanee Ionut Radu in the fight for the gloves.
While West Ham’s medical facility is empty prior to the season’s opening weekend, rumors about Manchester City’s alleged interest in playmaker Lucas Paqueta, who participated in 45 minutes of their defeat to Leverkusen, have shaken the visiting fan base. The Brazilian has, so far, managed to escape interest from the Hammers, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t start on Saturday. Meanwhile, Moyes may soon welcome Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse to the team as his newest additions.
Given West Ham’s unsettling preseason defensive performances, Iraola’s attack-minded Bournemouth can create plenty of openings against Moyes’s backline, but injuries on the home team’s end won’t help them either. The Cherries should be favored to break their three-game goalless drought against West Ham, but the Irons frequently score in this matchup as well, and a newly constructed Bournemouth backline might also be penetrated a few times in an interesting draw.
Bournemouth 2 – 2 West Ham
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