Bournemouth

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I think in the last five games or so Bournemouth have been conceding too many goals, which then applies a lot of pressure in terms of the team trying to continue to get wins and positive outcomes.

At times this season you could argue they have been overperforming, especially given the nature of the injury crisis that they had.

The style of play they have is very much on the front foot, it's high energy, it's lots of sprints, being able to stretch your opposition, and being a really good attacking force.

I think at times maybe there are moments where they possibly do need to slow it down which I don't think is necessarily their strength. Andoni Iraola's style means they can win against anyone, but, unfortunately for them, they can also go on runs like this.

They are still a very good side. There's still a chance that come the end of the season they could be in Europe. But, with the difficulty of this league, some of these dips in form can come at the worst time.

For Bournemouth it's just a case of trying to maintain belief because as soon as you lose it, you start to see some of the flaws that maybe existed before.

When you're playing well and winning, it's the easiest game in the world. But, ultimately, the teams you play against in the Premier League are just as good as you are most of the time.

It's not like Iraola is a 10-year veteran manager and what he says after games is valid because he's showing that at times his squad are missing out on understanding the details of a game. Like sometimes you need to go and press, even when you feel uncomfortable, and the benefit of that might be seen in five or 10 minutes time.

I think the squad that he has and the position that they're in is a new one to the vast majority of them. As a consequence, they're still learning as they're going through it, so I think they'll be better for these experiences in the future.

They will just hope that the future for them is going to be really positive in the coming weeks as opposed to in the coming seasons.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nat Hayward

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Coming into this matchday, only Manchester City (289) have forced more high turnovers in the Premier League this season than Bournemouth (287), with a league-high 61 of the Cherries' high turnovers ending in a shot.

Andoni Iraola's side have also faced the fewest shots following high turnovers in the competition this term (26).

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport senior journalist

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Bournemouth were able to ride the wave of their injury problems over the winter months. January's back-to-back wins over Newcastle (4-1) and Nottingham Forest (5-0), with a heavily depleted squad and no senior strikers available, will live long in the memory.

However, as March becomes April, Andoni Iraola's side are feeling the squeeze in other areas.

Despite Saturday's draw at West Ham extending their unusual sequence of four successive 2-2 draws at away games in London, the Cherries have only taken two points from a possible 18 in their last six Premier League games.

In the centre of the park, Justin Kluivert has missed the last two games with a muscle injury, while Ryan Christie has been playing through the pain of a groin problem for some time.

Christie posted "Time to heal" on social media earlier this week, and on Wednesday the club confirmed what many had suspected, that the Scotland international has now had surgery which will end his season.

Kluivert and Christie have been integral to Iraola's high-energy, high-pressing system, and their work rate is not easily replaced.

However, the return to fitness of Adam Smith and Julian Araujo to cover the right-back position will allow Lewis Cook – who had deputised at full-back for most of the winter – to return to his natural central midfield role alongside Tyler Adams.

And as fan writer Tom Jordan pointed out on this page yesterday, it also presents England Under-21 international Alex Scott with an opportunity to force his way into the side.

Another encouraging sign at West Ham was the performance of academy midfielder Ben Winterburn, introduced off the bench in the 78th minute for the longest of his three league appearances.

The Hampshire-born 20-year-old, who joined the Cherries as an under-11, caught the eye with the levels of energy an Iraola team requires, and won the free-kick from which Bournemouth equalised.

He can expect more minutes before the end of the season.

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Bournemouth have confirmed Ryan Christie has undergone "successful surgery" after a groin injury he has been monitoring.

The club said he was assessed after coming off during the game against Ipswich.

Christie said on social media it is "time to heal".

In a statement the club said: "It was decided that surgery would be the best course of action for Ryan's recovery and he will return to the club's Performance Centre to begin a process of rehabilitation."

Bournemouth's hopes of European qualification have been dented in recent weeks with an inconsistent run of Premier League form and the club's exit from the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

But Cherries fans, you know your club best and we want you to tell us one thing - good or bad - that nobody is currently talking about at Bournemouth.

Let us know your thoughts here

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

West Ham manager Graham Potter was continuously standing on the edge of his technical area, arms folded and observing the game for the most part, while two members of his staff - assistant manager Bruno and first-team coach Narcis Pelach - were up and down from the bench.

It was the coaches who interacted with the fourth official rather than the manager, and calling subs over from their warm-up. Pelach was usually alongside Potter when West Ham had an attacking free-kick.

Potter and Bruno were often in conversation after key moments and before any tactical changes.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola was much more excitable - almost on the pitch as he issued instructions to his players.

This was particularly prevalent early on, though in the second half he spent more time on the bench conversing with staff as the flow of the game changed. He would also take a much more direct role in interacting with his players - both on the pitch and with the subs - than Potter.

See what all the other managers did

Tom Jordan
Fan writer

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Bournemouth have a whole host of young stars shining bright on the highest stage this season.

Centre-back Illia Zabarnyi plays well above his years, Milos Kerkez is one of the most exciting left-backs in the league and Dean Huijsen's reported £50m release clause feels remarkably cheap!

But now, maybe it is time for another of the Cherries' "wonderkids" to go and grab the headlines.

In Alex Scott, Bournemouth signed one of the Championship's most elite players.

Having already established himself with England's under-21s, Scott was very highly thought of when he made the move to the south coast from Bristol City.

Frustratingly for him, a number of injury issues have hampered his progress with the Cherries, but given that he is fully fit for the run-in, it could well be his moment to thrive.

As a central midfielder who is equally happy to drop off and play from a deeper position, Scott's skillset is high, as he is adept at driving at his opponents from a more offensive role. But in an impressive campaign for Andoni Iraola's side, Scott has found himself on the fringes of the squad throughout.

Lewis Cook and Tyler Adams have been consistently superb and Ryan Christie has been instrumental all season long. However, with Christie out with a groin issue, this could well end his season prematurely, so this certainly feels like it could be Alex's moment to show the Premier League just how good he is.

There is no doubting Scott's quality, he has shown what a joy to watch he can be, but keeping fit and nailing a role in Iraola's system is now paramount.

Seven big games for Bournemouth, seven big games for Alex Scott.

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net, external

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League draw between West Ham and Bournemouth.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Robert: There's progress under Potter but the style of play has been similar under three coaches which suggest perhaps we have the wrong mix of players. We certainly need more pace and creativity in the team. Niclas Fullkrug's run of games now should help us score more goals.

Stephen: Graham Potter got his starting XI wrong. In the second half with the introduction of Fullkrug, the game changed in our favour as it gave Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen more opportunities. Probably a fair result but still a frustrating team to watch.

Mik: It's disturbing that we need an entire half before we can get into a game. It's nothing new as it happened under David Moyes and Julen Lopetegui as well, but Graham Potter has to get his side on it from the start. Bournemouth were quicker and better from the start. This must change.

Bournemouth fans

Stu: Lacking the energy and drive we had at the start of the season. Too many misplaced passes and missing that sparkle. A draw away isn't all that bad but a month or so ago we'd be winning games like this. I think European football is a step too far this season but plenty to build on for 2025-26.

Andrew: Fell asleep for a spell in the second half which gave West Ham the impetus. Fortunately we squared things, which set up a fun final 10 minutes where tactics and formula football went out the window for both sides.

Matthew: Fine margins. Clearly the better side on the day, but only one stat counts. It will either click for the Cherries soon, or we look to regroup and strengthen for 2025-26.

Bournemouth will demand £40m for Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 21, who is on Liverpool's radar. (Mirror), external

Meanwhile, the Cherries and Brighton are keeping an eye on 18-year-old Bristol Rovers midfielder Kofi Shaw. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Crystal Palace 2-1 Brighton

• Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

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Only a few weeks ago, Bournemouth were firmly on course to secure European football for the first time in their history.

They were fifth in the Premier League having beaten Southampton 3-1 in February, but following the 2-2 draw at West Ham on Saturday, they now have an uphill task to make it to Europe next season.

Andoni Iraola's side are now without a win in six league games, losing four of those and are now six points behind fifth-placed Manchester City and five behind Newcastle, who are seventh and have two games in hand.

They have conceded twice in each of their past five league outings while also lacked the firepower up front, with 12-goal top scorer Justin Kluivert once again out injured for the trip to London.

However, Evanilson's purple patch in attack will give them some hope as they look to make a strong finish to the season.

The Brazilian has struck in three straight league games and has six goals in as many matches across all competitions.

In their remaining games in April, they will face Fulham and Crystal Palace, two sides who also have European ambitions, before hosting Manchester United on 27 April.

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the draw: "I think you have to value one point here, but you probably value it more when you don't deserve it. I think we were the team with more chances. I don't think it's a good point because we were closer than them to winning it.

"Evanilson is helping us all season. He broke his foot and had to rest a little bit, but he is finishing very strong at the end of the season. We are scoring lots of goals but the reason why we aren't winning is from the other side.

"We really should not concede two goals in this game. It's not a game where you should be conceding two goals. We conceded from two crosses. From very little, we concede two goals and it cost us a lot.

"We are not being effective. When you have the better chances, you are not feeling happy with a point. They had very little chances, but it's true that on the set plays we did not mark [Niclas] Fullkrug. The second goal is more merit for them, it is a great header.

"But it's very little to concede two goals and it's costing us a lot more. I'm not happy with a point."

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Bournemouth are without a win in their past six Premier League games (D2 L4), their longest run since February 2024 (7).

The Cherries have dropped seven points from winning positions in their past four Premier League games, as many as in their first 27 matches this season.

Evanilson has scored four goals in his past four Premier League appearances, having scored just one goal in his previous 10 appearances. Five of his past six goals in the competition have been scored in London (against Brentford, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham).

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Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been speaking about the performance at London Stadium: "It's definitely frustrating. We came here with an objective to win. We dominated the game. It's just frustrating. We just have to pick ourselves up and go again.

"We are going through a sticky run, but one point is better than no point. We can build on that going into next week's game.

"We need to pick ourselves up as a team and keep going. We are still pushing [for European football]."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on West Ham's performance

What did you make of Bournemouth's display?

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Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v Arsenal (12:30)

• Crystal Palace v Brighton

• Ipswich v Wolves

• West Ham v Bournemouth

• Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest (17:30)

All kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Bournemouth are out of the FA Cup and have picked up only one point from their past five league games. They have had a good season, and beaten all the teams in the top five apart from Liverpool, but it is in danger of fizzling out.

That would be a shame, and not just for their players. Cherries boss Andoni Iraola could do with a strong finish to the campaign to ensure his reputation continues to grow.

It finished 1-1 when these two sides met at Vitality Stadium before Christmas and I am pretty sure the BBC readers will go for a draw this time too.

West Ham have struggled at home of late, losing three of their past four there, with their only win coming against Leicester.

Bournemouth's form doesn't suggest they will take the points either, but I am not sitting on the fence like I expect you lot will.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Sean Byrne
BBC Sport journalist

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at West Ham (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Ryan Christie's groin injury: "Christie is going to be out tomorrow. His situation is worrying because he has been dealing with a lot of injuries since the beginning of the season. He wanted to push and even with pain, he wanted to play and he has played very well for us. But it's a situation that we have to analyse because I think it has arrived at a time where his body is telling him not to push too much."

• On if Christie will play again this season: "There is a situation where we might even decide for him to take his time, recover and be ready for next season. But it's something we have to analyse well."

• Speaking to BBC Radio Solent about Christie's importance to the squad, Iraola said: "We know how important he is. Even if he is not playing all the games at 100%, he gives us a very high level. But sometimes you cannot have players and you have to adapt, and we will have to think of other options."

• On Justin Kluivert: "Justin [Kluivert] is going to be difficult. I wouldn't say he is definitely out. We will see today if he can train with us and help us from the bench at least. It is tight."

• An update on the rest of the squad's availability: "The good news is we have [Julian] Araujo back in the squad. He is training well. He is good. We are recovering some of the defenders who have been out but now the issue is on the offensive side."

• On the midweek defeat by Ipswich: "Analysing the Ipswich game, the mistake was defensively. It's a game where you cannot concede two goals. They needed very little to score the goals and that is my biggest concern."

• On what needs to change to get a result against West Ham: "There are things that we need to improve. We now have to do the basics really well - defend well, don't make big mistakes, stay focused and grow from there. That's our focus at the moment."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Bournemouth loanee Max Aarons says he is "loving" his time in Spain after moving to Valencia in January.

The 25-year-old has made two appearances since the move, both against Barcelona - the team he was close to joining five years ago.

"From a young age it was always a dream of mine to play in Spain," Aarons told BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast.

"In 2020 it nearly happened with Barcelona. Ever since then, I've said it doesn't matter which team, as long as it's in La Liga I would love to be there and the opportunity happened in January.

"You do have to be a certain kind of character to do that, especially as an English player. It doesn't happen a lot and I can understand for some players why it wouldn't be the right thing.

"But, for some, especially myself, it's something you always want to do and if you're to do it you have to immerse yourself in the culture and be all in. You can't expect to come in and it be England - you have to jump in and be ready.

"Learning the language, trying the food - everything. It's an experience and I have to say I'm loving it."

Valencia's Mestalla stadium holds 49,000 compared to the Vitality Stadium's 11,000 capacity and Aarons is enjoying the change in setting.

"I knew the Mestalla stadium was incredible before coming here," he added. "One of my Bournemouth team-mates Justin Kluivert played here and told me 'you're going to be blown away'.

"The first game I couldn't believe it, it's crazy. It's no disrespect for where I came from in Bournemouth but going from there to here in January... you have to get used to the difference in the stadium and atmosphere."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds