West Ham analysis: Nuno's side crumble in second halfpublished at 18:25 GMT
18:25 GMT
Adwaidh Rajan BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
West Ham were left with a feeling of two points dropped after Bournemouth's inspired comeback in the 2-2 draw between the two sides in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Hammers looked to be heading for a third successive win under Nuno Espirito Santo with a 2-0 lead at the half-time, thanks to a double from Callum Wilson.
Another win could have pulled Nuno's side away from the relegation zone but an underwhelming second-half display has them level on points with 18th-placed Leeds United and the prospect of dropping back into the bottom three, with Leeds in action against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Despite only having 26.6% of possession in the first half, the Hammers had looked comfortable against the relentless waves of Bournemouth attacks but it all changed in the second half with Wilson's substitution.
The pressure finally told as Maximilian Kilman conceding the penalty from which Marcus Tavernier reduced the Cherries' deficit before Enes Unal's equaliser.
But the West Ham manager will look at the positives as his side are now unbeaten in three games with their last longer unbeaten streak of four games coming all the way back in December 2024.
And with Wilson scoring for the second successive game, Nuno will breath a sigh of relief, especially with Germany striker Niclas Fullkrug linked with a move away in the January transfer window.
Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham: What Nuno and Wilson said published at 18:16 GMT
18:16 GMT
Media caption,
'They punished our mistakes' - Nuno
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Tough game. Tough game for both teams. In the first half, we punished their mistakes, and in the second half, they punished ours. It was a good fight, but it is tough to come here. Positive, we keep building.
"They started pressing, and we couldn't go out and have some breathing space with the ball. Credit to Bournemouth. I think we should have done better. Tough game, tough game."
On Callum Wilson's goals: "We knew that it is hard to defend these kinds of balls in these circumstances. He did magnificently. Maybe I subbed him too soon, but I felt he was trying. I wanted another presence with Tomas there. We wanted to get the first pass out and put some pressure on them."
On his subs: "The boys that came in gave us fresh legs and got us through the end. Bournemouth had momentum and chances, and the boys who came in got us through the end. I cannot thank the fans enough."
On Areola: "We got a point. He did well and made some good saves."
On their form: "It is not about the table. It is about how we are doing things. Today, we showed resilience. We did it at home, and now we have to do it again. We have to keep moving."
Striker Callum Wilson speaking to BBC Final Score: "Second half, they changed the defenders and gave them a better opportunity to build. They had both sides where they were able to play passes through the lines.
"First half was a good half for us. Substitutes change games, and they made two at halftime to change the momentum. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted today.
"As a professional, you respect any decision that the manager makes. For myself personally, coming back to a club that gave me a platform to make a name for myself, and I didn't want to celebrate. It was nice to get two goals."
"Before the game we would have took a point. Football is football, and if you take the foot off the gas, you get punished. I have had setbacks over the last few years, and I am finding form again.
"When a new manager comes in, there's that bounce effect when it is a fresh voice and a fresh slate. A lot of players get a chance to impress. That's a fresh change, and then on the field, you have a different philosophy and a different style of play."
On the prospect of getting back in the England set-up: "For me, of course, any player would never say no. I just need to keep my shirt at West Ham and improve, and then six months down the line who knows what may happen."
Did you know?
West Ham failed to win an away Premier League game after going 2-0 up for the first time since October 2017 (2-2 v Crystal Palace), having won each of their previous 20 away matches after going 2-0 up before today.
West Ham forward Callum Wilson became the first player on record (since 2003-04) to score 2+ goals in the first half of a Premier League game but fail to complete a single pass.
Alphonse Areola became the third West Ham goalkeeper to assist a Premier League goal, after Jussi Jaaskelainen (January 2014 v Fulham) and Joe Hart (October 2017 v Burnley).
Bournemouth v West Ham United: Team newspublished at 14:02 GMT
14:02 GMT
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has made four changes to the side that lost 4-0 at Aston Villa, with Antoine Semenyo missing from the matchday squad with a reported ankle issue, along with Justin Kluivert, who picked up an injury during the international break.
Lewis Cook, David Brooks, Bafode Diakite and Eli Junior Kroupi come into the starting line-up as Veljko Milosavljevic and Adam Smith drop to the bench.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Liverpool v Nottingham Forest" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Man City", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Bournemouth v West Hampublished at 11:09 GMT
11:09 GMT
Bournemouth have lost their past two games - albeit both of them were away - but they got absolutely spanked by Aston Villa last time out, which surprised me.
In contrast, West Ham won two in a row before the international break and, although both of those games were at home, they do look competitive again.
The Hammers' only away win this season came at Nottingham Forest in August, when West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo was still Forest manager.
So, what on earth do I go with here - will it be West Ham extending their run under Nuno, or Bournemouth bouncing back?
I am going to go with Bournemouth, because I think what happened against Villa was a blip.
Bournemouth v West Ham: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:10 GMT 21 November
19:10 GMT 21 November
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
Bournemouth seek to get back to winning ways against a West Ham side starting to find some momentum. BBC Sport explores some of the key talking points going into this match.
A return to the south coast and Vitality Stadium will be welcomed by all at Bournemouth.
Andoni Iraola's side suffered consecutive away defeats by Manchester City and Aston Villa before the international break and their 4-0 loss at Villa was their heaviest under the Spanish coach since a home reverse to Liverpool by the same scoreline in January 2024.
"I'm a bit worried about the first half," said the 43-year-old in his post-match interview at Villa Park. "Because it is coming after a [Manchester] City game where we were not at our level."
Before those away losses, the Cherries were on an eight-match unbeaten run. They have won four of their five home matches this season, drawing the other, and only Manchester City, with 15, have taken more points on home soil then the 13 they have accrued.
Semenyo's recent woes
Bournemouth's mini-slump could simply be blamed on a tricky run of fixtures but their form also appears to be intrinsically linked to the performances of star winger Antoine Semenyo.
The 25-year-old began the season with six goals and three assists, but since the October international break, he has gone four league games without a goal involvement and failed to convert a penalty in his previous outing. His general attacking output is down across the board.
Iraola has never lost a top-flight match when facing a team managed by Nuno Espirito Santo. The Spaniard has won two and drawn two of his previous meetings with the Portuguese and if he can get Semenyo firing again then the chances of that run continuing will markedly increase.
Hammers turning a corner?
West Ham's disastrous start to the season has been well documented, and four points from their opening nine games represented their worst beginning to a league campaign for 52 years.
But back-to-back Premier League victories for Nuno's side have injected some much-needed confidence and they are now attempting to win three in a row for the first time since December 2023.
"We have proven we want to change things," said Nuno after the 3-2 triumph over Burnley two weeks ago. "We want to be strong characters. The boys on the pitch are showing this slowly."
The Hammers have recently enjoyed the upper hand against Saturday's opponents and they are unbeaten in nine previous meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, winning four and drawing five.
They have also scored in 15 of their 16 Premier League games against the Cherries - a 2-0 defeat at Vitality Stadium in January 2019 was the only time they failed to find the net.
International hangover
However, West Ham have lost all three of their fixtures directly after an international break this year and they are the only ever-present top-flight side to do so.
Financial Fair Play rules in Premier League to change next seasonpublished at 18:10 GMT 21 November
18:10 GMT 21 November
Image source, Getty Images
The Premier League will from next season move to a new system of Financial Fair Play (FFP) based on squad costs.
The clubs met in London on Friday to vote on three possible methods of replacing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) got 14 votes in favour and six against, which is the minimum number that is required to exact a rule change.
Overall squad costs from next season will have to be limited to 85% of a club's revenue, although teams competing in Europe will have to adhere to Uefa's maximum of 70%.
Squad costs comprise player and manager wages, transfer fees and agents' fees.
Rules around sustainability, which set out a club's financial spending plans over the medium and long term, were passed unanimously.
A pivotal moment for the Premier Leaguepublished at 17:11 GMT 20 November
17:11 GMT 20 November
Pat Nevin Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty Images
One of potentially the biggest moments in English football is coming on Friday, but precious few people understand how important it could be or even know about it.
The Premier League is considering 'anchoring' wages, which would cap the amount any club could spend on their squad at five times the smallest central Premier League broadcasting and prize money payout.
It is a complex argument. The league and some clubs are considering it because they want to ensure wage inflation does not continue to rise endangering their long-term financial security. From the other side - the players and their union, the PFA - this unnaturally limits the amount they can earn in what has until now been a free and open market.
Any changes to that position foisted upon the players without their prior consultation and agreement will not go down well. Remember, the players are the people that the paying public, the TV companies and the advertisers want to see, not a bunch of chairmen, executives and directors arguing over accounts, dividends and profit margins.
The game has increased the number of games played per season without consulting those who are physically doing it. No studies on how that will affect their health in the short and long term were considered, and so the PFA in England looks like it is finally ready to take a strong stand for its members.
Strike ballots are not unknown, I should know, as chairman of the PFA my name was on the bottom of every ballot paper when we last considered strike action over changes in working conditions. The modern owners may have forgotten, but we had 99% backing from our members.
Owners may think of footballers as ultra wealthy, mercenary, thickos who can easily be controlled - well they thought that last time and they lost.
It is time for serious and meaningful negotiation between equals and not a master and serf attitude from one side towards the other.
Nuno on injuries, 'irreplaceable' Paqueta and West Ham's academypublished at 14:31 GMT 20 November
14:31 GMT 20 November
Josh Lobley BBC Sport Journalist
West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Nuno said Niclas Fulkrug, Freddie Potts and Konstantinos Mavropanos are recovering "day by day" from their respective thigh injuries. The West Ham manager said he will decide if any of them are ready to play in Friday's session.
He once again gave no indication on the future of Germany striker Fullkrug amid rumours he will leave the club in January.
Nuno said the suspended Lucas Paqueta is "impossible to replace" and stressed the importance of trying to find a solution for his absence.
The manager was hesitant about the upcoming transfer window, suggesting that anything he says would "only create noise and it doesn't help".
Asked why the coaching staff he had at Nottingham Forest have not joined him in east London: "We are working very hard and the coaching staff are doing well and this is more important. Those that are here are being very helpful and I cannot thank them enough."
He spoke highly of the club's academy, saying that they are "part of the first team and options for matches", adding: "At West Ham, we need to have these players around. There are so many good prospects."
Who is floundering? And what should fans be talking about?published at 08:49 GMT 19 November
08:49 GMT 19 November
James Jones Fan writer
Which player is flying?: There have not been many top performers at West Ham this season but over the past few games, Mateus Fernandes has really stood out and is becoming so important to Nuno's midfield, with his positioning, movement link-up play with Lucas Paqueta.
Which player is floundering?: Several at this stage, despite recent improvements. Mads Hermansen has to be the biggest disappointment though. Signed for £20m in the summer to replace Alphonse Areola in goal, only to be dropped after just four games.
Tactically I think we… are improving. Under Nuno, we're finally beginning to develop a tactical identity again after losing that under Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter. It is not the identity many fans were calling for towards the end of David Moyes' reign, but it is one that is beginning to get results again.
I want Nuno to give me more… consistency, because the past two starting XIs, which have been unchanged, have given us two hugely important wins and two much-improved performances.
Our fans seem obsessed with… our style of play. We've kind of reverted to the style under Moyes, which had fans calling for change a couple of years ago. Indeed, under Moyes things had gone stale towards the end of his time and it was probably time for a change. However, calls for a complete change in style were largely misguided by the belief that teams can just decide to play better football, employ a manager to do it and it will just immediately click. It doesn't - and it didn't.
But they should be thinking about... stability. I think fans are learning now that results and winning football matches should always trump style of play. That brings stability, which can then pave the way for success.
My expectations for the season were... but are now… steady, mid-table football. Now the expectation is a (successful) relegation battle given the mess Nuno inherited.
Season so far: 2/10
One sentence on how you're feeling: I'm feeling confident that Nuno can steer us clear of trouble, but wary that it's going to be a very long and nervous road between now and May.
West Ham's best Premier League XI?published at 12:28 GMT 18 November
12:28 GMT 18 November
Over the past week, we have been asking you to send in the best Premier League XI your club could have put together.
We know football existed before 1992 but as a Leeds United fan asked our experts on the club to name theirs - using the Ask Me Anything form on the Whites - we stuck with their parameters.
Here's the effort of BBC Sport's West Ham fan writer James Jones.
Your Hammers Premier League XIpublished at 16:40 GMT 17 November
16:40 GMT 17 November
We have, roughly, run the numbers and here is the XI your submissions have produced.
In a congested selection in defence, West Ham legend Julian Dicks was the most popular pick and thus secures the left-back berth.
It does mean Aaron Cresswell, who featured in the fourth-most teams being shunted to right-back, but perhaps he will not mind.
Further forward, this XI boasts some serious flair and a touch of volatility in Dimitri Payet, Joe Cole and Paolo di Canio, while Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice provide a more modern touch.
And it would not be a Premier League XI without Mark Noble, who would probably wear the armband.
Expect this side to compete at the top end of the division rather than languishing towards the bottom.
'Know how to use the noise and scrutiny'published at 12:56 GMT 17 November
12:56 GMT 17 November
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The statistics might say playing at home is an advantage - but what happens when it is not?
So far this season, 53% of Premier League matches have been won by the home team - the highest ever rate in a single campaign.
On the flip side, just 26% have been won by the away team - the lowest rate since 2010-11.
However, this has not been the case for all teams.
For some, being on the road has been more favourable. Tottenham are perhaps the most contrasting example having the joint-most points away from home with 13, but the second-worst in front of their own fans with just five points.
In the second part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "With crowds when playing away from home, there is a reduced scrutiny as a whole for away teams in that those crowds expect the home team to be the ones in charge. The players feel less judged. The pressure is on the other side.
"Another reason could come down to something in psychology I like to call simplification of the task. The team has a better collective identity when they are away.
"The human brain still goes back to the cavemen days. We have to, as a collective, fight for something. We have to protect our name. It goes back to that hunter-gatherer-against-danger mentality.
"When players are in front of a home crowd, there can be a bit of playing up to the individuality.
"I really do believe that collective identity has a strong enough influence because it amplifies the purpose and the belonging - let's belong together, let's be stronger together."
The focus might be on the players' performances being impacted by being home or away, but what about the managers?
Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest make up three of the bottom four for their home records so far this term, and all have changed their manager in recent weeks.
"100% managers and coaches can be affected, and sometimes even more so because there is so much riding on that one person," Cartwright said.
"The decision-making is the main thing. The crowd is chanting - 'take this player off, do this' - and it can lead to rushed decisions, particularly when the noise becomes relentless.
"Then there is the emotional regulation and touchline behaviour. A manager is pacing up and down, mirroring the stress state, and players see that. It can lead to mimicking and players feeling that stress too."
The impact on teams psychologically playing home or away is apparent, so how can they make the most from these different conditions?
"Our brains are wired to think negatively - it's a protection mechanism," Cartwright said.
"So when it comes to performing home and away, those players and managers who deal with it best are those who know how to use the noise and scrutiny and move on quickly from it - an ability to have a reset routine and regulate their emotions in these pressurised situations."
Stadium or state of mind? Psychologist on home advantagepublished at 15:28 GMT 16 November
15:28 GMT 16 November
Nicola Pearson BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
"Home advantage gives you an advantage."
It is a quote - among many - attributed to the famous former England manager Sir Bobby Robson - a simple, yet fair reflection of a historical format of football.
For as long as teams have played in leagues, games taking place home and away has been the norm, with the idea that playing at home will be to the benefit of that team.
But what is the impact of playing at your own ground in front of your own fans?
In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, performance psychologist Marie Cartwright explained: "Home impact can be viewed in two ways. Sometimes it does have a positive impact, and what happens is there is an elevated motivation.
"What that means is the crowd energy increases adrenaline and that creates a momentum in effort and intensity in the players. It is also a familiar environment for the players, so that means it reduces the cognitive load. They don't have to think as much about anything else other than their play because they know the pitch, they know the routines, they feel settled.
"However, there are a couple of potential negative impacts as well, with the potential intensification in pressure in the home fans, most times, expecting dominance from the home team. That can lead to mistakes from players feeling bigger to them.
"There can then be what we call a threat state. The players might perceive consequences as high, so they feel they might be facing more criticism when they are at home."
While those who watch football know there are more factors than just where the match is being to take into consideration, the statistics do suggest the influence is there.
Since the Premier League started, the home win percentage has outweighed the away win percentage in all bar one season - the Covid-hit 2020-21 campaign in which fans were largely not allowed admission saw a 38% home win rate compared to 40% away win rate.
So how a team handles this additional crowd pressure seems to be a key factor.
"In psychology, there is something called the challenge and threat theory," Cartwright said.
"In reality what that means is a 'challenge state' can push the player into thinking, 'I've got this, I've got the resources to cope with this'. That leads to better decision making and quicker reactions.
"The threat state, on the other hand, players might think the consequences outweigh their ability to cope. In any match context, that can mean they have a narrow sense of focus, the focus is not quite the same, so the play becomes slower because of overthinking."
"It can also be called 'red brain or blue brain' - with red brain being the one with fear-based dialogue and internal negative self-talk, while blue brain is the cool, calm and collected one that can handle its emotions.
"What sits in the middle of these is distraction. How a player responds to distraction and filters out the noise, like the crowd, can impact which of these mindsets they move into and ultimately how the team performs."
Read more from Marie in part two of her chat about why teams some teams play better away from home and how it impacts managers - that will be on this page early next week.
Payet? Noble? Repka? Your West Ham Premier League XIspublished at 09:43 GMT 15 November
09:43 GMT 15 November
Image source, Getty Images
We wanted your suggestions for West Ham United's all-time best Premier League XI.
And you delivered!
Here's another bunch of your replies:
Jon: 4-3-3. Fabianski, Neill, Dicks, Ferdinand, Bilic, Carrick, Rice, Lanzini, Payet, Di Canio, Ashton. A solid goalkeeper. A defence with a mix of skill, determination and natural ability. A really balanced midfield. Exciting forwards that are all comfortable with the ball.
Oli: 4-3-3. Miklosko, Reid, Ferdinand, Wan-Bissaka, Cresswell, Parker, Rice, Noble, Payet, Di Canio, Bowen. Absolute gun players in their prime.
Jake: 4-3-3. Fabianski, Coufal, Ogbonna, Dawson, Konchesky, Rice, Noble, Payet, Bowen, Antonio, Lingard. A lot of these players are recent and therefore from when we have seen the most success - Conference League winners and multiple European pushes.
Joe: 4-3-3. Adrian, Repka, Moore, Collins, Cresswell, Di Canio, Noble, Rice, Bowen, Tevez, Payet. I went for reliability in defence, work horses in the middle of the park and speed up front. Mark Noble as captain and penalty-taker - he never missed.
Do clubs get compensated for players injured on international duty?published at 09:12 GMT 15 November
09:12 GMT 15 November
George Mills BBC Sport senior journalist
In a recent addition of the Football Extra newsletter, Roger asked BBC Sport: Players are frequently injured on international duty - such as Chris Wood for New Zealand last season, which may have ultimately cost Nottingham Forest a Champions League place. Are clubs compensated by the country or does insurance cover compensation?'
Since 2012, Fifa's Club Protection Programme has covered the salary of players injured on international duty - although there are some conditions.
Firstly, the player must be out of action for a period of at least 28 consecutive days and the injury must have been sustained during an "accident", which is defined in very boring and legally-specific detail in Fifa's guidelines, though it covers most of the examples you could think of.
The scheme pays the salary of an injured player up to the maximum amount of €7.5m (£6.6m) until they are declared fit to return for their clubs.
Transfermarkt lists Chris Wood as missing 18 days - three games - with the hip injury you mention from last March, suffered on international duty with New Zealand. As he returned inside 28 days, Forest would not have been eligible to claim compensation.
There are a couple of clubs who will currently be beneficiaries of this scheme though, including Newcastle United, whose £55m summer signing Yoane Wissa is yet to make an appearance since suffering a knee injury while playing for DR Congo.
Image source, Getty Images
