Owen Hargreaves shares what he found ‘crazy’ about West Ham’s draw with Bournemouth
Owen Hargreaves says it is “crazy” just how open West Ham’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth was in the opening stages.
West Ham registered their most shots in a single Premier League game this campaign, yet they could not find the quality required in front of goal.
Axel Disasi missed a great chance in the first half, while Jarrod Bowen went close late on, but it was not to be for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Indeed, 20 shots is the most West Ham have registered in a home game in the competition without scoring since December 2022 (22 against Brentford).
Bournemouth also had plenty of openings, with Rayan in particular looking a threat, in what was a decent game overall.
Owen Hargreaves confident about West Ham’s survival chances
There were 28 shots in total at the London Stadium on Saturday but no goals to show for it.
Quite whether a point will turn out to be a good one for West Ham or not is anyone’s guess, but it does feel like an opportunity missed.
Sharing his views on the game to Premier League Productions, former Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves said: “West Ham had 20 shots. If anything I think they deserve to win more than Bournemouth.
“West Ham created much more in the game. [El Hadj Malick] Diouf hit a great ball for Callum Wilson when he came on.
“It felt like the game was there to be won for them. The start of the game was crazy open, and the end of the game was end-to-end.
“If they keep playing like that, West Ham could be okay. The only problem is the next four or five fixtures will be difficult.”
Hargreaves seems to think West Ham will be okay – and that is the general consensus of many given performances over the past month or so – but time is running out.
Where does Bournemouth draw now leave West Ham in Premier League?
West Ham now have 25 points to their name from 27 matches, which leaves them two points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Forest have a game in hand to play, which is at home to Liverpool on Sunday – far from an easy fixture.
Tottenham are now within four points of West Ham, meanwhile, with their game in hand at home to Arsenal on Sunday.
The worry for Nuno is that West Ham are away at Liverpool next weekend, before then travelling to Fulham and hosting title-chasing Manchester City.
Three points from those games would seem a good return on the face of it, but that will surely not see the Hammers climb out of the bottom three.
A point against Bournemouth is not exactly disastrous, but nor is it anything for fans to change their opinions on where this season is headed.
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