I think may of us expected this to be a disappointment of a first game once we saw the lineup. A home match lineup without a single recognised striker. Enner Valencia is not a number 9 and never will be. More on him in a moment. This was one of those games that in pre-Allardyce days we might well have contrived to lose. Indeed, we nearly did right at the end when Adrian and one of the defenders performed some heroics. Adrian even earned a kiss from James Collins for his efforts. Having given away late goals at Chelsea and Astra it was good to see we didn’t make it a hattrick.
A lot of the niggles in the stadium from the Domzale game had been worked out with the queues at the food and drink outlets much more acceptable. The arena itself looked fantastic. So onto the game…
1. This game could have been a stalemate with two teams performing well defensively. Neither team’s attack play provided a huge threat, but where it did, it was snuffed out. Both Reid and Collins did well and both fullbacks were on form.
2. For me Arthur Masuaku was man of the match in the first half. He’s more of a defensive full back that Aaron Cresswell, but he really put in some brilliantly timed tackles. He’s also good on the ball and knows who to pass to at the right time. He looks a terrific signing.
3. Maybe I wasn’t looking at him enough, but I couldn’t really see what contribution Havard Nordtveit made to the game. After his dreadful performance against Chelsea he needed to put in a good shift in this game and I am not sure he did. For me Obiang looks a much better midfield option, but I guess it’s early days.
4. Cheikhou Kouyate wasn’t expected to play today but we should all be glad he did. I thought he was superb, especially in the first half. Whether in attack or defence he always tries his hardest. He’s as strong as an ox but has some silky skills too.
5. Mark Noble looked much more on his game than he did at Chelsea. If he had a bit more pace he really would be a very dangerous player. Too often he holds play up while he surveys the best passing option and this means some of the pace goes out of the game.
6. I thought Bournemouth looked a tidy, compact team with some very skilful players. Jordan Ibe was very dangerous and why on earth he didn’t shoot when he had the opportunity rather than square the ball, only he can know. Let’s be glad he didn’t.
7. Enner Valencia should be fined a week’s wages for the way he ambled off the pitch when he was subbed. He deserved to be subbed as he had contributed virtually nothing in sixty minutes bar one fizzing shot which the Bournemouth keeper parried round the post. He’s had so many opportunities but he rarely takes them. Personally, I’d drop him for the Astra game on Thursday.
8. I thought Gokhan Tore had a dreadful game on Thursday in Romania. He contributed nothing and consistently gave away possession. In the first thirty minutes he repeated the performance, but as the game went on he improved. He had a couple of mazy runs, but for the whole game I thought he and Antonio should have swapped wings. His performance at set pieces certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but let’s cut him some slack. It’s very early in the season and let’s celebrate the fact that he provided the cross from which Antonio scored the winning goal.
9. Michail Antonio was a transformed player. His trickery confused his opponents and he always looked the most likely West Ham player to score. As I say. I’d like to see him on the right wing, rather than left, but at least he’s not playing at full back, where I though Byram was superb today.
10. Given that there were probably at least five players in this lineup who are not first choice, we did waht we had to do. Win. Job done.
And so to my marks out of ten…
Adrian 8, Byram 7, Masuaku 8, Reid 7, Collins 7, Noble 6, Nordtveit 5, Tore 6, Valencia 4, Antonio 7, Kouyate 7, Calleri 5, Fletcher 6
And here’s your opportunity to rate the players…