This weekend West Ham welcome AFC Bournemouth to the London Stadium for our first home outing. The less said about last week’s thrashing against Liverpool the better! La plus ca change…… Ahead of the game I spoke to Peter Bell, the editor of Bournemouth online fanzine “CherryChimes”:https://afcbchimes.blogspot.com to chat about the game and the season ahead.
Hi Peter, you’ve already got three points under your belt, are you feeling confident that you’ll double this on Saturday?
Well, just because Bournemouth have one win under their belt doesn’t mean they have the answers they need to beat West Ham. I am sure the players will be more confident than had they lost last week, but the Hammers will be tough opponents and extremely keen to get their season up and running in front of a big home crowd I’d imagine. Cardiff didn’t really test Bournemouth but we know West Ham will.
You’re now beginning your 4th season in the Premier League, you must be feeling quite established now?
Last season was quite precarious for us. We only got the points we need to stay up in the penultimate game against Swansea. We can say that the players and Eddie Howe know what the Premier League is all about and the performances they need to put in to stay up, but it is also about trying to progress and enjoy the league. I think the club is just starting to wonder what it can do in this league. If that means established, then so be it. But we also know we are one bad season from being back in the Championship.
The transfer window is finally closed, are you happy with the business you have done. Who is going to help move Bournemouth up to the next level?
At first I was a bit frustrated as not a lot was happening. Then we got to see David brooks who is only 21 and joined from Sheffield United. He is a very exciting talent and links play with the forwards extremely well – he’ll be a hit. Deigo Rico was next in a left full back from Leganes but he is suspended for two more games and we have only seen him in one friendly against Real Betis. He did okay and put in lots of crosses, so hopefully he can challenge for the left back position. The club’s transfer record went with Jefferson Lerma signing from Levante for 25m. He played at the World Cup for Colombia and is a powerful midfielder who will tackle hard. Whether the Spanish experiment works out, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Who are you most pleased to see still pulling on the Cherries shirt each week?
Josh King is a player I think it was important to keep hold of. he had been linked with Spurs last summer and Newcastle in this latest window. He has been asked to play wide a bit more often than I think he’d like and when he plays as an out and out striker he gets the goals. he likes the responsibility so I’m hoping Howe let’s him have the chance to be the main goalscorer, because he can do it.
Who’s going to win the league?
Man City are still too good for the rest.
Which teams will you look forward to playing against this season?
I get excited about playing Liverpool as we have had some great tussles and I’ll be pleased to visit Craven Cottage again as it is a great day out. I’ll also be quietly pleased if we shut the Wolves fans up as they are constantly bragging!
Conversely which team would you most likely give up your seat to avoid watching?
Good question. I think most of the teams try to entertain. In past seasons I would have said Stoke, but I don’t see a dull team in the Premier League this season – they all have something to offer.
Early days yet, but who are your favourites for relegation?
My head tells me Cardiff City, Huddersfield Town and Newcastle Utd. It’s a lottery though, let’s just hope the positions don’t include Bournemouth or West Ham Utd.
Where do you see Bournemouth ending the season?
It could be anywhere from 7th to 20th. I’m settling on 14th as it’s roughly in the middle of that.
Where will West Ham finish?
This depends on a million and one questions – How good is Pellegrini? How quickly can the new signings gel? Will West Ham fans kick off against the club’s owners again? Well, I don’t know the answers but my boss is a West ham fan so I’ll say 13th, one place above Bournemouth, just to keep him happy!
You already have Junior playing for you: which other West Ham player would you like to see playing for you, and why?
Junior Stanislas is great for us and I hope he avoids the injuries this season. I like Michail Antonio as he seems a genuine kind of guy who just loves to play football and has made his way up from the lower leagues.
How do you expect Bournemouth to setup against West Ham on Saturday/team/formation prediction?
I don’t expect Eddie Howe to change a winning team just yet so expect the same starting 11 that took on Cardiff City. It is probably going to be a 4-4-1-1 set up.
Begovic, A Smith, S Cook, Aké, Daniels, Brooks, Gosling, Surman, Fraser, King, Wilson
Who is going to create the most problems for us this weekend?
Ryan Fraser is bang on form and was miles better than everyone last Saturday. Josh King though is not usually quiet for two games in a row and he won’t like being behind in the goal charts to Fraser and Callum Wilson.
Prediction for score?
I think it will be a goal frenzy: 3-3. But I’d like Bournemouth to win 1-3 just to stay in the top three for a bit longer!
*Good luck for the season, except when you’re playing us! *
Same to you ha, ha.
Well thanks to Peter for his time. I’m going to be wildly optimistic and go for 3 – 1 to West Ham. COYI