West Ham v Bournemouth Predictions: Can the Cherries run the Hammers close?

Robin Bairner

24 October 2022

West Ham host Bournemouth in the Premier League in Monday Night Football, having dropped treacherously close to the bottom three following the weekend’s action. Robin Bairner gives his predictions below.

David Moyes’ side, though, are one of a number of teams in the bottom half of the table to come into some kind of form. They have lost only one of their last six matches in all competitions and, against a Bournemouth side still seeking a permanent manager, they are aiming for a victory that would propel them into the top half of the Premier League standings.

Hammer time

Much was expected of Moyes’ side this term after they flirted with the Champions League spots last season, but they have struggled to deliver in the early weeks of the season. Turning their fortunes around has not been a quick process, but the signs are there that the Hammers are getting towards the levels they showed in 2021-22.

At home, they have won each of their last four matches in all competitions, including Premier League victories over Wolves and Fulham, both of which were achieved by two goals. Meanwhile, the Hammers will have drawn confidence from the manner in which they played at Anfield last Wednesday, even if they were defeated 1-0.

Moyes will have fond memories of playing the Cherries, too. His return to West Ham in 2020 began with a match against the south-coast side and ended in a resounding 4-0 success.

Cherries not bombing

Bournemouth have quietly been building a solid season after the fireworks in August that saw Scott Parker sacked after successive defeats against Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool. If that seemed harsh at the time, even allowing for the 9-0 Anfield defeat, the decision has been justified with just one loss in the subsequent seven league matches under Gary O’Neil.

The Cherries have gone undefeated in their last three away matches, winning a 3-2 thriller at Nottingham Forest after trailing 2-0, while also picking up points against Newcastle and Fulham – two sides going well this season. If they made the headlines for some heavy August losses, they have subsequently shown they are nobody’s fools.

West Ham, meanwhile, have been useful opponents of Bournemouth in the Premier League, as they won 15 points against them in their previous stint in the competition – more than they managed against any other side.

Slow burner

West Ham are the favourites to take all three points at London Stadium, at a price of 1.6. The Hammers have won their last five Premier League matches on a Monday, while Bournemouth have only ever taken one point in their five fixtures in this kick-off slot.

Although the hosts should be favoured to win this game, the Cherries have proven awkward opponents and the price on the Hammers looks skinny. With this in mind, there is value in backing Bournemouth +1 in an Asian Handicap at 1.86 – this would not have been a losing bet in any of the Cherries’ matches since Parker was sacked in August.

An alternative route to look down is backing a draw at half-time and West Ham at full-time, which is on offer at 5. These are the two worst-performing clubs in the league in the first half of games, with a total of just five goals scored, so expect a slow start.

Equally, backing the second half as the higher scoring half also makes sense given these teams have scored almost three times as often after the break.