Bournemouth 2 - 2 FT West Ham

Areola's 10-Save Masterclass Rescues West Ham From Bournemouth's Relentless Siege

Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 79/100. A lopsided offensive onslaught nearly buried West Ham, but goalkeeper heroics and clinical finishing forced a draw that felt like survival.

When One Goalkeeper Stands Between Chaos and Collapse

Alphonse Areola didn't just play goalkeeper—he became West Ham's final firewall against a 28-shot barrage. Intensity spiked immediately when Callum Wilson struck in the 11th minute, assisted by Areola's distribution. The assist was pure counterintuitive brilliance: a keeper launching the opening salvo. Wilson doubled the advantage at 35 minutes, and West Ham appeared to have escaped Bournemouth's clutches entirely.

But Balance shifted violently. Marcos Senesi's assist for Unal's 81st-minute equalizer wasn't just a goal—it was the punctuation mark on Bournemouth's relentless second-half resurrection. The Stakes felt suffocating: Bournemouth chasing from 0-2 down, West Ham defending with 76% possession against them, the math refusing to add up.

Bournemouth's siege was quantifiable madness. Twenty-eight shots. Twelve on target. An xG of 4.08 that screamed "we should have won this." Yet Areola's 10 saves—the highest individual tally of the afternoon—turned probability inside out. His distribution, his positioning, his refusal to break: this was a goalkeeper earning his paycheck in real time.

The comeback narrative belonged to Bournemouth, but the survival story belonged to West Ham. Two lead changes. A penalty converted by Tavernier at 69 minutes. Then Unal, introduced at 80 minutes, immediately made the kind of impact that validates a manager's tactical gamble. Bournemouth's 85% pass accuracy and dominance in the middle third meant nothing when finishing met a wall named Areola.

This wasn't a classic. It was a collision between overwhelming pressure and clinical restraint, between a team that should have won and a team that refused to lose. The 2-2 draw sits somewhere between justice and injustice, a result that satisfies neither but entertains everyone watching.

Cherries Seek to Bury Hammers’ Survival Hopes

Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 62/100. While Bournemouth eye a European-chasing shadow, West Ham arrive on the south coast fighting to prevent a complete seasonal collapse.

The Setup

The Stakes for this late-November clash are heavily weighted toward the visitors, who find themselves mired in a grueling relegation battle. West Ham have struggled for consistency all season, and their precarious 17th-place position mirrors a lack of tactical Balance that top-half sides have ruthlessly exploited. Conversely, Bournemouth have proven they belong in the mid-table conversation, relying on high-intensity transitions and the clinical finishing of their emerging Stars. Despite a patchy run of Form (LDLLW) before their recent win, the Cherries remain the clear favorites on their own turf.

Key Battle

The technical duel between Eli Junior Kroupi and Lucas Paquetá will dictate the tempo. Kroupi has been a revelation, finding spaces between the lines and punishing defenders who hesitate. If Paquetá cannot orchestrate the Hammers' midfield and provide relief for a defense under siege, West Ham will likely spend the afternoon chasing shadows. The creative burden on the Brazilian is immense, but Kroupi's current momentum makes him the more dangerous threat in the final third.

Our Prediction

Bournemouth's home advantage and superior offensive efficiency should tell. We expect Antoine Semenyo to stretch the play wide, creating gaps for the late-arriving midfielders. West Ham might find a way back through a set-piece, but their defensive fragilities are too pronounced to ignore. A 2-1 victory for the Cherries seems the most likely outcome as they absorb early pressure before striking on the counter.