HAMMERS CALLUMITY!
Wilson’s last-minute ‘disallowed’ goal pinches a victory from Moyes’ men
WHEN the transfer window springs open again and players from both these sides are shipped out they can have no complaints.
This was cracking Boxing Day fare for a cold, wet afternoon on the south coast. But unless some urgent business is done in January, both Bournemouth and West Ham will surely go down.
David Moyes, determined to continue his reinvention at the London Stadium, made no bones about the fact that the first stage of his overhaul will begin next month.
Eddie Howe, as ever, kept his cards close to his chest.
However, the Cherries boss will be well aware that his side cannot possibly hope to stay up if they miss as many sitters as they did in this game – and do so often.
They can’t defend as it is. To blow the chances they work so hard to create on such a regular basis is a recipe for disaster.
First things first. West Ham should have won this contest. We continually call for referees to be respected – then Bobby Madley turns in the kind of shambolic, arrogant display that underlines just why so many fans, players and mangers get frustrated in the first place.
Shortly after the half-hour, he should have sent off Simon Francis for a high boot into the face of Cheikhou Kouyate.
How Madley could deem that challenge worthy of just a yellow card only he will know.
Kouyate needed treatment for several minutes. Francis was clearly so embarrassed that he sought out Kouyate at the end of the first half to apologise.
Bournemouth were able to ride their luck, however, to bounce back from James Collins’ seventhminute header to take the lead themselves.
First Dan Gosling blasted home in the 29th minute after West Ham failed to clear a corner.
Then Nathan Ake turned the ball home on 57 minutes from a Lewis Cook cross.
With Moyes’ boys on the ropes, Bournemouth went for the jugular.
But, somehow, Gosling, Callum Wilson, sub Benik Afobe and Jordon Ibe all allowed Hammers keeper Adrian to keep them out in the second half.
Ryan Fraser also sent a late sitter wide when he should most definitely have scored.
It was Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic who handed West
Ham their fortuitous route back into the match. The Bosnian slipped as he attempted a routine clearance from Adam Smith’s back pass.
Marko Arnautovic, who had chased the ball down, stole in to tap it home.
Suddenly it was Bournemouth’s turn to wobble under pressure.
Actually, their defence fell to pieces. Arthur Masuaku sent a ball across the six-yard box, substitute Javier Hernandez had his backpost effort saved and Arnautovic turned in the rebound.
The recovery was remarkable. The entertainment pulsating. The points should have headed back up the M3 to London.
Enter Madley with a decision that will be pulled apart.
Three minutes into added time, Ake headed goalwards and Wilson, appearing to be in an offside position, guided the ball in with his arm. The referee’s assistant raised his flag, Madley strolled over to him, had a short conversation but gave the goal anyway.
Moyes had every right to be angry.
Madley seemed to have no interest in listening to his assistant – even though the game-changing goal could have been ruled out on two counts.
Instead. yet another official gets away with poor decision-making that could have grave repercussions for a club’s season.