Analysis: Clean Sheet the…

Analysis: Clean Sheet the…

West Ham entered Saturday’s match riding high on their best streak of the season and nearly seized the lead in the opening minute when new loan acquisition Axel Disasi came close from a corner.

The Hammers registered double the number of shots compared to Bournemouth (20-10), their highest total in a Premier League match this season, yet only three were on target, posing minimal threat outside of set pieces.

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Crysencio Summerville, having netted six times in his last seven appearances, caught the eye of Netherlands assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy. He was a constant threat during open play, skillfully bypassing two defenders before testing Djordje Petrovic from long range in the first half.

It wasn’t until the later stages of the match that the hosts began to apply pressure on the Cherries. Taty Castellanos came close with a narrowly missed overhead kick before Callum Wilson entered the field with 18 minutes remaining to partner West Ham’s new Argentine striker.

Wilson nearly broke the deadlock shortly after his introduction, but Petrovic managed to deny his chance at the near post. He ended the game with more touches in the opposition box than any player on the pitch, totaling seven.

As the match reached six minutes of stoppage time, Summerville set up Jarrod Bowen, who unfortunately fired over from a challenging position.

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On a day when Hammers supporters honored their former goalkeeper and coach Ludek Miklosko with a tifo tribute—who had earlier announced he was stepping away from cancer treatment—the clean sheet emerged as the day’s standout achievement.

Current goalkeeper Mads Hermansen has recorded two clean sheets in his first three Premier League outings, matching the total West Ham managed over their last 35 matches, which will be vital in their fight against relegation.