OPINION
West Ham United fell to a disappointing 2-1 loss against Bournemouth at the London Stadium on Saturday, and there were plenty of talking points to take from the game for the Hammers.
Manuel Pellegrini is yet to get a point on the board after two games of the new Premier League season, with his near-£100million summer spending spree yet to bear fruit.
A first-half penalty from Marko Arnautovic took the Hammers ahead but second-half goals from Callum Wilson and Steve Cook saw Bournemouth head home with the three points.
Here are three things we learned from the Irons’ loss to the Cherries:
Diop must be handed chance to impress
One of the more surprising signings of the summer for Pellegrini was that of centre-back Issa Diop, with the club splashing out £22million to sign the young talent from Toulouse. Despite that outlay, Diop is yet to be given a chance to shine, remaining on the bench against Bournemouth for the second game in succession. Instead, fellow new signing Fabian Balbuena and Angelo Ogbonna started, and neither covered himself in glory. Diop is a huge prospect and there is no reason why he should be a shoo-in against Arsenal next weekend after two poor displays from his counterparts to start the season.
Noble must be replaced
Club captain Mark Noble started for the second week in succession against Bournemouth, with the Hammers talisman beginning the game alongside Jack Wilshere in midfield. While the Irons midfield fared far better than they did against Liverpool last time out, it was still a poor performance from Noble, who again struggled to keep up with the game. His lack of pace is alarming, and he was exposed on several occasions against the Cherries. Pellegrini’s early loyalty to Noble must now stop, with Pedro Obiang a far more dynamic option alongside Wilshere, who had a decent game against his former club.
Anderson needs time to adjust
Of all nine summer signings, the one who arrived amid most fanfare was winger Felipe Anderson. The Brazilian forward became the club’s record signing at £36million from Lazio, and fans were understandably excited by his arrival. The 25-year-old showed glimpses of his talent against Liverpool last weekend, but unfortunately struggled against Bournemouth in his second outing for the club. Having played in Serie A and Brazil for most of his career it was always expected that there would be a period of acclimatisation for Anderson, and fans must be patient with him. There is little point getting on his back already – his talent is clear and he must now be given the time to show that.