On December 17th, Beijing time, the dust of the 16th round of the Premier League was settled, and West Ham United drew 1-1 with Bournemouth on the road. After the match, West Ham United manager Lopetegui gave a detailed post-match analysis in front of the media.
Lopetegui expressed his regret over the result: "I feel a little bit sorry, after all, we would have liked to get all three points in such a challenging away game. The two sides were equally matched, so to speak. We were in control in the first half and Bournemouth broke the deadlock in the second. They were hungry for a win on their own doorstep and put us under pressure. Although we were under pressure for a while, we were able to turn the game around. Yuna's goal was a godsend and helped us get a hard-earned point. Though three points were missed, the overall performance was appreciable."
When mentioning how to deal with the pressure brought by Bournemouth, Lopetegui was full of confidence: "They did strengthen the pressure on our front field after the goal, trying to disrupt our tactical rhythm through high-speed pressing. However, we showed excellent toughness and stability at the end of the game, resisted the pressure and did not let the opponent seize too many opportunities. Throughout the game, both sides passed the ball around the box frequently, but they did not create clear-cut chances to score in the final minutes of the game. It was undoubtedly a great duel with both sides displaying a high level of athleticism."
Asked if the game marked a step in the right direction for the team, Lopetegui responded positively: "More important than the point we gained was the spirit the players showed in the game. They showed indomitable fighting spirit and teamwork, which is very valuable. I believe that as long as we maintain this positive attitude and fighting spirit, we will be able to achieve even more brilliant results in the future. This game is definitely an important step on the right path for us."
