The best and worst player from West Ham's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth | OneFootball

West Ham turned in an improved performance in the Premier League this weekend, managing to get a point out of a battle against European hopefuls Bournemouth in a 2-2 draw at home.

There were a number of standout performances from the Hammers side, but the player who stood out the most for positive reasons has to be Niclas Fullkrug for the way he lifted the team to a point off the bench.

Even though West Ham lost at mid-week to Wolves, Fullkrug distinguished himself as a player to watch closely going forward, and he delivered on that expectation with an equalizer in the 61st minute. His inclusion into the match really helped turne the tide for West Ham, and it's clear that he and star man Jarrod Bowen already have a wonderful rapport.

Bowen clearly benefited from Fullkrug's presence in the middle, as he scored a go-ahead goal seven minutes after Fullkrug's. While Bowen would be another great candidate to be named as the Hammers best player against Bournemouth, I thought Fullkrug's impact on the team was both immediate and profound, warranting the highest praise possible. He also makes fewer negative plays than Mohammed Kudus and Bowen do.

Alphonse Areola needs to go

Speaking of negative plays, not a single play proved to be more back-breaking than Alphonse Areola's unforced error in the first half to give Evanlison the opportunity to put the Cherries up 1-0. West Ham would have won without this mistake, which only compounds the frustration.

Truthfully, Areola has been below the standard of a Premier League goalkeeper all season long, and West Ham need to make goalkeeper as much of a priority as striker in the summer transfer window, especially with Fullkrug and Areola trending in opposite directions.

Areola has been deemed below the standard of a European team at multiple stops in his career, and West Ham need to outgrow the Frenchman. He is such a mediocre keeper in terms of talent with the added ignominy of making these kinds of mistakes, which, in turn, makes him a well below-average starter.

Even aside from the error, Areola didn't distinguish himself positively in any way either. He doesn't play like a leader and doesn't raise the levels of the defenders around him. If anything, he lowers them by not commanding the box or making enough positive, active plays. This was another lowlight for Areola, who should be one step closer to leaving the London Stadium in 2025.