Wednesday 28 December 2016

AFCB have to find a way to win away

Eddie Howe may think he has to go back to square one to get his side to win another away game. They will have easier games though than taking on Chelsea and the real test comes this next Saturday, when they go to Wales. Swansea themselves are eager to get a win and this will not be a game that Eddie Howe can risk a major experiment on.

The way Swansea have been defending of late will give Howe some confidence. The problem with AFCB's attack though has been its inability to really strike at goal often enough. It was clear during the last game at Chelsea that a well organised defence was able to make AFCB's players shuffle the ball from one wing to the other without looking to go through the middle. Chelsea's opening goal did come fairly centrally though and the best teams can vary their attacks and are prepared to shoot from any space near the edge of the box, but I don't see AFCB doing that enough.
AFCB are still looking for a second away win.
There was one moment in the second half at Stamford Bridge when Dan Gosling was being urged to shoot and yet he passed up the opportunity. I don't think AFCB are always trying to score the perfect goal, but the players know that getting around the sides is more likely to open up a clear shooting opportunity, rather than trying to break down the front door. Yet, with Wilshere in the side I do believe they have the trickery and power to sometimes go straight at the central defenders. 
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Whether Howe looks at different systems or personnel, he has to get the side to see that any game is winnable in this division. He seemed slightly dismayed that the side carried out most of his instructions at Chelsea quite well, but still were unable to counter the skill and power of Chelsea in the end. But AFCB have also had trouble knocking over some of the sides that have been lower in the table than them and there is a better strategy that needs to be found for away matches. The fact that Eddie almost has a full squad available to him again will give him a good chance of putting the club's best side out against Swansea, but they have to deliver now. 

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