Saturday 16 December 2017

Was Howe right to start without Defoe at Old Trafford?

This period is difficult for players and managers alike in that it is hard to know when it is best to rest a player and when they should just have that extra game, because they feel great and are in form. I just winder what Jermain Defoe was thinking after scoring two against Crystal Palace, and then finding himself out of the starting line up at Old Trafford. He may well have known it was going to be like that well in advance, but when AFCB need goals it is strange that Eddie Howe is not sticking with something that is working a bit longer.
Defoe could be back in the starting line up for Liverpool.
As it happened, Jermain did get a few minutes against Man Utd, and in that time he did manage to bring out a good save from David De Gea that could easily have seen AFCB go level. I believe that Defoe has now started to be more in tune with the Cherries general play, and while he was making runs and not getting seen before, I see that Leis Cook in particular is very good at picking out Jermain when he wants the ball early.

It is likely that we will see more rotation again up front in the next to or three games, even if there are not any injuries, but I'd challenge any AFCB fan to tell us who should start up front if Bournemouth play just to strikers. There is almost a case for saying that Bournemouth could even go for three up front and a 4-3-3 formation, but we know Eddie likes width and it's done him all right in the Premier League so far. But there is a case that teams are used to what they will face from Bournemouth, and if he is at least changing the strike partnerships there is a bit of variation there to make opposition managers unsure of quite what Bournemouth are going to do.
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Against Man Utd it would have been interesting to see if Defoe could have made more impact than Callum Wilson if he had started. Callum did not really get much joy there, and he himself would want to try and get back to back games in where he is scoring, but no his hat-trick against Huddersfield already seems a long time ago.

Look out for Cherry Chimes giving a pre-match interview on This is Anfield

AFCB announce third round Emirates FA Cup ticket prices

1 comment:

  1. We should try Mousset and Afobe as nothing else seems to work...Wilson not fit neither King...and Defoe is not working as we would hope....My money goes we will get back Ings on loan in transfer window..a typical Howe signing...an AFC old boy...lets sign someone from abroad..sell some players..Arter who is already wearing a West Ham shirt and Grabban...and invest in some full backs..what we need is a fit Mings to give some height and strength..interesting to see who plays against Chelsea...Sampson??lets give Hyndmann a game with Cook...never going to happen...

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