AFC Bournemouth's players head into the international break knowing that their manager had great pride in their performance against the league leaders. Not many of AFCB's ardent fans even believed that the team would come away from Burnley's ground with a point and, if they had been a bit more fortunate, they might have left with all three points. But before the game it is most likely that Eddie would have settled for a point because not many teams have earned a draw at Turf Moor this season.
Eddie Howe commented that, "this is an honest group of players and they have never let me down. I asked them in the build up to the game just to give me an honest performance and an honest week's training, because this team have never let me down since I've been back and they have been terrific. But we needed to show a different side today."
It was the fact that the players put their bodies on the line and gave everything for AFCB that caused Eddie Howe to lavish such praise on his players. And while he says a point was a fair reflection on the game, AFCB were very close to taking all three points.
Danny Ings was always likely to be the party pooper and he managed to strike just six minutes from the end which would have been heartbreaking for most teams, but I see a real delight in the Cherries having held the league leaders and don't feel that there is any need to be negative on the performance which was one of the best they have achieved this season.
It was Tokelo Rantie that put a smile on the faces of the travelling fans after 50 minutes when his strike thundered in off the underside of the bar from outside the box. Rantie is one of those players who may not get many tap ins but if explosive strikes are what you are after he is your man on this evidence. Eddie Howe noted that : "The goal was special and I don't know if he'll get one like that every week." Well Tokelo, I'll tell you what, we don't mind if you do break the net like that every week.
The point takes the Cherries up to 14th in the table and breaks their run of two games without a return.
This is a fan’s personal view of AFC Bournemouth from the outside looking in. It reports on the daily official activities reported by the club and comments made by individual fans on social media and fanbase websites. Life as an AFCB fan is never dull. As a life-long supporter of the Cherries, it is the friendliness of the staff, fans and my enthusiasm for the club that inspired me to write this blog.
It was impressive how the team defended and threw themselves in front of the ball the man of the match was Brett - he was so dynamic, his clearance off the line superb - his workrate 101% - I guess he wants his place back and judged on this performance should keep it. So if we can keep Grabs, Tokelo and Pitman in the the line-up I think we will look very dangerous to Derby and Brighton.
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