Just a message for Rantie - focus

The Cherries had plenty of focus when they took on Leeds earlier this week. They passed the ball like a knife through butter and looked to cause trouble at every available moment. In fact I can't remember a better performance this season although I have not seen every game. What I did like was the attitude of the players from the off. They really wanted to get at Leeds and the desire was there from the first minute. I have not seen that before in a Bournemouth side - it was as if this match was personal to so many of them.

Some may say that Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall's extended contracts had something to do with that performance as well it might, but the team was focused on the task and nothing was going to move them from that.

Tokelo please get in the zone.

And so we come to Tokelo Rantie. An enigma perhaps, as he is a puzzle that is still being worked out by Eddie Howe and others I feel. At one moment he looks like he has the instinct of a world beater and on another day he does not look like he is in the office. He had two clear chances in the Leeds match and could not manage to take one of them. It can happen to any player, but he has to wipe it from his memory and next time focus on seeing that ball in the back of the net. Maybe he can take his mind to a happy place whenever he has a chance and feel that it is great to be in with a chance rather than have any negative thoughts of what if I miss?

Physcology is having much more impact on sporting performance these days and even the England football team will take that on board for the World Cup, so I hope that someone is able to help our players like Rantie find a happy place when they are about to shoot. I thought Rantie could feel the pressure of the crowd on his back after missing his first chance and while I hope we all want him to score he needs to blank us all out sometimes and just focus on the task.

I was asked a question by a Birmingham fan ahead of this Saturday's game about TK and if AFCB had paid over the odds for him. I still feel that it is too early to tell, but for sure he comes behind Yann and Lewis in terms of selection. I maybe more patient than most AFCB fans with TK, because I realise that Tokelo is not the only choice Eddie has and TK may still be far from the finished article in Eddie's eyes. If there is still work to do though, the project will have to start coming together soon.

This afternoon Cherry Chimes chats with Daniel
(Aka  Almajir) of the Often Partisan Blog.