Penalty dramas

AFCB have only won three penalties from what I recall this season at Huddersfield, Blackburn and now Watford. In a way, that the first penalty miss of the season had an effect on the third spot kick also being missed at Watford. Ian Harte has taken plenty of penalties in his time and it was a surprise that he did not score at Vicarage Road, but any one can miss from 12 yards. At least Ian is big enough to take the responsibility and he will move on from it very quickly. I think he was doing a favour in taking the kick rather than seeing Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas standing there and having a bit of a discussion over who should take the kick.

The usual penalty taker is of course Yann Kermorgant, although he was only on the subs bench along with Brett Pitman, the scorer of the second penalty awarded this season at Ewood park in a 3-2 defeat. In fact, Yann has not taken a pot kick this season as he made way for Callum Wilson to see his shot saved at Huddersfield. While I remember Grabban having a spot kick saved against Watford at home last season, we have almost taken it for granted that when a Bournemouth player steps up to the spot he invariably scores. That is much credit to Grabban and Pitman who have been the most regular penalty takers over the last two seasons. Now it is all change and I hope the next spot kick is put away, or there will be more heartache for the fans to suffer.

Ian had the misfortune to miss a spot kick at Watford
but he had a good game otherwise.

The Watford match was also a match that could have seen some other penalties given in my view but Oliver Lanford waved away any further discussions for penalties. While Bournemouth themselves might have got away with one possible clumsy challenge in the second half from Francis on Anya, I certainly felt Wilson was unlucky not to see another penalty awarded after he went down for a second time in the first half. At least the Cherries are getting the ball into the opposition's penalty box and are causing problems and Callum Wilson is using his muscle and power to hold off challenges and create space for shots much better now. 

I don't think Harte's miss had a bad effect on the team apart from having the knowledge that could have been 1-0 up at the start of the game. Any disappointment was shaken off quicly and I liked the way the team just got on with things in another strong first half performance. Maybe next time Yann Kermorgant or Brett Pitman will be on the pitch to take the kick?