Before the matches against Swansea and Everton I doubt there were too many fans that thought AFCB would be able to avoid defeat in both games. Yet the team managed it and those signs of improvement have added two points to the total which may not be big, but it was important to start getting something out of games that the Cherries were doing well in. The defeat against Newcastle Utd was a big blow and to recover from that fully the team had to try and turn a corner in its inner belief, which I now believe is there.
The Swansea match showed that the Cherries can push ahead in games and even if they did not manage the situation well enough in that game, it is possible that they could find themselves in that position again against Chelsea or Man Utd, and they'll have more confidence in going about defending a lead in a more positive way. To come back against Everton though from 0-2 down is an even bigger achievement than the point at Swansea and they have to take that second half performance into the Chelsea match.
Momentum is a funny thing and with no points on four games before the Swansea match it was hard to see why the performances were not coming. Now that the team knows what levels it must reach just to get a point in these games they can set themselves that target as the minimum for their performances now, and the encouragement of picking up points regularly should have a positive effect on the table. I don't think AFCB need to be concerned with whatever Sunderland, Newcastle, Aston Villa or Norwich are doing. They have to look at their own performances and getting the defence better organised to keep clean sheets at this stage.
Some will see the games against Chelsea and Man Utd as games that are a bonus if AFCB can get anything from them, but the players have to believe that they will get something if they can do the right things and defensive strength is now what has to be looked very closely at. If Artur Boruc is fit, I expect him to come back into the team as the team needs a keeper that can command the box in games like these coming up. It is going to be difficult to build on the last two draws, but the Cherries have to show defiance now against these big teams if they are to haul themselves up the league.
The Swansea match showed that the Cherries can push ahead in games and even if they did not manage the situation well enough in that game, it is possible that they could find themselves in that position again against Chelsea or Man Utd, and they'll have more confidence in going about defending a lead in a more positive way. To come back against Everton though from 0-2 down is an even bigger achievement than the point at Swansea and they have to take that second half performance into the Chelsea match.
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| The Cherries are starting to find some strength on depth to their squad. |
Some will see the games against Chelsea and Man Utd as games that are a bonus if AFCB can get anything from them, but the players have to believe that they will get something if they can do the right things and defensive strength is now what has to be looked very closely at. If Artur Boruc is fit, I expect him to come back into the team as the team needs a keeper that can command the box in games like these coming up. It is going to be difficult to build on the last two draws, but the Cherries have to show defiance now against these big teams if they are to haul themselves up the league.
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