Match Report
It should have come a surprise to beat Man Utd at Dean Court, but after last weeks heroics at Stamford Bridge it is becoming a regular occurrence to see AFCB defeat a side that is used to pick up all the silverware. Luis van Gaal will have known that Bournemouth have score more early goals than any other side in the Premier League this season, but Junior Stanislas gave David de Gea the unenviable task of picking the ball out of the net after just two minutes and there was nothing Man Utd could have done about it. The ball flew in the goal straight from the corner. The Cherries were ahead and even when Fellaini managed to scramble an equaliser in on his knees on 24 minutes, there was still belief that a possible upset was on the cards. Indeed, another set piece was to decide the game when a low struck corner kick from Matt Ritchie drifted past Juan Mata at the front of the box and Josh King had time and space to turn and shoot past David de Gea to record the second big win for the Cherries in the space of eight days.
There was no need for Eddie Howe to make changes to the starting 11 that had played so magnificently at Chelsea last week. On the bench though there was a recall for Mac Pugh, Eunan O'Kane and Tokelo Rantie while Sylvain Distin returned from illness.
There are more pictures on Match Day Gallery.
Man Utd were a much changed team as they had Chris Smalling and Darmian out after their midweek game and in came Valera, McNair, Borthwick-Jackson and Carrick.
The game started with Josh King attacking up the left side and winning a free kick. A corner then quickly followed. What know one expected was for Junior Stanislas to swing his right foot so accurately that he put a curve on the ball that saw it bend beyond David de Gea, who was more worried about Dan Gosling, and into the top right corner of the goal off of the far post. De Gea may have got a hand on the ball but it was not enough to change the trajectory. The home crowd roared with delight! The Cherries were 1-0 up in less than two minutes. Junior celebrated with Harry Arter who had had a tough week with a bereavement - the reason why the AFCB players were wearing black arm bands.
Just as the crowd settled back down though, Artur Boruc was forced to make a double save. Adam Smith had tripped Memphis Depay and from the free kick first Fellaini had a point blank shot that Artur Boruc turned away only to get up again to make another save to his left, at full stretch, from a header from McNair. It was amazing agility and it kept the score at 1-0.
The Cherries were finding it hard to keep possession or get more than one or two passes in before losing the ball again. A brief chance came to break the Man Utd pressure when the Cherries had a free kick 30 yards out, but Stanislas shot well over. Junior was the man to watch and he inexplicably then made a back pass towards Andrew Surman on the edge of AFCB's box that never had the legs. In stole Martial who just had Boruc to beat and yet he blew his lines and steered his shot wide and right of the goal. What a let off!
Just when Junior had got over that shocker. He got his game together again, Josh King found himself through against de Gea on 22 minutes. Arter had clipped in a beautiful ball between McNair and Varela that Josh was first to. King decided to go around de Gea, taking the ball from the left to the right of the keeper, but de Gea somehow managed to snatch the ball from him when it had looked like a certain goal.
The Cherries were made to pay for the missed chance too. Memphis found himself through on a long ball from Carrick that Adam Smith was slow to react to, but Boruc stretched out his left leg and made a blocked save. The ball cannoned out to Mario Fellaini who could not keep his feet, having made contact with Boruc, and was on his knees. The midfielder managed to keep his momentum going forward though and stabbed out his right foot to jab the ball into the net, past Adam Smith and Steve Cook on the line - it was 1-1.
AFCB were still winning corners and Stanislas put a shot wide from won after 27 minutes. It was then that Jesse Lingard pulled up with a hamstring pull and Andreas Pereira had to replace him - more injuries for Utd. A snap shot from Stanislas again went wide on 33 minutes as the Cherries looked to get back in front.
Adam Smith was having a real battle with Memphis on the wing but he was not giving up. The moment when the Cherries might have gone ahead again was when King broke on the right and crossed for Ritchie who snapped his shot right at de Gea who could make the save.
Second Half
The second half began with Man Utd on the attack and then forced all the way back to their keeper. Simon Francis then showed that he is not just an average centre back by making a darting run up the right side and into the box, past three Man Utd players. His shot forced de Gea into a near post save. The resulting corner was hit low and Josh King came from near the far post to the middle of the box, spinning off Daley Blind. He had an inviting chance and buried the shot neatly in what was a move from the training ground. He did it without any fuss to put the Cherries 2-1 up on 54 minutes.
AFCB were in full flight now. Arter burst from defence and found Josh King running at goal. King checked in the box and made a chip that went just wide of the far post and over Junior Stanislas. Man Utd also had their chances though and Fellaini saw his shot in the box kept out by Boruc and then cleared by Adam Smith.
The Cherries subbed King on 65 minutes for Glenn Murray, but the Cherries shape stayed the same. Murray had a superb chance to wrap things up when on 70 minutes he bust into the box, checked onto his left foot beating McNair, but hit his shot over the bar with de Gea to beat. Just a few moments later, Stanislas won a corner and this time the ball from the corner kick deflected off a Man Utd player and fell to Murray, but he was leaning back and clipped his shot over from six yards!
Man Utd brought on Powell for Fellaini on 74 minutes. Harry Arter was starting to see more of the ball now and shot wide on 80 minutes as he came forward. When Surman went down though three minutes later, Arter managed to get himself booked and was sent over to the touchline. Eddie Howe put his arm around the neck of Harry before he let him back on. As Harry went over to the right side of the pitch he was then subbed for O'Kane to come on. This was all eating up the time.
Martial had a chance to dance around a few AFCB defenders and get a shot away near the end, but he ballooned his shot well over the bar.
Luis van Gaal's only last resort was to bring on Jones for McNair at centre back on 91 minutes. How that would win the game I have no idea, but perhaps he was more worried about Utd conceding a third. After five minutes of extra time though it did not matter. Utd had been beaten by a team that they had been 90 or so places above some 7 years ago.
Summary
The Cherries wanted the three points and more importantly a win against the big name of Man Utd more than anything else. The week had been filled with the history of when the Cherries had knocked the Red Devils out of the FA Cup in 1984 and the new Premier League Cherries were not going to miss the opportunity of getting their headlines. It was a win that came from set pieces, but the team work and will to win were most evident. This Bournemouth side has grown immeasurably in the last few games and now it is moving up the table and can take great encouragement from their first back-to-back win at the top level. Now the team needs to maintain these performance levels to keep the points coming. AFCB are up to 14th in the table and that's a great Christmas present for the fans.
AFCB
Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Surman, Ritchie, Arter (O'Kane 86), Gosling, Stanislas, King (Murray 65)
AFCB 2 v 1 Man Utd
12 December 2015
Attendance: 11, 334
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| AFCB players line up. |
There are more pictures on Match Day Gallery.
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| Man Utd players decide to wear a complete white strip. |
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| The excitement builds before kick off. |
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| Mata and Martial to kick off. |
Man Utd fan Phil talks about the Red Devils
pre-match on Cherry Chimes' FanCam.
Just as the crowd settled back down though, Artur Boruc was forced to make a double save. Adam Smith had tripped Memphis Depay and from the free kick first Fellaini had a point blank shot that Artur Boruc turned away only to get up again to make another save to his left, at full stretch, from a header from McNair. It was amazing agility and it kept the score at 1-0.
The Cherries were finding it hard to keep possession or get more than one or two passes in before losing the ball again. A brief chance came to break the Man Utd pressure when the Cherries had a free kick 30 yards out, but Stanislas shot well over. Junior was the man to watch and he inexplicably then made a back pass towards Andrew Surman on the edge of AFCB's box that never had the legs. In stole Martial who just had Boruc to beat and yet he blew his lines and steered his shot wide and right of the goal. What a let off!
Just when Junior had got over that shocker. He got his game together again, Josh King found himself through against de Gea on 22 minutes. Arter had clipped in a beautiful ball between McNair and Varela that Josh was first to. King decided to go around de Gea, taking the ball from the left to the right of the keeper, but de Gea somehow managed to snatch the ball from him when it had looked like a certain goal.
The Cherries were made to pay for the missed chance too. Memphis found himself through on a long ball from Carrick that Adam Smith was slow to react to, but Boruc stretched out his left leg and made a blocked save. The ball cannoned out to Mario Fellaini who could not keep his feet, having made contact with Boruc, and was on his knees. The midfielder managed to keep his momentum going forward though and stabbed out his right foot to jab the ball into the net, past Adam Smith and Steve Cook on the line - it was 1-1.
AFCB were still winning corners and Stanislas put a shot wide from won after 27 minutes. It was then that Jesse Lingard pulled up with a hamstring pull and Andreas Pereira had to replace him - more injuries for Utd. A snap shot from Stanislas again went wide on 33 minutes as the Cherries looked to get back in front.
Adam Smith was having a real battle with Memphis on the wing but he was not giving up. The moment when the Cherries might have gone ahead again was when King broke on the right and crossed for Ritchie who snapped his shot right at de Gea who could make the save.
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| It's been a brilliant first half with both teams creating lots of chances, but it's all square at 1-1. |
The second half began with Man Utd on the attack and then forced all the way back to their keeper. Simon Francis then showed that he is not just an average centre back by making a darting run up the right side and into the box, past three Man Utd players. His shot forced de Gea into a near post save. The resulting corner was hit low and Josh King came from near the far post to the middle of the box, spinning off Daley Blind. He had an inviting chance and buried the shot neatly in what was a move from the training ground. He did it without any fuss to put the Cherries 2-1 up on 54 minutes.
AFCB were in full flight now. Arter burst from defence and found Josh King running at goal. King checked in the box and made a chip that went just wide of the far post and over Junior Stanislas. Man Utd also had their chances though and Fellaini saw his shot in the box kept out by Boruc and then cleared by Adam Smith.
The Cherries subbed King on 65 minutes for Glenn Murray, but the Cherries shape stayed the same. Murray had a superb chance to wrap things up when on 70 minutes he bust into the box, checked onto his left foot beating McNair, but hit his shot over the bar with de Gea to beat. Just a few moments later, Stanislas won a corner and this time the ball from the corner kick deflected off a Man Utd player and fell to Murray, but he was leaning back and clipped his shot over from six yards!
Man Utd brought on Powell for Fellaini on 74 minutes. Harry Arter was starting to see more of the ball now and shot wide on 80 minutes as he came forward. When Surman went down though three minutes later, Arter managed to get himself booked and was sent over to the touchline. Eddie Howe put his arm around the neck of Harry before he let him back on. As Harry went over to the right side of the pitch he was then subbed for O'Kane to come on. This was all eating up the time.
Martial had a chance to dance around a few AFCB defenders and get a shot away near the end, but he ballooned his shot well over the bar.
Luis van Gaal's only last resort was to bring on Jones for McNair at centre back on 91 minutes. How that would win the game I have no idea, but perhaps he was more worried about Utd conceding a third. After five minutes of extra time though it did not matter. Utd had been beaten by a team that they had been 90 or so places above some 7 years ago.
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| Back to back wins for the Cherries! |
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| Glenn Murray gets a hug from David de Gea. |
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| Eddie walks off with Harry Arter with another satisfying win. Eddie spoke well about the difficult week that Harry Arter and his partner Rachel had had after the loss of their child at birth and our thoughts are with Harry Arter, his partner and relatives. |
The Cherries wanted the three points and more importantly a win against the big name of Man Utd more than anything else. The week had been filled with the history of when the Cherries had knocked the Red Devils out of the FA Cup in 1984 and the new Premier League Cherries were not going to miss the opportunity of getting their headlines. It was a win that came from set pieces, but the team work and will to win were most evident. This Bournemouth side has grown immeasurably in the last few games and now it is moving up the table and can take great encouragement from their first back-to-back win at the top level. Now the team needs to maintain these performance levels to keep the points coming. AFCB are up to 14th in the table and that's a great Christmas present for the fans.
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| A great effort from the players who keep to winning ways. |
AFCB
Boruc, Smith, Francis, Cook, Daniels, Surman, Ritchie, Arter (O'Kane 86), Gosling, Stanislas, King (Murray 65)
Cherries Subs
Pugh, Rantie, Kermorgant, Federici, Distin, Murray, O'Kane
Pugh, Rantie, Kermorgant, Federici, Distin, Murray, O'Kane
AFCB Ratings
Boruc 9, Smith 8, Francis 9, Cook 8, Daniels 8, Ritchie 7, Arter 8, Gosling 8, Surman 8, Stanislas 9, King 10
Man Utd
Man Utd
de Gea, Varela, McNair (Jones 91), Blind, Borthwick-Jackson, Carrick, Fellaini (Powell 74), Lingard (Pereira 31), Mata, Depay, Martial
Man Utd Subs
Jones, Young, Romero, Powell, Schneiderlin, Tuanzebe, Pereira
Referee watch: Anthony Taylor - 6/10.
Man Utd Subs
Jones, Young, Romero, Powell, Schneiderlin, Tuanzebe, Pereira
Referee watch: Anthony Taylor - 6/10.
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