You can understand why Eddie Howe is less than satisfied with the Cherries last few games. He is still hurting from the defeats against Spurs and Man City and now he has the Liverpool defeat to understand. If his side had drawn one or two of these games and showed more in one of the matches to show they are becoming more able to tackle the quality sides in the league he will have been able to reflect that his coaching was moving the team in the right direction. But it hasn't happened yet.
The points total is immaterial when it comes to how the team is performing at this moment with the players that are available against the best sides. The last test in these group of games is still to come against Chelsea and Howe will want to see more pressure put on Gus Hiddink's side than what was achieved against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool team that had many players rested. It wasn't just a story of AFCB missing chances, it was a difficulty to build up any kind of a threat in and around Liverpool's goal until really late on.
Eddie still has some players that he would probably like to start with such as Arter and Wilson but much of the side is as strong as he could wish for at this stage of the season and yet they are still playing well below the level he wants to see. The momentum that the team had before the Spurs match has slowly been reduced and it is gong to take a special performance to get AFCB on the up in these last four games.
At home the wins have been far from consistent, but AFCB have usually pulled a win out when they have really needed one. Things seem comfortable for the moment and that is probably half of the reason why it is hard to get an edge to the Cherries' game. Another win for the bottom teams might start focussing the minds again.
I don't think the players want to be seen as taking their foot off the gas but it is natural that the buffer they have on the relegation fighting teams has changed the mood around the ground. AFCB are always at their best when their backs are up against it and I'd expect Eddie Howe to offer some kind of incentive to get the players keener than ever to end the season with two more home wins to put a positive shine on these games. Otherwise the end of the season would have a bit of a disappointing finish for the Cherries, despite the wonderful season as a whole.
Premier Talk: Are Spurs going to pinch the title?
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| Eddie knows that there is much room for improvement. |
Eddie still has some players that he would probably like to start with such as Arter and Wilson but much of the side is as strong as he could wish for at this stage of the season and yet they are still playing well below the level he wants to see. The momentum that the team had before the Spurs match has slowly been reduced and it is gong to take a special performance to get AFCB on the up in these last four games.
At home the wins have been far from consistent, but AFCB have usually pulled a win out when they have really needed one. Things seem comfortable for the moment and that is probably half of the reason why it is hard to get an edge to the Cherries' game. Another win for the bottom teams might start focussing the minds again.
I don't think the players want to be seen as taking their foot off the gas but it is natural that the buffer they have on the relegation fighting teams has changed the mood around the ground. AFCB are always at their best when their backs are up against it and I'd expect Eddie Howe to offer some kind of incentive to get the players keener than ever to end the season with two more home wins to put a positive shine on these games. Otherwise the end of the season would have a bit of a disappointing finish for the Cherries, despite the wonderful season as a whole.
Premier Talk: Are Spurs going to pinch the title?
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