Eddie Howe made four changes to the starting line up against WBA but it did not have a particularly positive result from the start. While AFCB pride themselves on their quick starts to games and by getting the early goal they last scored first in a game away at Aston Villa. They simply haven't been getting the early upper hand in games.
Coming from behind is difficult in any match but against a Tony Pulis's side as Howe announced, you know you have your work cut out as they are going to put 10 men behind the ball. However, industrious though the Cherries are even they could not fashion a lot of chances against the Baggies in the first half. That is not good news for the likes of Stanislas, Grabban and Afobe. For while Max Gradel did make some strong runs and get crosses in, there were few moments when you saw our strikers really make Ben Foster have to make a save.
The amount of attacking talent that AFCB now have though should be causing mid-table sides like WBA plenty of problems and yet the Baggies were fairy comfortable at sitting on their 0-1 lead until the hour mark when Howe made some changes. The depth of quality in the side is still not as deep as some of us would believe and while Eddie has been experimenting it has perhaps been hard for the players to get that rhythm straight from the off in games.
I kind of like the way that the side is more interchangeable than it was in the Championship. Lewis Grabban played in three positions during the match and while that can't be great for him to keep changing, it is important that the side has players that can be adaptable. We have seen how many injuries there can be in a season and Eddie has to plan for any eventuality. So while we might not be seeing the Cherries at their best in these last few games, I only hope that some of the lessons will be very useful to Eddie Howe next season.
Meanwhile, it is good to see that Eunan O'Kane and Harry Arter have made the Irish squad - let's hope they get some game time this summer. Did you guess whose legs were in this morning's post? Yeah - you guessed it, our Paraguyan winger
Ryan Allsop - answers Pompey call
It is reported they Ryan will play for Portsmouth in their play-off match against Plymouth Argyle tonight in an emergency loan.
Coming from behind is difficult in any match but against a Tony Pulis's side as Howe announced, you know you have your work cut out as they are going to put 10 men behind the ball. However, industrious though the Cherries are even they could not fashion a lot of chances against the Baggies in the first half. That is not good news for the likes of Stanislas, Grabban and Afobe. For while Max Gradel did make some strong runs and get crosses in, there were few moments when you saw our strikers really make Ben Foster have to make a save.
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| Squad depth can now be addressed. |
I kind of like the way that the side is more interchangeable than it was in the Championship. Lewis Grabban played in three positions during the match and while that can't be great for him to keep changing, it is important that the side has players that can be adaptable. We have seen how many injuries there can be in a season and Eddie has to plan for any eventuality. So while we might not be seeing the Cherries at their best in these last few games, I only hope that some of the lessons will be very useful to Eddie Howe next season.
Meanwhile, it is good to see that Eunan O'Kane and Harry Arter have made the Irish squad - let's hope they get some game time this summer. Did you guess whose legs were in this morning's post? Yeah - you guessed it, our Paraguyan winger
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| The latest Juan Iturbe rumours link him with Malaga. |
It is reported they Ryan will play for Portsmouth in their play-off match against Plymouth Argyle tonight in an emergency loan.
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