Both Eddie Hoe and Steve Cook spoke honestly after the match with Chelsea. The last two games have exposed AFCB as a team that can play very well going forward when they look to hit teams hard, but if they give the ball away easily when not under pressure they do give the opposition a great chance to take advantage.
Steve Cook was one of a back three that started the game, and it was not a system that made AFCB look any weaker. Against a table-topping side it was a bold decision and while it did not work, it was a tactic that Chelsea probably did not expect. The times when AFCB gave the ball away though in the middle of the pitch did put pressure on the side and the constant switching of play from one side to the other of the pitch and even backwards at times, might have been easier for fans to enjoy if there wasn't a mad pass every now and then that wasn't easy to cut out.
The players also have to take risks occasionally as long as they are trying to make things happen in the last third and sometimes that gable isn't played often enough. Backing yourself to hit the target from 30-yards is something you do when everything is going right in your game but it's not so easy when you've had a couple of poor results. Playing three at the back was something to try and even reverting to a back four did not stem Chelsea's control of the game.
AFCB must pick themselves up now and they should not worry about formations or where each team is in the league. They simply need a win to feel that they are in charge of their destiny. The good thing about the defeat against Chelsea is that the team worked extremely hard to try and match them and were in the game at half time. They need to boss the game more though against teams that are having a tough time and Eddie Howe will know he has a battle to get his players believing they are good enough to pick up more than one away win if they can't get something at Swansea.
Steve Cook was one of a back three that started the game, and it was not a system that made AFCB look any weaker. Against a table-topping side it was a bold decision and while it did not work, it was a tactic that Chelsea probably did not expect. The times when AFCB gave the ball away though in the middle of the pitch did put pressure on the side and the constant switching of play from one side to the other of the pitch and even backwards at times, might have been easier for fans to enjoy if there wasn't a mad pass every now and then that wasn't easy to cut out.
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| AFCB were run ragged against Chelsea. |
We are leaking too many goals and letting in three goals a game against Liverpool,Southampton,Arsenal and Chelsea and in tandem we have lost the ability to score.....it seems the defence will not be changed however many goals are conceded....its harder to get dropped from the team than to get picked....
ReplyDeleteI am sure Ake will return against Swansea but is it not time to consider giving Wilson (Mark) and Mings a start...this is now a must win game for us..otherwise that 7 point gap to the bottom three will start shrinking very rapidly....
If neither Wilson nor Afobe are now considered meritorious for a start..King certainly is not a scoring solution...Grabban I assume is looking for pastures new...so its Mousset...who I think will be shifted out onloan..and it looks like its Old Mother Hubbard
Maybe someone will be bought in during transfer window....however as I have previously stated our transfer policy since promotion has been nothing sort of disasterous ...if players are bought in then they must be straight into the first team and not this nonsensical policy of players sitting doing nothing waiting for their pensions
Millwall game is coming up..its not a time to give game time to these bit part players