Match Report
AFCB 0 v 2 Man City
13 February 2017
Attendance: 11,129
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| AFCB are still searching for their eight win. |
Man City came to Bournemouth knowing they had to get a win to keep any hope in the title race. They got off to a great start with Raheem Sterling putting them ahead after some good work from Sané down the left wing. While Josh King netted just a minute later, it was disallowed for a pull he had made on John Stones. AFCB held out well in the second half until Tyrone Mings turned the ball into his on net from pressure from Aguero.
The Cherries made three changes to their starting 11 with the incoming players being Charlie Daniels, Adam Smith and Jordan Ibe. Tyrone Mings, Dan Gosling and Marc Pugh all made way by moving to the bench.
Man City brought in Sagna to the back four and dropped Clichy for this game.
Match Description
Sané made a fast start getting down the left wing but his cross was well over struck. City looked fast on the break and Bournemouth were immediately finding it difficult to get more than a couple of touches before City got possession back.
Silva made a good pass to de Bruyne but the City front man could not make a connection. AFCB were not slow in making attacks themselves and Arter saw the Cherries first shot get blocked, while Daniels cross was cleanly taken by Caballero.
Daniels was making some good early runs and had a slight limp that he looked to run off. Sterling was caught off side as Man City pressed forward again. Yaya Toure clipped Adam Smith and picked up the first yellow card.
Silva was looking menacing but AFCB had kept him and City fairly quiet n the first 10 minutes. Jesus was making a meal out of being held by Steve Cook, but it appeared that Francis may have clipped him earlier.
So on 14 minutes Sergio Aguero was warming up and City made the sub. AFCB were starting to see more of the ball now. King's first touch just let him down. But when the Cherries got the ball back Daniels and Fraser were getting joy down the left.
A long throw from Steve Cook was met by Francis at the front post but Caballero gathered not under pressure. AFCB were starting to win the ball higher up. When City break though they just look for Aguero and he had his shot blocked.
Up the other end Ibe found his way through with a one-two with Wilshere and Caballero's feet just came to his team's aid as Ibe was bearing down on goal.
Francis receives some treatment. Simon is going off on 23 minutes and Tyrone Mings is coming on. Daniels bosses Sterling and wins the ball well. Surman was also winning the ball in midfield. This was a more committed AFCB performance than at Goodison Park.
Daniels and King fashioned a shot for Wilshere, but the shot was blocked and Fraser was then yellow carded for a challenge from behind on de Bruyne. Sané beat Adam Smith and cut in for Sterling but the deflection goes onto the post and AFCB survive. Daniels gets the ball away for a City corner.
Toure is next to try and bend a shot from a Stones lay back but it luckily goes past the left post. The break from Sagna on the left is deflected by Cook and that makes the ball pass Daniels and it sits up nicely for Sterling who taps it home at the far post on 29 minutes.
AFCB though are straight back with a break from the right wing with Ibe that King finished off. No it's been disallowed. Stones was pulled back by Josh King before he finished.
Aguero and Silva in the box - great save from Boruc. Aguero then brings another save out of Boruc. Wilshere is given some treatment.
Arter plays King through but the pass is blocked from King. Surman is putting some big tackles in. Kolarov the fouls King. The ball almost finds itself with King but Caballero is alert to it.
Sané puts in a cross from the right and Aguero is on his own but puts it well over the top. Steve Cook does well to put the ball out for a corner. Smith clears the ball.
Sterling is kept out by Adam Smith and City have another corner. Sterling's effort is well over. Daniels and Fraser work well and the low cross is put out for a corner by Kolarov. Fraser and Arter take it short but Fraser over hits it.
Arter makes a good clearance. Wilshere has a poor touch and AFCB have to build again. De Bruyne gets the ball though and hits a shot just wide.
AFCB are taking off Wilshere and bring Afobe on with 45 minutes gone. Five minutes of injury time have been added. King and Afobe are playing up front as a pair.
Ibe runs into trouble. That's half time 0-1.
AFCB possession 35 per cent, shots 2 shots on target 0 corners 1
Man City possession 65 per cent, shots 11 shots on target 4 corners 4
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Toure commits a foul on Afobe but doesn't get his second yellow card. Surman finds Ibe but the pull back doesn't find any body. Ibe is fouled by Fernandinho. Caballero punches away Arter's free kick. Daniels does well and picks out King, but Stones gets a challenge in for a Bournemouth corner.
King has his cross is blocked. The long throw comes to Arter but AFCB give a free kick away. Man City see Aguero shot blocked by Mings having been pressed themselves just to get the ball out of defence.
Arter goes down having blocked de Bruyne's run. It's a corner to City. Kin g on the break finds Afobe and Fraser pushes through the middle, but is swamped by Blue shirts.
Sané can't get round Adam Smith and Sterling is given a yellow card, for kicking out at King earlier. Mings does well to get a head in the way of another City attack. Adam Smith blocks Silva and City have a corner.
Steve Cook has to block a Fernandinho cross. Cook is chased in his own box but manages to escape. Afobe gets caught offside.
Surman drifts a good ball out to Ibe, but the ball races out of play. Adam Smith wins the ball well but is chopped by Sané. Sané gets the yellow card.
City clear the ball and when it is turned back, in King is offside. AFCB just can't get any shots in to test Caballero. Fraser puts Afobe through on the left and Arter hits a good shot that Caballero pushes out for a corner on 67 minutes.
Arter is yellow carded as he clips Aguero. Sterling beats Adam Smith easily on the lefta nd Aguero steels in at the near post to make it 0-2. It actually goes in off Tyrone Mings.
Twenty minutes to go and AFCB have it all to do. Otamendi comes on for Toure. Fraser almost finds a way through. Cook has a long throw, but Pugh is coming on for Jordan Ibe on 76 minutes. Fraser moves over to the right side. Adam Smith fouls Sané who was on the break. Fernandinho heads well over.
The crowd get behind Bournemouth again. Pugh turns well. AFCB are still looking for that goal. The long throw from Cook is won by Mings, but Caballero has the ball.
Fraser puts in a strong cross, but City recover. Man City are enjoying possession as the clock runs down. Mings gives the ball away to Sané in the box, but luckily Sané hits the bar!
Caballero is almost caught but gets the ball out just in time. Steve Cook then concedes a corner, being chased by Aguero. Kolarov hits a long shot that Boruc pushes out and Silva's volley is also saved by Boruc onto the post, but it's offside anyway.
De Bruyne finds Sané and Arter clears the ball for another corner. Man City sub Sterling and on comes. De Bruyne through the middle, and Sané is through on goal but shoots wide.
Summary
This was a much improved performance by the Cherries. They worked extremely hard and yet did not get any luck in front of goal. City were able ti hurt AFCB though when they got a clear sight of goal and even though they were pressed, the outcome of the game was not really in doubt when City went ahead. This will be the level that AFCB must put in as a minimum though if they are to keep ahead of the chasers at the bottom.
AFCB
Boruc, A Smith, Francis (Mings 23), S Cook, Daniels, Ibe (Pugh 76), Arter, Surman, Fraser,
Wilshere (Afobe 45), King
AFCB Subs
Allsop, Mings, B Smith, Gosling, Pugh, Stanislas, Afobe
AFCB Ratings
Boruc 7, A Smith 5, Francis 5 (Mings 4), S Cook 7, Daniels 7, Ibe 7 (Pugh 5), Arter 7, Surman 7, Fraser 7, Wilshere 6 (Afobe 4), King 8
Man City
Caballero, Sagna, Kolarov, Stones, Fernandinho, Toure (Otamendi 70), Sterling (Nolito 91), Silva, De Bruyne, Sané, G Jesus (Aguero 14)
Man City Subs
Bravo, Kompany, Fernando, Nolito, Aguero, Delph, Otamendi
Referee watch: Neil Sawbrick 8/10 - didn't give many decisions at all to the home team, but got the major decisions right.
Relegation is a certainty,,,sorry to be so negative.....why oh why don't we give Lewis Cook and Mousset a try...desperate times need desperate measures...they cant do any worse...can they?
ReplyDeleteI have such conflicted feelings about Mings. Truthfully I wish he went out on loan instead of Wilson just for the experience aspect. It's been a very long time since he last played in the championship and his performances are hurting us. He looks promising but this can't be good for morale?
ReplyDeleteLets clear up a couple of points:
ReplyDeleteFirstly, Mings was not at fault in the second goal - and in fact was the only defender alert to danger at the near post.
Secondly, I am not completely sure the King "goal" should have been ruled out, as Stones seemed to run across his path and the mild shirt-pull was probably just a natural reaction to this.