There as to be a reason for AFCB letting n so many goals and to me the side lacks composure when it has not got the ball. It's almost as they are expecting a goal to come against them and that's not a good place to be.
Getting back to being organised and compact is where they can start to address some of their worst problems. We have seen how well Hull City have started to pick up points by making themselves more organised and holding their shape better so that teams can't get in behind. But AFCB clearly have a lot of issues in defending crosses and they need to start stopping them coming in. While AFCB play some great possession football, there will be times when they lose the ball and there has to be a quick snap in the players' minds to get the ball back or at least get into a shape where they can't be counter-attacked or suffer a shot on goal.
But it is never that simple during a game. Take poor Harry Arter getting caught out at WBA when he tried to clear the ball in his own half but was closed down extremely quickly and a chance ended up falling to Nacer Chadli in an instance. The luck another day would have seen the ball fall to a Bournemouth player. I suppose Eddie Howe will be asking his players to do better at keeping the ball in the first place, but when confidence is low the hesitancy in not wanting to make a mistake causes more problems.
If as I believe Eddie wants to team to defend from the front, then we must see more in the way of chasing down by Jack Wilshere. Jack may be a luxury player, but he can't be given a strolling role just to create anymore. He has been suffering with an ankle injury and I don't think he is fully fit. The side is leaking goals and they need the running power of Josh King in more than one area of the team. Against the better teams like the upcoming match at Old Trafford I would go against popular opinion and play five across the midfield with Gosling come into the side and seeing if the side can keep things tight until the second half. Being disciplined and aiming not to concede is not in Howe's make up, but at times you have to protect the team a little and Utd will be looking for blood after their cup weekend win.
What will be tested at Old Trafford is how good the Cherries are without the ball and at the moment we can all see there has to be a more determined approach from them in this side of the game.
Fixture changes in April
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| Okay, we've lost the ball - let's get organised. |
But it is never that simple during a game. Take poor Harry Arter getting caught out at WBA when he tried to clear the ball in his own half but was closed down extremely quickly and a chance ended up falling to Nacer Chadli in an instance. The luck another day would have seen the ball fall to a Bournemouth player. I suppose Eddie Howe will be asking his players to do better at keeping the ball in the first place, but when confidence is low the hesitancy in not wanting to make a mistake causes more problems.
If as I believe Eddie wants to team to defend from the front, then we must see more in the way of chasing down by Jack Wilshere. Jack may be a luxury player, but he can't be given a strolling role just to create anymore. He has been suffering with an ankle injury and I don't think he is fully fit. The side is leaking goals and they need the running power of Josh King in more than one area of the team. Against the better teams like the upcoming match at Old Trafford I would go against popular opinion and play five across the midfield with Gosling come into the side and seeing if the side can keep things tight until the second half. Being disciplined and aiming not to concede is not in Howe's make up, but at times you have to protect the team a little and Utd will be looking for blood after their cup weekend win.
What will be tested at Old Trafford is how good the Cherries are without the ball and at the moment we can all see there has to be a more determined approach from them in this side of the game.
Fixture changes in April
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