Room to improve collectively and individually

Harry Arter was not pleased with the way he could not control more of the game against Spurs. But it is ingrained in him that he can do better and the team will benefit in the long run from playing games like the one at White Hart Lane, where they were tested beyond the average Premier League game. Harry is sure that Spurs are the best team in the league, even if Chelsea remain title favourites and who are we to question that as he has experienced facing both teams in the last couple of games.

Harry Arter sees room for improvement.

Reaching a stage where AFCB can have more influence in such games is going to need quite a step up on their abilities. The gap was really evident against Spurs and at home the London club are superior to most teams, as only Leicester and Liverpool have come away with something from White Hart Lane. Harry is clear that it is in every part of the game where Spurs were stronger, quicker and more powerful. Their execution of play was just at another level and it must be hard for AFCB's players to recognise that and not be despondent.

They have to put that away in an envelope though now. They have games they can win and games they need to win to retain their Premier League status. If they can play with intensity and courage they can take these games away from Middlesbrough and Sunderland, and the Spurs game will be a match they can revisit once the season is over. I hope they don't get themselves in a downward spiral, wondering too much about what they did not do well enough against Spurs.

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Each game the players have against the best teams they are finding out what counts in such games. It is not a coincidence that two of the goals came after corners, as these top teams ensure they have an end product in such situations. AFCB are still working out how best to defend when they know there is likely to be a shot on goal from a corner or free kick and yet these are situations that they can replicate on the training pitch. They just need to get better at it. But to get better at it you must recognise the problem and Arter is aware that more needs to be done to improve. It's something that he has done since day one of joining the Cherries and the other players at AFCB will take on the same duty to want improve after they have games like this one. 

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Leeds Utd are being linked with a possible move for Andrew Surman.