Soft set piece goals are still a weakness for AFCB

Even when AFC Bournemouth have recruited well over the summer by adding Asmir Begovic and Nathan Aké to the back line, there appears to be too much hesitancy over what everybody needs to do when high balls enter the Cherries' box. When the team faces a free kick and has time to organise itself and be prepared for any runners, it was somewhat disappointing to see Ahmed Heghazi to be given the freedom of the Hawthorns to head home his goal with Bournemouth players trailing in his wake. But, sometimes it goes like that and it's important that the Cherries learn from such mistakes.

AFCB will be looking for better form at home.

While Asmir Begovic has been comfortable in coming for crosses in pre-season, some fans might well ask why he didn't look as supreme and at ease on coming off his goal line as frequently at WBA. John Williams and Kris Temple on BBC Radio Solent made several comments all afternoon that Begovic seemed to have a 'stay at home policy' at times. Sadly, he didn't come to dominate the area quite as often as he might when Chris Brunt targeted his deliveries, but the former Chelsea goalkeeper was no more at fault than his defenders that gave him little protection.

While the players might be well drilled on defending such free kicks in training, I still believe they would be more alert and on their toes if one of them was barking at them at the back to ensure that they were attacking the deliveries when they come in. Standing on your heels is just poor defending in the Premier League and WBA are experts at taking advantage of such moments.

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Eddie Howe did highlight the delivery of Chris Brunt and it was exceptional every time as Bournemouth players scrambled to get anywhere near the crosses. But at the other end we saw Rayan Fraser struggle to get many balls in to Afobe or King when presented with similar opportunities and the wide men on the afternoon for the Cherries were a tad short of their normal levels. AFCB needed some inspiration and while Aké was doing his best at the back it did not rub off on the others for once and while Jordan Ibe was said by Howe to give a bit of a lift to the side, he also had at least one cross that nestled snuggly in row z.

WBA manufactured a win in this opening season game by just being methodical in their approach and keeping the Cherries at arms length. A little more incisiveness and cunning will be needed to make up for AFCB's difficulties in keeping clean sheets in future games.


In other news, Lewis Grabban scores three goal - two of them at the right end to help Sunderland win 1-3 at Norwich. Ryan Allsop also kept a clean sheet for Blackpool in their 1-0 win over MK Dons.

Also check out ASKFans which I'll be writing for this season.