Keep sticking them in Surman

It is hard to believe but Andrew Surman, along with Josh King, is Bournemouth's leading goalscorer at present. How did that happen? In some ways I think the stick that has come Surman's way has actually done him some good. He doesn't just hide or look to do the simple things all the time now, but is willing to shoot and long may it continue.

Sharp shooter Andrew Surman.

I know that Surman does not always anticipate things as well as others and his slowness to react can sometimes cause Bournemouth problems when they lose possession. But as an offensive midfielder this season it is hard not to feel impressed with what Surman has achieved. His two goals were both quality strikes and his way of passing the ball into the net is very effective when it is well directed.

I'm not sure what is enabling Surman to get forward more than he has done previously, but it is likely that Eddie Howe is encouraging him to do that now since his goal against Man City. If a player is striking the ball well, you might as well let them do it in a game if they are hitting the target. It is as well that Surman is hitting the target, because AFCB have been struggling in this  discipline and if the strikers are not doing the business the goals have to come from somewhere else.

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Hopefully, Surman is starting to enjoy his moments of goal scoring and is getting more of a taste for it. If he can keep it up he is going to have to ask himself why he hasn't been able to do it in the past as a Surman goal was about as rare as a goal from a goalkeeper. The positive thing about it though is, if Surman can do it that must put pressure on others in the team to want to show that they should be getting on the score sheet as well.