The disciplinary record for the Cherries took a big hit with Lee Probert having the whistle and cards in his hands on Starurday. He had been fairly lenient in the match earlier this year, when Bournemouth played Stoke City, in only giving Harry Arter a yellow card, but he was sure that AFCB were the main offenders in the match with Huddersfield and he could have even handed out more punishment at times.
The pressure might be on a few Bournemouth players now to walk the tightrope in terms of their discipline in the next few games. Steve Cook is now on four yellow cards along with Adam Smith and it is in defence, where AFCB may find problems with Francis already suspended. Harry Arter is also climbing up the board with three cards, but Marc Pugh is less of a worry on two having also picked up a card in the Huddersfield match.
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| Simon Francis has the worst disciplinary record of any Bournemouth player in 2017. |
Now the Cherries have picked up a further five yellow cards and one which culminated in a second yellow and consequent red card for Simon Francis. Before the Huddersfield match Bournemouth were on 21 cards for the season so it's about a 25 per cent rise in the yellow card offences from just one game and yet I don't believe it was an overly fired up game. Huddersfield could have expected Charlie Daniels to see a card and AFCB certainly might have expected more than the two yellow cards that Huddersfield were awarded.
The pressure might be on a few Bournemouth players now to walk the tightrope in terms of their discipline in the next few games. Steve Cook is now on four yellow cards along with Adam Smith and it is in defence, where AFCB may find problems with Francis already suspended. Harry Arter is also climbing up the board with three cards, but Marc Pugh is less of a worry on two having also picked up a card in the Huddersfield match.
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Francis now has an unwanted record of being the equal highest Premier League player to see red in 2017 with only Watford's Miguel Britos keeping him company on the naughty step. Francis uses his strength and power at times but is not always the quickest which I think lands him in trouble, because he is so strong. The second challenge that got him sent off was certainly late though and I wonder if Francis is losing some of his reaction time or his pace? As captain though, it is not great for Francis to be top of the chart for misdemeanours and it's something that he has to put right as the season goes on.
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