Positivity can help AFCB get past the Baggies

The goals have been accumulating for Bournemouth of late and not at the right end. Getting back to clean sheets is going to take some work, and when you have the lowest goal scoring team coming to play at your home game it is as god a time as any to get a clean sheet.

AFCB will pick up points if they can start to get a few clean sheets.

StrataBet forecast that there will be over two goals in this game in fact the rating is 2.96 goals so perhaps a 2-1 outcome is a good likelihood? It's the conceding of goals that is concerning though. Bournemouth have given opposition teams 375 good chances to score this season and that is an average of 12.5 chances per game. On average StratBet says, opposition teams have needed 7.98 chances to score one goal against the Cherries, so it is little surprise that clean sheets have been hard to come by.

But it's a game of two teams and looking at WBA's stats on StraBet we see that they have only created 265 chances this season in the Premier League and that is just 8.83 chances per game. On average it has taken WBA 10.6 chances to score one goal, so the omens are perhaps suggesting that AFCB could well get a clean sheet in this match.

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In terms of attack, AFCB have required 8.64 chances per game to score one goal and they have  311 chances from their 30 matches and that's 10.37 chances per game. Now I'm leaning towards a 1-0 home win!

Furthermore, WBA have conceded 364 chances this season at a  rate of 12.13 chances per game. On average opponents have scored after 8.09 chances in a game.

But before you decide that 1-0 is a good prediction, just reflect that Bournemouth last home clean sheet was on 18 November 2017. Bournemouth have not had a clean sheet at home in 2018, even if they did manage one away to Chelsea.
It is also concerning that StataBet have an expected goal forecast of 1.44 for the Cherries and 1.51 for WBA. Are we in for a score draw?

Having heard the AFCB press conference on Friday, 

the team selection might look something like 

this with King and Fraser fighting to find fitness.

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Arter, Surman, Ibe, Pugh, Mousset, King

Cherry Chimes' T-shirt Competition
Well, try your luck at predicting the correct score for this game and win yourself a Cherry Chimes T-Shirt. they are not available in any shop so your really do have a bit of unique Cherry Chimes' merchandise if you win. Just Tweet your score prediction to @CherryChimes

We will pick a winner out of the hat of there are more than one correct predictions.


1972 - do you remember?
Bournemouth University student Ed Fossey wants AFC Bournemouth's fans' views on what the name change from Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic FC to AFC Bournemouth in 1972 meant to you and how it affected how the club was perceived. You an contact Ed by emailing him at: ed.fossey@outlook.com