Bournemouth get it all wrong against Burnley 1-3

Match Report

AFCB 1 v 3 Burnley

6 April 2019

Attendance: 10,446

AFCB welcome Burnley.

Eddie Howe expected a performance at home to the fourth bottom team. A full crowd anticipated much the same and in the first few minutes an own goal by Ashley Barnes set Bournemouth on their way. However, a two minute meltdown saw Begovic flap and miss a corner cross for Chris Woods to score, before a poor clearance fell to Ashley Westwood who made it 1-2 to the visitors. Burnley didn't need any help in getting the advantage by holding down Wilson, and using force to bully AFCB off the ball, but their third goal looked like it should have been ruled out with the ball seemingly running out of play on the left, but it was actually still in play - having seen action replays, before Barnes beat Begovic. With another dismal performance and the home crowd leaving before the final whistle, AFCB have to find something to finish the season with a bit of pride. This was shambolic.

Eddie Howe just made one change with Adam Smith replacing Charlie Daniels at left back and my hope that Boruc would return to the starting line up were not realised.

AFCB and Burnley before the switch of ends.

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Burnley switched ends at the toss which automatically got AFCB fans disgruntled. Their white shirts kept a high line which I thought might be profitable for Wilson, if he could be sharp on his toes.

Fraser had an early chance to put a free kick in the Burnley box. Lerma bent back to reach the cross and head it forward, and while Aké looked to get on the end of it, Ashley Barnes tried to fend Aké off only to head it into his own goal. Bournemouth were 1-0 up on four minutes.

Bournemouth had the game and forced a corner, before Fraser had a low shot saved by Heaton. Wilson was tackling back and put a great challenge in on Westwood.

Burnley's tactic was to put as many crosses into AFCB's box as they could. Clyne was working hard to stop McNeil on the wing and Lerma was starting to play well in midfield.

Fraser had a strong cross field run before passing to Brooks, who beat his man and got to the byline, but his pull back went to a Burnley defender.

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King and Wilson were combining well, although Tarkowski was handling Wilson well enough. An attempted bicycle kick by a Burnley forward was just blocked in time, but it led to a corner. Burnley piled men in the box and Begovic hardly got off the ground leaving Chris woods with a simple header at the far post to make it 1-1 on 18 minutes.

While that was disappointing, McNeil got behind the defence and after a poor clearance from Mepham saw the ball come out to Ashley Westwood, who drilled Burnley 1-2 in front on 20 minutes.

Bournemouth had capitulated. It could have been a situation that was quickly rescued when Fraser and King broke. King got the ball out to Brooks, and he measured his cross for Wilson to run on to, but the header went over from about four yards out!

King and Wilson continued to make breaks but kept overrunning passes. King got Wilson in with his back to goal, but the Bournemouth forward couldn't get a shot off.

Jeff Hendrick was carded for a foul on Adam Smith and Burnley were using their physicality to keep Bournemouth pinned down. A free kick saw Aké and Mepham run int the box and both went down claiming a penalty, which referee Martin Atkinson waved away.

Burnley could have gone further ahead when Ashley Barnes was in a on-on-one race with Begovic. The keeper just go to the ball on the edge of the box first, but Barnes followed through and was only yellow carded.

Meanwhile, Ben Mee was holding Wilson down when goal kicks came their way and getting away with it. Brooks almost got a cross in that AFCB players were lining up to get on the end of, but King touched it on when Fraser was waiting to hit the shot and the chance went begging. King went down in the confusion again asking for a penalty.

Two minutes of added time saw a fouled by Westwood on Gosling but the score remained 1-2 at half-time.

The Cherries are behind at half-time.

Second half
Bournemouth took Nathaniel Clyne of at half-time and replaced him with Diego Rico at left back, allowing Adam Smith to switch to the right. An early chance saw a chance fall to Barnes, but it was deflected wide of the AFCB's left post.

A couple of corners ended with a free kick to Begovic. While Bournemouth regained some control and won a corner, Brooks beat McNeil only to run the ball out of play.

King was making runs but finding his shots getting blocked.

Burnley were playing a waiting game and looking to get Woods away when he was caught offside and missed his finish anyway.

The home crowd were getting more angry at their players now as Gosling slipped and almost let Burnley in for another chance. Mepham almost compounded things with a mis-timed clearance off his standing leg.

Things got even more annoying for home supporters when Burnley looked to have run the ball out of play on the left side, but continued to play on and Ashley Barnes smashed his shot past Begovic to make it 1-3. on 56 minutes.

Bournemouth subbed Gosling who was having a shocker with Solanke on 59 minutes. Begovic had to make a save to ironic cheers after McNeil had shot well. 

Hendrick then miss-timed a challenge on Rico, but was not carded. Woods had a snap shot loop up over the bar then on 67 minutes.

Eddie Howe surprised everyone by taking off Lerma on 70 minutes and putting on Stanislas in central midfield. King was already playing on the wing with Wilson and Solanke up front and Brooks filling in central midfield.

A free kick from Fraser was glanced by Mepham but wide of the goal. King came close to scoring but had his shot saved by Heaton.

A foul on Solanke saw Ben Mee booked on 78 minutes. Stanislas free kick went straight into the wall.

Burnley subbed Hendrick for Berg Gudmundsson on 83 minutes. Bournemouth were now imploding. Stanislas gave the ball away in the middle.

Solanke almost got one back with a header well pushed out by Heaton, before Fraser had his follow up saved.

Four minutes of added time led to a Bournemouth corner, but King's shot was blocked. Fraser made a chance for Wilson who put it over! The last minute saw Adam Smith get into a frenzy with a tackle on the edge of the Burnley box. He was carded more out of frustration rather than anything else, as he let off steam.

A bad defeat for the Cherries.

Summary

Where to start? This was probably the worst home performance of the season. A goal up should have breathed confidence into the side. Instead, Bournemouth collapsed under the physical strength of Burnley. They didn't deal with corners and crosses and the marking was poor and disorganised. Once they fell behind, the play became more frantic from the Bournemouth players. They lost they cool and tried to get back at the niggling game that Burnley were playing. Burnley simply upset AFCB's game and Bournemouth didn't find any flow to their play. They were roughed up and the game really died when the officials made a complete mess of the decision for allowing Burnley's third goal to stand. Where do Bournemouth go from here? This was embarrassing, but the players need to feel that it was embarrassing if they are to dig themselves out of the hole that they are now making for themselves.

AFCB player ratings:

Begovic 3 - he panics, makes poor decisions when playing out for the back and flaps at crosses.

Clyne 4 - out classed by McNeil who beat him all ends up. Bet he was glad to get off at half-time

Mepham 5 - still finding his feet. Tried his best.

Aké 5 - did okay, but he is not a leader yet and AFCB need him to be when others go missing.

Adam Smith 5 - just back from injury, lost his cool at the end which is good in away because he cares.

Brooks 5 - better than last week, but didn't find his finishing accuracy

Lerma 7 - easily AFCB's best player on the day. The one rudder that AFCB's ship had.

Gosling 3 - just nothing went right for him. A shadow of what he can produce.

Fraser 4 - plenty of running, but no substance or end product

King 3 - no touch and little control

Wilson 4 - needs to take his big moments on a more regular basis.

AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Rico, Simpson, Ibe, Stanislas, Mousset, Solanke

Ref Watch: Martin Atkinson 3/10 He didn't see the tricks Burnley's players were carrying out with arms all over Wilson and some poor challenges. 

Cherry Chimes' MoM: Jefferson Lerma

Burnley

1 Heaton, 2 Lowton, 5 Tarkowsk, Mee Booked, 3Taylor, 13 Hendrick Booked (Berg Gudmundsson)

18 Westwood, 4Cork, 31McNeil, 11Wood, 10Barnes Booked

Burnley Subs

20 Hart, 7 Berg Gudmundsson, 12 Brady, 14 Gibson, 23 Ward, 27 Vydra, 28 Long.