It is one thing to stay in the game with Man City and quite another to try and win it. Bournemouth haven't come closer than almost getting a draw against City and the history of the past few meeting is perhaps best forgotten, if Bournemouth are to achieve a point or more against the best team in the league.
Bournemouth have the speed of attack to cause City problems if they do play well on the counter, but City are well aware that is something they have to guard against. Where City dominate is in midfield and that is the area where I think AFCB have to try and get closer to City. If they can stem the flow of passes to the attackers then this will start to interrupt City's passing game. Somehow they have to ruffle players like de Bruyne, David Silva or whoever Guadiola puts in the middle.
Once City have manoeuvred players out of position they have the strikers to kill games off quickly. This game is all about positioning and keeping a good shape. High concentration and the alertness to strike when City believe they have you where they want you is the only game plan that I can see working. It may be the counter-attack is Bournemouth's best form of defence and if they do get set set-plays there is more of an aerial threat about the Cherries now with Billing, Aké, Simpson and Steve Cook all good targets to hit.
It's one thing looking at City's potential vulnerabilities and actually playing to AFCB's strengths on the pitch. But Bournemouth have been in the Premier League for five seasons at then end of this one, and it would be annoying if Man City are still the only team that they haven't taken at least a point off of. AFCB's players should see Sunday's game as an opportunity to try and achieve this.
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Can AFCB get this score after 90 minutes? |
Finding a solution is a puzzle that all the other managers in the Premier League are going to have to try and solve as well when they come up against Pep Guadiola. Eddie will not want to see a result like West Ham had on the first day of the season, so he'll not play too open and we may see less balls played out from the back if Man City play their high pressing game.
Bournemouth have the speed of attack to cause City problems if they do play well on the counter, but City are well aware that is something they have to guard against. Where City dominate is in midfield and that is the area where I think AFCB have to try and get closer to City. If they can stem the flow of passes to the attackers then this will start to interrupt City's passing game. Somehow they have to ruffle players like de Bruyne, David Silva or whoever Guadiola puts in the middle.
It's one thing looking at City's potential vulnerabilities and actually playing to AFCB's strengths on the pitch. But Bournemouth have been in the Premier League for five seasons at then end of this one, and it would be annoying if Man City are still the only team that they haven't taken at least a point off of. AFCB's players should see Sunday's game as an opportunity to try and achieve this.
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