As one of the most difficult games of the season coming up, I guess Eddie Howe won't get much sleep this week. He will be pondering that question of what is best to do against Manchester City and how should he set up his team to be most effective.
In recent meeting Eddie has gone fairly defensive, even in home games against the Champions with five at the back. But when he played that way with wing backs against Sheffield United, it didn't quite work. Even last season when Bournemouth tried to frustrate Man City, in what was a fairly negative approach, they couldn't keep them form scoring. A one-nil defeat was better than a beating perhaps, but a defeat is a defeat.
The one constant in these matches against Man City in the last couple of games has been Jack Simpson. We haven't seen Jack play or be involved in the first two games, but that hasn't stopped Eddie Howe from throwing him in for such an occasion before. If he sees Jack as one of the best out and out defenders it is strange he doesn't play him more often. Perhaps it's Simpson's threat from corners that Eddie likes to have for the City games in an attacking sense?
Either Jack Simpson or Chris Mepham will play though if Eddie goes five at the back. It will be a different game to the Sheffield United match when the crowd will understand that AFCB are likely to have less possession than City. A five-man back line will help nullify the width of the City attack and stop them getting down the sides so easily. Howe has to try and stop the runs of Sterling as best he can, and while it might be negative to block, even a point in this game would be a good return.
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| Chris Mepham will look to get his second start of the season. |
The one constant in these matches against Man City in the last couple of games has been Jack Simpson. We haven't seen Jack play or be involved in the first two games, but that hasn't stopped Eddie Howe from throwing him in for such an occasion before. If he sees Jack as one of the best out and out defenders it is strange he doesn't play him more often. Perhaps it's Simpson's threat from corners that Eddie likes to have for the City games in an attacking sense?
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Then there is Chris Mepham who scored against Sheffield United and was rewarded with a spot on the bench for the game against Aston Villa. Eddie certainly picks teams for the game situation that he feels is best and if that means resting a man of the match form the game before, it is done. So Mepham might not be confident of making it back into the side for a while, if he doesn't get picked for the Man City game.
Either Jack Simpson or Chris Mepham will play though if Eddie goes five at the back. It will be a different game to the Sheffield United match when the crowd will understand that AFCB are likely to have less possession than City. A five-man back line will help nullify the width of the City attack and stop them getting down the sides so easily. Howe has to try and stop the runs of Sterling as best he can, and while it might be negative to block, even a point in this game would be a good return.
If you had five at the back, would you want your wingbacks to be Smith and Daniels? Or would you try and fit H. Wilson in at right wingback to help him get into the game? I did not like the 3-4-3 that he used against Sheffield as we clearly need a Brooks/H. Wilson (Used to be Stanislas) type on the right.
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