Lewis Cook's time is coming

It doesn't take a lot to see that AFCB have some potential suspensions coming up in central midfield with both Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma on four yellow cards. The likelihood of them both avoiding a card against Man Utd, in the next game, is probably pretty low and this may give Eddie Howe the chance to give Lewis Cook another start.

Lewis Cook is likely to have a busy November.

Lewis didn't have an inspired game against Norwich City when he last played and Eddie decided to change things for the Watford match. The Billing and Lerma combination has been the most popular choice, so far this season, but there is going to be a time when it has to be given a rest. While Lerma missed the Norwich game, his energy and control is very much needed by the team and against Man Utd, I'd certainly not like to see him rested.

We haven't seen Lewis Cook and Lerma play together, so far this season, but it's the combination that I most want to see, and I expect I'm not alone there. Lewis Cook is great at picking out forward passes and Lerma is the general on the park who has fantastic positional play to stop attacks. For me they should compliment each other well, but Eddie has stuck with Philip Billing, as a more physical presence, and I wonder if he is going to be forced to rethink that, rather than doing it from a personal desire.

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Lewis has obviously got to come back gradually from his injury, but he hasn't been overly pressed so far. How quickly he does get up to speed is going to need Eddie Howe to trust and rely on him at some point. It could come as early as the next match, and if it does come then, I will be expecting Lewis to put in one of those special man of the match performances, as he tends to raise his game against the big teams.

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Eddie Had A Dream: A move to Portsmouth should have been the start of something big for Eddie Howe

There was little doubting that Eddie Howe was one of the star players in a Cherries' team that was bumping along in League Two in 2001-02. It wasn't long before other clubs were looking to see if they could take Eddie and play him at a higher level, and on 28 March 2002, Eddie Howe left AFC Bournemouth to join former AFC Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth FC. It should have been the transfer move that made Eddie Howe's career take-off, but the fact that it didn't turn out that way wasn't a opportunity to be wasted.

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Here is another extract from
Eddie Had A Dream
Chapter 4: Playershare power and Financial worries (2002-07).

Portsmouth came calling for Eddie Howe, after Harry Redknapp became Pompey’s manager. In March 2002 Eddie signed for Portsmouth on a three-year deal for £400,000. It should have been the making of the centre-back, but it turned out to be a frustrating period with Howe only making two appearances for Pompey, as he sustained a knee injury in his debut against Preston North End. Eddie was injured after 51 minutes of the game which Pompey lost 2-0. That would have been a crushing blow for any professional footballer, but Eddie is a man who considers and ponders his every move. For him, the period in rehabilitation gave him a chance to see how Harry Redknapp and Kevin Bond worked with players. Howe was once asked whether moving to Portsmouth had been a bad decision? It certainly wasn’t for Eddie in terms of personal development. He viewed it as a chance to learn from others and to find something that would add to his own makeup.

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Eddie made his comeback over a year later, on 10 August 2002, when Portsmouth played Nottingham Forest. The match was another devastating blow for Eddie, who lasted just nine minutes before his knee went again. It was only Eddie’s second game for Portsmouth and he would not play for them again.

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You can pick up your copy of Eddie Had A Dream on Amazon/Kindle as a £9.99 ebook or a £13.49 paperback.

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As of Saturday, after 11am - or late morning, local fans can also pop along to the In off the Far Post shop, at 901 Christchurch Road, Pokesdown, where Paul Orchard will be happy to sell you the first copies of the book that will be available locally.

I am rushing a delivery down to him and aim to be there by late morning, so - fingers crossed - he can sell some copies before and after the start of the match with Man United - do drop in and see him. He has some fantastic stock of AFC Bournemouth books and programmes and I used a lot of his information at the shop as reference for Eddie Had A Dream. You might even get a signed copy if you bump in to me!


ALSO DON'T MISS THIS! Jack Kitson at The Sack Race interviewed Cherry Chimes about Eddie Had A Dream and he has a competition give away - to read his interview and enter the free to enter competition - click this link to the Sack Race website.

Jumping on a few years from Eddie Howe's playing years, here is a video of the period when Eddie Howe left AFCB to join Burnley FC as their manager. 

Eddie Had a Dream: Chapter 8 Farewell to the Cherries 2010-11

Cherry Chimes Newsletter - out tomorrow!
Cherry Chimes' November Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month. It's out tomorrow, with special stories - Where will we be in another seven years and can we be pleased with the start of the season?

To sign up for the newsletter just complete the form below - like all good things it's free!

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When will AFCB hit top gear?

It has been hard to watch the Cherries of late. It is not that they haven't been trying, but they have looked nervous and fragile when they don't want to do the wrong thing. It may just be holding the players back. They need to play without fear and to really go at teams if they are to play at their best.

Bournemouth need to play without fear.

We have been waiting for the Cherries to hit top gear for a few weeks now. It's not been happening. I don't see it being down to any one player in particular, but as a team focus thing. Eddie may have switched the players minds to a more clean sheet mentality which previously been hard to come by. Now the team seems to have lost something going forward. There is a switch that needs to be flicked somewhere, but finding it is definitely eluding Eddie Howe at the moment.

I don't see the players getting the ball forward as quickly as we know they can and by slowing things down they tend to be less sure of their passing. It is when stretching the opposition that AFCB always play at their best. The speed of Fraser and Adam Smith was certainly there on Saturday against Watford, but they couldn't deliver the quality crosses to cause real mayhem in Watford's defence.

The way King delivered his cross for Danjuma's chance though may make Howe reconsider where Josh King plays next time. It was pin-point and getting the best out of Josh King is certainly needed to get AFCB firing.

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Callum Wilson cut a more puzzled figure to me when he was subbed for Dominic Solanke. He just hadn't seen as much ball as he would have liked and more importantly not in the areas where he could really do any damage to the opposition. I can't see Callum being dropped from a starting spot, but Eddie Howe must be running out of ideas as to what he can do to get the forwards in more of a goal scoring mood.

On other news, Jack Kitson at The Sack Race interviewed Cherry Chimes about Eddie Had A Dream and he has a competition give away - to read his interview and enter the free to enter competition - click this link to the Sack Race website.

Steve Cook - is he one of England's best defenders?

I gave Steve Cook man of the match at Watford. It was pretty much the full performance form him. He was firs to pretty much every tackle and the cross bar is probably still rattling at Vicarage Road after his high leap and header that beat Ben Foster, but not the framework of the goal.

Steve Cook is playing well again.

In the last month we have seen Tyrone Mings get his first England cap and yet Steve Cook is still being overlooked for a call up at national level. It may not bother Steve that much but if he keeps paying as he has since his return from injury, he will surely get that elusive opportunity one day to join the England squad. In a way the fact that Mings has made it should give hope to Steve that he can also get that recognition.

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The important thing for AFC Bournemouth fans though is that Steve keeps playing with the kind of authority that he showed at Watford. Steve never hides from a challenge and he enjoys coming up against top strikers. He didn't have Troy Deeney to battle with but he had the pacey Geard Deulofeu to keep tabs on, which he managed fairly well.

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The visit of Man United will be another challenge. Both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are looking to get Man United back on track and new signing Daniel James also looks a handful. So Steve Cook can't as for a much bigger test in the next game to try and keep the clean sheets going. If he manages it he might have more cause to hope that Gareth Southgate is starting to see that he is one of the best English defenders available to him.

Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!

AFCB's defence is gaining in confidence

While there have been problems with AFCB's last few games, the defence has to be pleased with just conceding one goal in their last three games. Keeping teams out is not usually Bournemouth's strong point, so it is good to see that finally we can see that this part of the team is finding a bit of form at the back.

Ake has been making a lo of clearances and blocks to keep back-to-back clean sheets.

Most pundits have put this down to the solid centre-half partnership between Steve Cook and Nathan Aké. However, while this is no doubt true to some extent, we have seen a remarkable rise in improvement in Diego Rico's game and Aaron Ramsdale has been sensational in goal. We mustn't forget that Adam Smith has also returned and has made the right side of defence far more solid.

There is no need for Howe to make any changes to his back four for the moment and Ramsdale is starting to look unbeatable. He did amazingly well to keep out shots from Pereyra and Hughes at Watford, and he is starting to make the really difficult saves look effortless. If he keeps this up, then the big teams will become rather interested in such a good young English keeper.

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Steve Cook has added much more organisation to the defence as well. He is not worried about taking responsibility for decisions and while he made not always get it right, the players around him seem to listen to him. I was really amused when Rico was told, in no uncertain terms, that he should buck up his ideas, by Steve Cook, after he tried an audacious back heeled pass in the box that saw Watford regain possession in a shooting position on the edge of the box.

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Aké is also winning the aerial battles and with Rico playing such a pivotal part for the team in supplying crosses and corners, it's hard to see how Lloyd Kelley is going to get many starts this season when he is back fit, while Rico is available.

Danjuma's first start could have been so much better

I wondered how Arnaut Danjuma felt when he stepped off the field on Saturday to be replaced by Harry Wilson. He had just completed his first start for his new club and knew that he could have been a match winner, if he had just reacted better, when Josh King had laid on an exquisite pass for him, across the box, that he would surely normally have knocked in.

Danjuma has o take his chances when in front of goal.

The day started brightly enough at Watford for Danjuma. He was perhaps criticised a little by Jason Tindall for not getting back and helping out Diego Rico enough, but Pererya was causing problems all afternoon for Bournemouth and all the players were wondering where he would pop up next.

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Once Danjuma had got his passing better, he did get into some great positions, and there was no better one than at the end of that first half, when he looked certain to score. It looked like he had made up his mind early to keep the shot low, as Foster came rushing out. It was a shame, as if he had lifted his head and just chipped the ball, he probably would have given AFCB a half-time lead.

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Eddie Had A Dream is the book all AFCB
fans should get hold of this Christmas!

Now he will look at this week wondering why he didn't do that. He will be fighting for his place again and he'll have to show some sharp shooting this week in training, if he is to retain his place. I have been pleased that Danjuma is making the right kind of runs and is creating space for himself to get shots away, but he just needs to find more accuracy and confidence that he is going to score.

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It's strange how confidence and surroundings can make such a difference. Look at Lys Mousset now,. He can't stop scoring for Sheffield United, but he's still the same player he was at Bournemouth. But having people believe in you makes a lot of difference.

Why have the goals dried up for AFCB?

I'd like to put my finger on exactly why AFCB have suddenly found scoring so hard to do. The team did change against Watford and Howe must have thought that Solanke needed to be taken out of the firing line. As it was, he was probably doing no worse than any of the other attacking players who struggled to really create clear enough chances that they could simply put away.

Callum Wilson cut a disappointed figure when he was subbed early.

I think Callum Wilson is perhaps seeking the ball too much and drifting out wide, because he is not getting the ball in the box, where he wants it. In a way it is good that he stretches the central defenders, but how many times do we see him regain the ball on the wing and have nobody to target in the middle because that is where he should be? Last season the connection between Fraser and Wilson was fantastic, but you hardly see them get a pass to each other now. Fraser was brought back into the team, but he played mainly on the right in the main and isn't having quite the impact we are used to seeing from him yet.

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The debate about where Josh King should play will probably go on and on. I'm not certain if he actually knows his best position, and yet I think he is best when he plays consistently in one position. All this switching can't be helping him. Eddie Howe must be praying that David Brooks is back soon, as he has that gift to do something special. It appears that Jordan Ibe is out of favour or must have a knock, as he is not getting in the squad at the moment. The options could be better for Howe, but he just has to try and get the team working better in front of goal.

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There will be a huge incentive next weekend with the visit of Man United. This will be a very good opportunity to get a result against one of the biggest names in football, and Bournemouth could even start favourites at home with their home record.

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Are AFCB the new draw specialists?

It hasn't been a highly memorable month in October for the Cherries. The two goalless draws against Norwich and Watford have slowed the momentum after the great wins against Everton and Southampton, and yet the Cherries are still sitting in the top 10.

AFCB are finding it difficult to turn clean sheets into wins.

All the clubs are finding points hard to come by, if they are not in the top six. While Bournemouth are struggling to find form, that can also be said for clubs like Everton, Man Utd, Spurs and Watford who have traditionally finished higher than AFCB. The annoying thing about the two recent draws AFCB have had is that they have had chances to win those games. The goal have dried up at both ends and while that is good from the defence, AFCB are lacking something in the final third.

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How Bournemouth could do with David Brooks returning. We may have to wait a bit longer yet. But not being able to beat the bottom team was perhaps a blow for the team. You could hear it in Adam Smith's post match interview, he expected better. The conditions at Vicarage Road were not conducive for great football and neither team was unable to get a real grip of the game, so I don't think a draw was unfair.

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If we had seen a goal at Watford, then it probably would have opened up and it is getting that early first goal where AFCB have not been making progress. Bournemouth have either failed to score or scored second in their last four games. You have to go back to the Southampton win in September to find a game where Bournemouth got the early goal. If the team can start to improve in that area then perhaps they can start getting more then a point in a game.

Bournemouth held by lowly Watford 0-0

Match Description

Watford 0 v 0 AFCB

16 October 2019

Attendance: 20,821

A miserable day at Watford.

Bournemouth failed to score for their third match in a row. Away at the bottom team they had their chances but a miss from Danjuma on his first start was the closest Bournemouth got. Steve Cook and Harry Wilson also hit the woodwork, but Bournemouth were sluggish in possession and had Aaron Ramsdale and Steve Cook, especially, to thank for the clean sheet.

AFC Bournemouth made a couple of changes with Danjuma, King and Lerma coming into the starting 11 and Solanke, Harry Wilson and Lewis Cook making way for them. The changes meant that Josh King could play up front with Callum Wilson and Bournemouth looked to get back to goal scoring against a side that were bottom of the league.

Watford also made some changes with Danny Wellbeck injured and Holebas was also dropped. In came Masina and Deulofeu.

Bournemouth had a strange kit mixture with the home shirt and white socks and shorts. Good start by Watford down the right  Deulofeu crossed, Ramsdale pushed the ball away and Doucouré smashed it over. An early let off!

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Fraser finds Lerma on the left and he hits a shot that curls wide from outside the box. Deulofeu is causing problems down the right, but Adam Smith heads out for a corner. The ball hits the post from the corner and Steve Cook makes the block on Dawson.

King is fouled and Bournemouth have a free kick. It's not a good free kick from Fraser. Bournemouth are looking slack in midfield and are loosing the ball frequently. Ramsdale has to come out fast to clear.

Roberto Pereyra has a run down the left, but his shot is comfortable for Ramsdale. Steve Cook is in with another good tackle on Pereyra. 10 minutes gone and Cleverley is subbed for Will Hughes.

Bournemouth are patiently playing out from the back, but are not making much progress. Billing then launches a massive diagonal for Danjuma. Adam Smith is pleased to see a Bournemouth corner. A header comes in from Steve Cook and it rattles the bar! 15 minutes gone.

Rico does well to block Janmaat's cross. Wilson gets Fraser in behind and Bournemouth win another corner. Bournemouth are showing signs of improvement. It will be another corner. Watford clear this time.

Adam Smith gets away with a handball in open play. Adam Smith is getting forward. Callum Wilson has lost the ball though. Ramsdale does well to take a high ball on 21 minutes. Danjuma back to Billing and the shot is pushed around the post -corner. Fraser and Wilson just wide going for the top corner. Foster got a hand to it and Wilson had controlled the ball with his arm.

Adam Smith has taken a knock to his head with Doucouré. Now Smudge looks like a Ninja with a black headband - very fetching. King goes running down the middle, but Wilson runs into a defender.

Desperate defending from the Cherries with Janmaat in behind. Adam Smith gets the vital block in. Lerma is bustled over by Deulofeu. Good free-kick area on the half hour. Rico is going to hit it and  it's over off the wall - corner. The header is out to Rico and the swinging left foot is saved well to Foster's left. A great half volley from Rico.

King is away but Watford get back. Billing has lost the ball and Rico is a bit made with a back heel across the box, but Aké clears. Steve Cook is not very happy with Rico. Steve Cook and Adam Smith just make a clearance with Deulofeu getting close.

Rico does well to block and the yellow card is out for Dawson for a foul on Callum Wilson. Foster punches the free kick away.

Foster comes out and takes King out as well. Nasty fall the ball was cleared first but King had nowhere to go. King is down the right and makes a great cross Danjuma can't score from seven yards out! Great save by Foster, but Danjuma should have scored!

Billing has gone down injured. Three minutes of added time. Fraser can't get round Cathcart. Half-time 0-0. Bournemouth have had loads of chances but they really need to fall to Wilson or King.

AFCB possession 59%, Seven shots, 3 on target
Watford  possession 41%, 3 Shots, one on target

No goals, but a lively game.

Second half
Watford get the first shot from Masina and deflected Ramsdale saves it. Deulofeu gets Steve Cook turning inside and out and he shoots. Ramsdale saves with his body arms spread for a corner. Great save.

Bournemouth need to get going this half. Lerma gets back well to cut out a Hornet attack. Watford are given a free kick but the ball was smashed against him - never a free kick. Ramsdale catches it well.

Rico makes a mistake, but the rest of the defence cover. Adam Smith inserts a bit of pace. Lovely touch by Danjuma round the corner. Fraser has a rare shot blocked by Dawson.

Adam Smith has been robbed.  André Gray is coming on for Watford and Chalobah has been subbed on 57 minutes.

Bournemouth have a corner. Fraser crosses but Foster catches. Harry Wilson is getting ready to come on and Danjuma is subbed on 61 minutes.

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Josh King is getting toppled again. Gray has forced a corner off of Steve Cook. There is a yellow card to Callum Wilson for a body check I think perhaps on Doucouré.

Poor touch from Callum Wilson on the break. Ramsdale is out quick at Aké's feet with Gray closing. Doucouré blasts a shot high and wide.

Harry Wilson down the middle out to King on the left and King hits a tame shot at the keeper! Yellow card for Rico on Hughes. It was the follow through and that was perhaps unfortunate for Rico.

Watford sub Masina for Foulquier. Dominic Solanke is replacing Callum Wilson on 74 minutes. Hughes goes for goal and Ramsdale saves wonderfully down to his left!

Fraser on the break gets a corner. Deulofeu has been booked. Just 12 minutes to go. Fraser to Lerma and his shot is blocked. Solanke and Rico do no better. Billing is carded for a foul on Pereyra.

Across the box but André Gray can't get there. Smith into Harry Wilson and King can't get there in time. Bournemouth have a corner. Billing goes for the header and Harry Wilson is blocked. Lerma and a free kick for the Cherries.

Harry Wilson takes the kick. Over the wall and pass the post! Just glanced the woodwork. Hughes tackles Harry Wilson unfairly.

Billing and the keeper gets it. King on half way and Adam Smith is fouled by Pereyra - he's finally carded, 89 minutes gone. Too strong from Rico it's out of play.

Added time goes up for three minutes. Solanke and Fraser can't get hold of the ball. Steve Cook makes a header clear and Billing. The break is on, Fraser and, on his left, Foster saves. it's a corner.

Headed away by Dawson. Deulofeu and Hughes has run offside. That was a let off. That's it 0-0.

Somebody was happy with a point.

Summary
The conditions did help matters but either side could have won this one and the biggest positive for Howe is a clean sheet. Bournemouth have gone three now without scoring which is not like them, and it was sad to see Callum Wilson not go the 90 minutes. Steve Cook's header that hit the bar, Danjuma's shot that didn't go in from the six yard box, Rico's volley and Harry Wilson's free kick - there were plenty of chances to score.  Watford had chances too, but away to the bottom team Bournemouth will be perhaps thinking this is two points dropped.


AFCB possession 60%, 15 shots, 5 on target
Watford possession 40%, 7 Shots, 3 on target

AFCB Line-up

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Francis, Kelly, Mepham, L Cook, H Wilson, Solanke

AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 8, A Smith 6, S Cook 8, Aké 7, Rico 7, Danjuma 6, Lerma 6, Billing 6, Fraser 6, C Wilson 6, King 6

Cherry Chimes Mom: Steve Cook

Cherry Chimes T-shirt winner - Matt Adams @SeaScalpel

Ref Watch: Mike Dean 4/10 - Not sure Rico deserved a yellow card and Pereyra got away with lots of fouling before he finally got booked in the 89th minute.

Watford
Foster, Dawson, Cathcart, Kabasele, Janmaat, Cleverley (Hughes 10), Chalobah (Gray 57), Doucouré, Masina (Foulquier 73), Deulofeu, Pereyra

Watford Subs
Gomes, Prödl, Mariappa, Gray, Hughes, Quina, Foulquier

Watford rock bottom but they are still Hornets

AFC Bournemouth travel to Watford knowing that they can boost their table position with a good performance. But we know that the Cherries have often not performed in similar games when they are up against sides that are struggling. As Watford have not won a game this season, you can already see the likely disappointment on our fans' faces if AFCB come away with nothing from Vicarage Road.

Watford have been out of sorts this season. Let's hope that continues this weekend.

Watford are perhaps not as poor a team as many would like to think. Yes, they have not win a game, but that will make them more determined than ever to start picking up points and they are in front of their own home fans. They will believe this can be their new start and they will feel they are well overdue a win.

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Watford have been performing better with their 1-1 draw away at Tottenham last week - a game they probably should have won and last time at home they got a draw against Sheffield United. While Troy Deeney probably won't be available to Watford for this game and Danny Welbeck lasted 60 seconds against Spurs last week, before he had to come off injured, Watford still have good players. Quique Sanchez Flores may well turn to Deulofeu and Andre Gray, because he needs someone to stick the ball in the net with Watford only scoring five goals in nine games.

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It is at the other end where Watford have also had a shocker, conceding 21 goals from those nine matches - equal worst with Norwich City - well, before last night's Southampton fiasco!  Watford have a familiar back line Flores can chose from - Cathcart, Dawson, Janmaat, Kabasele and Holebaas. But they have not been working well as a unit and we will see if AFCB re-find their cutting edge in this match.

Possible AFCB Line-up

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Francis, Stacey, L Cook, Ibe, H Wilson, Solanke

Watford Home Form
LLDD

AFCB Away Form
WLWL

Premier Talk - Saints 0-9 Leicester - hold back that laughter!

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