AFCB crash at Brighton 2-0

Match Report

Brighton & Hove Albion  2 v 0 AFCB

28 December 2019

Attendance: 30,441

Bournemouth have become awful. Where do we go from here?

Brighton got the best start they could hope for with Alireza Jahanbakhsh snatching a third minute goal, his first for Brighton. Bournemouth always looked a man short in midfield and were not creating clear chances, even if they did get King and Stacey in behind on occasion. Bournemouth had to change it, but there were no changes from Eddie Howe at half-time. It needed a disallowed goal from Burn to get Eddie to make a change. With VAR coming to Bournemouth's aid, a double substitution of Fraser and Callum Wilson was Bournemouth's attempt to get back in the game. But it didn't happen for Bournemouth, Aaron Mooy compounded the misery with a second goal to see Brighton win comfortably 2-0.

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Bournemouth made five changes for the game. In came Junior Stanislas, Dominic Solanke, Diego Rico, Harry Wilson and Philip Billing. Out went Lewis Cook, Callum Wilson, Jack Simpson, Ryan Fraser and Jefferson Lerma. To me Bournemouth always look a weaker team without Jefferson Lerma, but the team selection also showed Callum Wilson is no longer undroppable, even when his replacement has never scored in the league for AFCB. Was Eddie clutching at straws or did he know something we didn't?

Match description Brighton won the first corner and King breaks away. On the counter Maupay pulls it back to  Jahanbakhsh who has fired Brighton into the lead on three minutes.

Brighton have a second corner. Ramsdale doesn't get it and has to push a shot from Jahanbakhsh behind. Josh King with a great chance but the keeper saves low to his left.

Billing does well to win possession. Maupay fires wide from just outside the box on 10 minutes. Maupay again picks the ball up in space and shoots wide. It's all Brighton.

Stanislas over hits a pass to Harry Wilson. Stanislas works back to get a tackle in. Rico concedes a free kick. Ramsdale punches.

Another corner to Brighton. Dunk wins the header but its easy for Ramsdale.

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Some 20 minutes gone and Bournemouth haven't strung many passes together yet. Gosling has won a free kick. Billing loses control and Steve Cook is booked for fouling Maupay.

Bournemouth have another free kick and Gosling is caught. Solanke can't turn to get a shot in. Stacey wins a corner. King battles to win possession but has fouled.

Bournemouth are being pressed at the back. Rico gives the ball away. Mooy wins a corner off Mepham. Jahanbakhsh shoots over.

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Solanke has a shot blocked very central. Another corner to Brighton, after Ramsdale had to come out. Bournemouth look disorganised. Gosling gets the ball away.

King on the break finds Harry Wilson but it's blocked. King gets in behind and Dunk concedes the corner. Steve Cook volley's over from the corner.

Stacey to Stanislas who can't get his shot away. Stacey across to Stanislas and it's deflected to the keeper. Stacey runs in behind but his shot is wild. Maupay can't beat his man after Brighton try a long ball.

Mooy to Jahanbakhsh who is blocked. Just one minute of added time. This has been a poor half by Bournemouth. Brighton have overrun them in midfield and they have the goal lead.

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Second half
Rico wins a free kick in his own half. Burn fouls Harry Wilson. King now fouls Duffy.

Maupay ribs Steve Cook of the ball on half way and Gosling has to chase back. Brighton win the free kick though. Ramdale has to claim from Jahanbakhsh's cross. Gosling catches Pröpper.

Great run through by Harry Wilson, Solanke and he's down in the box, but no penalty - Dunk got across. Free kick to Brighton and the ball is bouncing around in Bournemouth's box, Burn has hammered it in 2-0. Three  or four attempts by Billing and Steve Cook to clear and they didn't do it well enough, 58 minutes gone.

VAR is checking offside. Burn's arm looks offside from the initial free kick. It's disallowed, the score remains at 1-0.

AFCB are subbing two players for Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser to come on. Harry Wilson and Stanislas make way.

A shot goes wide from Mooy with Ramsdale stretching. Bissouma shoots and it's come off the right post. Another cross and it goes out for a goal kick.

Mooy makes some space for a shot but it's high over the bar. Billing gets a yellow card for taking out  Jahanbakhsh on half-way.

Bournemouth have 20 minutes to get something from the game. King is subbed for Lewis Cook on 73 minutes. Brighton have a corner. Stacey has a hamstring problem. VAR check on handball not given.

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Trossard on the left into Mooy who makes it 2-0 on 78 minutes. He fired it into the back right corner having beaten Mepham.

Stacey is coming off, down to 10 men. Lewis Cook hits a shot well over. Fraser has gone to right back. Ramsdale saves well from Maupay who was looking for a third.

A double substitution for Brighton Maupay and Mooy come off. Stevens and Alzate come on after 83 minutes. Fraser to Callum Wilson who is quickly blocked.

Solanke goes for goal but is blocked. Glenn Murray is coming on for Bissouma on 88 minutes.

Billing has to head out for a corner. Three minutes of added time. Ramsdale saves from Murray's header.

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Summary
Bournemouth are relegation contenders. The passing is not good enough, there is no bite in midfield without Lerma and the forwards are not even looking to score. Eddie Howe has to get into these players now and grab their attention or it will be all over. We could be seeing the demise of AFCB if they keep these lacklustre performances going against the teams in the lower half. The body language is all wrong and Eddie needs to find some answers asap. It's even worse news that Stacey and King are now joining the long list of those that are injured.

AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 3, Stacey 4, S Cook 3, Mepham 3,  Rico 4, Stanislas 3, Gosling 3, Billing 2,
H Wilson 3, King 3, Solanke 3

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Simpson, Surman, Lerma, L Cook, Fraser, C Wilson

Cherry Chimes MoM: None of them!

Ref Watch: Paul Tierney 8/10 had a clean game.

Brighton
1 Ryan, 22 Montoya, 5 Dunk, 4 Duffy, 33 Burn, 24 Pröpper, 8 Bissouma, (Murray88), 18 Mooy (Stephens 84), 16 Jahanbakhsh (Alzate 84), 7 Maupay, 11 Trossard

Brighton Subs27 Button, 6 Stephens, 13 Groß, 15 Webster, 17 Murray, 30 Bernardo, 46Alzate