The words of Eddie Howe asking the players to remember how they got a result against Chelsea will not be forgotten. Bournemouth have been feeling rotten for weeks now and to get a result against a top six team should be a real boost to how the players feel about their game.
Playing Chelsea has certainly been good for Bournemouth. It might have been Howe's first win against Frank Lampard, but Chelsea are a strong side with some great young players that should have been too much for the Cherries. Nothing on paper pointed towards a Bournemouth victory. Still, the way the team went about their business in blocking Chelsea's attacks, it was the perfect way to make Chelsea doubt themselves and lose concentration enough for Bournemouth to score when they did get a chance.
It was pleasing though to see a Bournemouth team that could defend. Having the extra man in midfield really helped block the width of the pitch and while Chelsea did get down their right wing a fair bit, the crosses were well enough dealt with by Mepham and Francis when they did come in.
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| AFCB at Stamford Bridge. |
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What Bournemouth still need to do better is improve their shots on target count. With only Fraser's early shot and the goal troubling Kapa, Bournemouth created some good situations without being able to get a shot on target. It was more a case of stopping Chelsea, certainly in the first half. But when Bournemouth did counter-attack in the second half, there usually was one defender too many for King to get past. Some better passing in that final third would have opened the door sooner, but Eddie Howe will know the team needs work in that area.
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The side has a good way to play away from home now, but they'll need to be better in the final third at home against teams that sit in themselves at Dean Court.
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