Bournemouth still lack game management

The performance against Middlesbrough was workmanlike from Bournemouth without being near the spectacular heights of their pre-season form against West Ham when Lewis Cook, Jack Simpson, Junior Stanislas and Diego Rico were involved from the start. Against Middlesbrough, there was a slowness to get going and even when they had the lead it was difficult for Bournemouth to make the most of the couple of clear cut chances they created. The real failing of the game though was to be unable to hold out and to manage the game to the finish with a clean sheet.

Scoring first is ow happening but holding on to leads is now proving a challenge. 

Four points from two games is still great form for a team in transition. It is easy to be picky and Jason Tndal is perhaps learning that this side doesn't find it easy to hold on to a one-nil lead yet. I think we have to look at who was on the pitch at the time of Middlesbrough's goal and the players that had been brought on to close out the game as a first point. Billing and Rico had both come on after 70 minutes so Danjum and Stacey could be rested. The goal came from a throw-in and players were not picked up quickly on the left side, which looks like it was Billing's job, but even then the cross was delivered with ease and Bournemouth were outnumbered at the far post when the ball swung in.

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Holding shape and watching player movements is something that Tindall just has to drill into his team. We saw it done so well with Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace and at times Bournemouth needs to be as miserly as Palace are at the back. I am not sure if it is Bournemouth's way of coaching or the players that they have, but defensively they still switch off and it is usually at crucial moments of the game like the last 10 minutes.

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So Bournemouth now need to try and grow from this and learn the lesson. We know they can be an all guns blazing, attacking side under Tindall. They now need to develop a stingy side if they are going to be a force in the Championship. There are enough experienced players at the club to see out games. JT has to get his subs right though and see who is less likely to make mistakes in tight matches like the Middlesbrough game. Some times attack is the best form of defence and without King and Stanislas, JT wasn't positive enough to pick Lewis Cook take the game to Middlesbrough.

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