While looking back at games in 2019-20 it is not clear when exactly Bournemouth fans thought that it was going to be a difficult season, but games like those at home against Burnley really left even the most optimistic of fans cursing Bournemouth's bad luck. Having come off an away win against Chelsea, the feeling was that Eddie Howe was now getting an extra amount of effort out of his players. However, the upcoming defeat against Burnley made it abundantly clear that Bournemouth would be fighting relegation in 2020
While analysing the Burnley stats pre-match, it was clear that they had scored more goals than Bournemouth with 22 to the Cherries’ 19 goals from 17 games. Burnley also sat two places higher in 12th, so we couldn’t expect anything but a tough, physical game. Just what you need when you have a team that is already patched up and stretched for available players.
The rain greeted fans to Dean Court on match day. There was plenty of Christmas cheer about on 21 December with AFCB Santa hats being given out and a festive MatchDay programme. Spirits didn’t remain high for long though. It was a turgid first half with no shots on target, and it was incident-packed with free kicks. Simon Francis picked up a head injury from Ashley Barnes’ boot and Ryan Fraser was left face down, looking at the turf on more than one occasion.
Bournemouth fans were annoyed at the referee, Martin Atkinson, who didn’t want to use his yellow cards at first. But more animosity was saved for Ashley Barnes when he went down in the penalty box, before a corner. Philip Billing had swung around but hadn’t touched him. The home crowd yelled, ‘You are embarrassing!’ to Barnes for the rest of the game until he was subbed. The game was so bad, there were also chants to the Burnley fans of ‘How can you watch this every week?’
Burnley had come to make it as physically demanding as they could on Howe’s injury ravished team. But Bournemouth couldn’t create any chances. They defended well at the back for 88 minutes and then, a minute later, a cross found its way to substitute Jay Rodriguez who headed a winner. Burnley had done it again, spoilt Christmas and taken all three points!
It was left to a disappointed Howe to speak to the cameras and utter his dismay at how a team that he prides on its attacking desire couldn’t manage a single shot on target. He admitted that the players had switched off in the last few minutes when Burnley had scored but felt the defence had otherwise dealt with the Burnley attacks well.
If the team had lacked creativity, Dominic Solanke and Callum Wilson hadn’t made much difference second half. I was more surprised that Howe hadn’t used Junior Stanislas who was also sitting on the bench. I wrote on Cherry Chimes, ‘He was just what Bournemouth needed - fresh legs, creativity and a real goal threat. But Howe chose not to play him. Whether he wanted to protect him or didn't feel it was the right match for him, I'm not sure. But when the team lacks creativity, why leave one of the most creative players in the squad on the bench?
I was also of the feeling that Bournemouth had not played their own game against Burnley. They had got tangled up in the physical battle and hadn’t stuck to their game by getting the ball down and getting their quick passing going.
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