This is a fan’s personal view of AFC Bournemouth from the outside looking in. It reports on the daily official activities reported by the club and comments made by individual fans on social media and fanbase websites. Life as an AFCB fan is never dull. As a life-long supporter of the Cherries, it is the friendliness of the staff, fans and my enthusiasm for the club that inspired me to write this blog.
It was a reasonably comfortable time to start our journey to Villa Park with all of us jumping into the car for a 10 O'clock start from Redhill. The journey would mean weaving a path around the M25, but for once it was not too busy and we were soon on the M40 heading towards Birmingham. Robert and Stephen were keen on seeing another new ground and I also could not wait to see the Holt End to see if it was as impressive as everyone had been telling me. To our delight we found ourselves on the A38M Expressway by 12.30pm and had an excellent view of the red bricked stadium as we past it on the road. I knew there were a good many streets not far from the stadium where we could park up without annoying the local residents or having to shell out on parking fees, and we were in plenty of time to take a gentle stroll through Aston Park and to take in the local setting. We soon found ourselves walking along a pathway and down through a couple of subways before emerging at the the park gates and an avenue of trees that lined the way. Aston Hall was on our left and we took some time to learn a little about it before heading on down to the stadium.
Villa Park is a great place to walk about.
Aston Hall.
One of the Villa lions on the gates.
The first port of call was to find something to eat and the mobile burger vans looked perfect for a pit stop, but we wanted to have more of a look around first. While marvelling at the lions on top of the gates at the Holt End and then taking in the large red bricked walls, we could feel that the atmosphere was already building. We then started to walk down some steps to take in all sides of the ground from the outside. The Doug Ellis stand was next on our travels and we soon found lots of fans meandering up and down and rather a large amount of them were AFCB fans. We managed to keep to the pavement but as we reached the North stand and saw the line of Bournemouth coaches stacking up we thought we had better visit the club shop before the area was swamped with fans.
Stephen stands outside the Holt End terrace.
Not sure these big screens would quite fit in at Dean Court, but Eddie looks good on screen.
First though, I picked up a programme at one of the little seller booths. The programme seller said they had had Liverpool last week but felt that there were more FACB fans here today than Liverpool brought. He tried to offer me a bag with a couple of previous matches but I was only interested in the Villa v AFCB programme. The club shop looked very large from the outside but was no bigger than the AFCB shop when you got inside. The boys picked out a couple of their favourite items for sale like the flip flops and the dart board that you had to be 20ft tall to play on.
Do they have a beach in Aston? I think we could see
some AFCB flip flops in our shop next year.
I might have a problem retrieving a dart from double top!
Okay, history lesson. His name is William McGregor founder of
that little things called the Football League in 1888. You knew didn't you?
Our hunger was soon satisfied with a hot snack from one of the burger vans and we were all wondering how we could get one of the outside digital screens on the top of our car to take back to Dean Court. I started to look for people to interview when I was approached by a couple of eager AFCB fans who had seen me with the camera and asked me if I would speak to them on camera - that was a first. cherry Chimes is getting recognised too easily these days, which is nice. I also needed to talk to some Villa fans and while many of them felt a bit nervy I did speak to a great young lad called Roy who knew rather more than the adults around him.
It's nice to know we are in good company.
Aston Villa's crest.
Business was brisk at the club store.
Hello Fletch! Fancy meeting you here.
We had enough time to retrace our steps a bit and we bumped into Michael Dunne of All Departments along with two of my other friends, Damien Hill and Duncan Graham and their families. While we chatted away about the season so far and the match to come, it was not until 50 minutes before kick off that we made our way back to the Upper North stand. On the way we saw Steve Fletcher and Kelly Sommers with a multitude of young AFCB fans around them with the camera rolling.
Having climbed the couple of stairways to the vantage point of the stand we could take in the enormity of the pitch and the big screen. While the Villa mascots were busy at work there were only the keepers out on the pitch at first. It was also strange seeing 5800 AFCB fans already in place and yet hardly any Villa fans in the stadium. That situation soon changed though as the players were warming up and the atmosphere really started to build.
Looking down at the Holt End.
Super Fletch managed the stairs then.
AFCB start their warm up.
Aston Villa's players.
Villa try and make their big announcement.
Is everything bigger in the Premier League. Do the flags need to be that big?
The teams are lead out onto the pitch.
Bournemouth fans were going through the multitude of songs and the volume certainly rose when Aston villa tried to make their special announcement on the big screen that Fabien Delph had signed a 4.5 year contract and was going nowhere. I was listening to the commentators on BBC WM radio who were struggling to work out what was happening as they could not hear over the AFCB chanting. Radio isn't good when you don't know what to say, apart from aren't the opposition making a lot of noise! The noise got even louder when the teams came out and I felt it was like being at the Cup Final itself with the long walk to the half way line that both teams had to walk in two lines next to each other. With flags waving and hearts beating faster, it was good to see Tommy Elphick do his customary pre-match routine and before we knew it we were eyes down for 90 minutes of football.
A Villa mascot on the move.
Tommy Elphick on his run to the goal posts.
I suppose the game went pretty much as I expected with AFCB having some chances and Villa looking to swat our players like annoying flies buzzing around their box, while always looking to make a killer strike themselves at our end. At 0-0 at half time I felt that the Cherries more than deserved to be going in even and were perhaps a shade unlucky not to be ahead. Could I see Villa scoring? Not really. Sadly, the second half saw a different side of Aston Villa with Carles Gil moving out to the right wing and soon unleashing an unstoppable shot. If that wasn't bad enough the lead was doubled on 70 minutes and it looked like once again the big teams had too much for AFCB. The consolation goal that Callum Wilson did score was pleasing but annoying that it hadn't come sooner. I hope not too many of our fans missed AFCB's goal by leaving early. Villa had controlled the game well and deserved the win. What was a little disappointing was the lack of support from the Villa fans. It would have been more fun if they had sang during the game and got behind their team. They have a great new signing in Carles Gil and whether they like Lambert or not he had got them through a good FA Cup tie. I expect they were content enough though that they had won. Getting out of Villa Park was always going to be difficult with the road closures. Indeed, it took us the best part of an hour to get through the traffic jams and on to the open road, and when we did I got quite a warm feeling in seeing the 28 AFCB convoy of coaches being passed one by one. I think I was still overtaking the one leading the way at 6.40pm! I am sure that most AFCB fans had some good memories of the day even if the result was not what we wanted. I came away thinking, well there wasn't much between those two sides and had AFCB scored first it could have been a very different day. Ranti Watch Sadly the Africa Cup of Nations is over for South Africa and Tokelo Rantie after a 2-1 defeat to Ghana. TK came off on 70 minutes when the score was 1-0 to South Africa, but two goal in the last 20 minutes knocked Bafana Bafana out. We should see TK back at Dean Court soon.
The Villa game reminded me that the top teams really do break with quality. Both Villa goals came on the counter-attack and the speed and movement off the ball as well as the passing was fatal for AFCB on both occasions. Eddie Howe said that there were things that AFCB could have done better, but when on the counter Villa exposed the spaces really well and it is something that I feel AFCB have also done well on occasion this season.
Aston Villa scored with quality strikes.
You don't score 57 goals in a season and not have an ounce of quality about your forward play. AFCB were close to getting a breakthrough on more than a couple of times and it is always said that you need to take your chances. It is also a question of knowing when to try your luck though and sometimes it is the sheer audacity of attempting to try the near impossible that results in a goal. Carles Gil had no right to shoot and score from where he did. He probably would say it was no fluke, but how many times would he hit that shot and get a goal I wonder?
Callum got his own back on the complaining Shay Given with a last minute goal.
The balance between overplaying things and chancing your arm is sometimes an aspect of the game that the Cherries don't always excel in, but I am sure it is the way they are instructed to play. If Arsenal are also accused of the same thing then can we really complain? I don't think it is a case of trying to score the perfect goal in AFCB's case, but when the passing is as good as it was for AFCB's away goal against Norwich City this season, it makes the task of finishing the move much less testing. Against lesser opposition AFCB have been able to steal in a little easier and it is good to know that they have scored against top teams such as, West Brom and now Aston Villa this season. It's something they can take into their next encounter with a Premier League team. The players have more idea of what is required and that has to be of benefit, becasue they can also take that knowledge into the games against fellow Championship sides.
AFCB travelled in their numbers to Villa Park in the hope of a cup upset. Villa had been struggling to score and from what we saw up to half time they did not unduly hurt the Cherries who came in at half time all square at 0-0. It was all about the second half though and a wonder strike from Carles Gil, Villa's new signing from Valencia. He hit a superb cross shot into the top corner to put Villa one up on 51 minutes and the seven times cup champions just grew in strength with a second goal coming 19 minutes later on the break from a fast worked move with Alan Hutton providing the assist for Andreas Weimann.
AFCB line up with Villa.
Bournemouth had come close in the first half with a strong drive from Eunan O'Kane, and while Shay Given had certainly been worked it was not until the 91 minute that the Cherries finally had something to cheer about when Callum Wilson converted a close range chance from Ryan Fraser. It was sadly too late, but at least the Cherries looked like they could more than hold their own against Villa side that they will hope to play next season if the Cherries can win promotion from the Championship.
AFCB players wish each other luck.
Getting ready for the coin toss.
More pictures are on the Match Day Gallery. Eddie Howe made eight changes from the Cherries' last league game against Leeds Utd with only Tommy Elphick, Harry Arter and Steve Cook retaining their starting places. It was also good to see Elliott Ward on the bench.
AFCB went into the game knowing that the first goal would be massive with Villa proving goal shy at home and it wasn't long before Shaun MacDonald saw his deflected shot fly over from a cross from Ryan Fraser. It seemed that MacDonald was one of the main runners from midfield that would look to get past Yann Kermorgant when the French forward could hold up play. Harry Arter was partnering MacDonald in midfield and he had a shot that made Given swoop to his left after just eight minutes. Aston Villa showed that they knew where the goal was too though as Andreas Wiemann headed just wide of goal a minute later. The match was quite physical and Yann Kermorgant went down in the box with Clark in the vain hope of a penalty, but Mike Dean was giving nothing. AFCB's best move of the half came on 19 minutes when Stanislas, Arter and Cook kept possession before Ian Harte found Harry Arter who played a good through ball to MacDonald, who ran on to it well and rounded Shay Given, only for his weak shot to give Kieran Richardson enough time to clear the ball off the line. Aston Villa's main play maker and threat was Carles Gil who moved around the pitch as if he was a class ahead of everyone else on both sides. He demanded the ball and looked fully in control when ever he was on the ball and he made Villa tick.
Adam Smith also looked lively for AFCB and he went on a few string runs only to usually lose out when he tried one man too many. Fraser was also industrious on the wing but he was up against an experienced pro in Alan Hutton. We could see Villa's problems all too clearly in this first half though with Weimann and Cleverley shooting well wide. Lee Camp was hardly employed. Shay Given though was warming his hands fairly frequently as Eunan O'Kane raised the temperature with his powerful low drive on 32 minutes from outside the box, which had Given at full stretch making a save for a corner. Eunan also shot over after a second corner in a row as AFCB started to build up pressure. Villa were not doing any better with their corners as AFCB were quick to block and then try and exploit Ryan Fraser's pace on the break. It was Yann Kermorgant though who almost found his way clear through when Jores Kore made a clean rescue tackle in the box just before half time. Nil-nil at half time was no more than the Cherries deserved and there was no need to be anything but confident that the Cherries could get a result from this game.
The players are back after half time.
Roy Spencer looks forward to Aston Villa v AFCB.
Lee and Ben pre-match thoughts at Villa Park.
Second Half Aston Villa came out with much more purpose in the second 45 minutes. They had been lacklustre in front of goal and looked to change that straight away. They began by keeping possession well and Carles Gil had a great chance to open the scoring when Benteke drove across the box beating several AFCB players and then laying off the ball to Gil, who shot into the side netting in the 47th minute. He need not have been too despondent though as on 54 minutes he was fed a ball from Leandro Bacuna that forced him out to the right side, but Gil came inside Harte and angled his shot back across goal to find the top corner and Villa were one -up! Suddenly the whole game looked a much harder game for the Cherries. Villa started to pop the ball about with much more authority and the Cherries were struggling to get a clear sight of goal. Eddie Howe tried to change things up on 60 minutes as Simon Francis and Callum Wilson replaced Ian Harte and Yann Kermorgant. That saw Adam Smith switch to left back and Francis take up his customary right back role. Alan Hutton welcomed Wilson by flattening him and picking up a yellow card. AFCB were not holding on to possession for long enough and when they did it was only going from side to side and the penetration was lacking. Aston Villa were starting to look comfortable and that was made to look even more so on 71 minutes when the head bandaged O'Kane lost the ball and a break for Villa saw Bacuna play a ball down the line to Hutton, who slipped in Weimann who finished with a simple side foot past a diving Lee Camp into the bottom left corner. It was 2-0 and Villa had turned themselves from a team that never looked like scoring into a team that was finishing with panache. AFCB kept plugging away though and Junior Stanislas came close to getting on the end of an Adam Smith cross before he was subbed for Matt Ritchie to come on. Another great move involved Ryan Fraser slipping in Callum Wilson, but Kieran Richardson timed a last second tackle to only concede a corner when Wilson could so nearly have been in on goal. Carlos Gil came off to lots of applause and Ashley Westwood came on with two minutes to go. Shay Given was trying to waste all of that time by remonstrating with the referee that Callum Wilson was less than 10 yards away from his free kick, but it was obvious what the old pro was up to. Francis came the closest for AFCB in the final minutes of normal time as he blasted a shot into the side netting. Four minutes of extra time was not long to create anything and some had already made their way out of the exit gates, but Ryan Fraser had not given up and he found Ritchie who fed Smith and his low cross was met by Callum Wilson, who got there before Shay Given and Richardson, to steer it into the net from six yards out, 2-1. At least the Cherries had scored. Even then there was enough time left for Westwood to go through one-on-one with Lee Camp and Camp managed to get his fingers on the ball and make a save for a corner.
The last minute allowed Paul Lambert just enough time to put on Jack Grealish for Bacuna, but time was played out by one of the AFCB corner flags. The FA Cup was over for another year for the Cherries.
Summary I think Eddie Howe got exactly what he wanted from this game and so did Paul Lambert. yes, it would have been nice for AFCB to have a bit more of a cup run but it is not the real aim for this season. Getting all the squad players right for the rest of the league campaign is what is important now for the Cherries. The FA Cup was always going to be a bonus and a good test for some of the players to take on a strong Villa side. Lambert simply needed a win not matter what competition and his players delivered in the second half. Take Carles Gil out of their team though and they looked very ordinary.
Disappointment but AFCB are going well in the league.
