Bournemouth got themselves pinned in under too much pressure

The game started off so well against Sheffield United. Bournemouth started as they had played against Aston Villa with players looking to win challenges and get in the ball. But the good work evaporated once Bournemouth had got a goal ahead.

AFCB let another three points slip away.

Eddie Howe will need to look at how the team reacts after it has either taken the lead or conceded in games. The players don't seem to be able to play at the same level once a goal has gone in at either end. The goal at Sheffield United should have boosted the team, but instead United just got stronger and stronger. The momentum in the game shifted and it is difficult to see why that was. Bournemouth needed to get a firmer grip of the game but they let it slip.

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Bournemouth seem to find it difficult to go through 90 minutes without conceding. Even when they played Brighton and Aston Villa and won the games, they conceded. There is a reason for this and Eddie Howe needs to work out why the players are incapable of getting more clean sheets. It is okay that the team has started to score goals again, but the teams that go down are those who can't keep clean sheets, and Bournemouth are falling into that category.

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It is a collective thing and not simply individual errors. The players have to want the clean sheet and do everything they can to make sure it happens. At the moment they are too reliant on Aaron Ramsdale coming up with a handful of miraculous saves every game. Simon Francis was great at making blocks, but the same determination has to be seen across the back line.

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Once Bournemouth got pinned in their own half against Sheffield United, there wasn't an out ball. Neither Junior Stanislas or Josh King got very far when trying to get the ball away from the defence, and it is going to take some work for Eddie Howe to get the team back to being a better counter-attacking side if that is how he wants to play against Burnley.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Poor defending costs Bournemouth against Sheffield United

Bournemouth need to get back to clean sheets

The goals have been accumulating for Bournemouth of late and not at the right end. Getting back to clean sheets is going to take some work and when you have the lowest goal scoring team coming to play at your home game it is as god a time as any to get a clean sheet.

AFCB will pick up points if they can start to get a few clean sheets.

StrataBet forecast that there will be over two goals in this game in fact the rating is 2.96 goals so perhaps a 2-1 outcome is a good likelihood? It's the conceding of goals that is concerning though. Bournemouth have given opposition teams 375 good chances to score this season and that is an average of 12.5 chances per game. On average StratBet says opposition teams have needed 7.98 chances to score one goal against the Cherries, so it is little surprise that clean sheets have been hard to come by.

But it's a game of two teams and looking at WBA's stats on StraBet we see that they have only created 265 chances this season in the Premier League and that is just 8.83 chances per game. On average it has taken WBA 10.6 chances to score one goal, so the omens are perhaps suggesting that AFCB could well get a clean sheet in this match.

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In terms of attack, AFCB have required 8.64 chances per game to score one goal and they have  311 chances from their 30 matches and that's 10.37 chances per game. Now I'm leaning towards a 1-0 home win!

Furthermore, WBA have conceded 364 chances this season at a  rate of 12.13 chances per game. On average opponents have scored after 8.09 chances in a game.

But before you decide that 1-0 is a good prediction, just reflect that Bournemouth last home clean sheet was on 18 November 2017. Bournemouth have not even had a clean sheet at home in 2018, even if they did manage one away to Chelsea.

It is also concerning that StataBet have an expected goal forecast of 1.44 for the Cherries and 1.51 for WBA. Are we in for a score draw?

Cherry Chimes' T-shirt Competition
Well, try your luck at predicting the correct score for this game and win yourself a Cherry Chimes T-Shirt. they are not available in any shop so your really do have a bit of unique Cherry Chimes' merchandise if you win. Just Tweet your score prediction to @CherryChimes

We will pick a winner out of the hat of there are more than one correct predictions.


1972 - do you remember?
Bournemouth University student Ed Fossey wants AFC Bournemouth's fans' views on what the name change from Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic FC to AFC Bournemouth in 1972 meant to you and how it affected how the club was perceived. You an contact Ed by emailing him at: ed.fossey@outlook.com


Ask Fans Preview AFCB v WBA

The Cherries were near the bottom for clean sheets

I've been looking at those stats again on the Football League website. It is always good to know where you club is compared to others in achieving its targets and there are some areas where improvements are clearly needed if AFCB are to reach a top six place next season. Among those areas has to be the number of clean sheets that are returned. Last season AFCB were placed in just equal 22nd place when it came to stopping opponents from scoring with only Birmingham and Barnsley recording fewer clean sheets. 

AFCB totalled 9 matches where they stopped the opposition from scoring. If the club is still letting in too many goals then perhaps the defence is an area where the Cherries will be wise to spend some cash this coming season. Some fans have said to me well who would you drop? Francis, Elphick, Cook and Daniels are perhaps the front line choices and even when they have all played AFCB have still let in a good number of goals. The style of Bournemouth's play is going to allow some teams to get in when the Cherries have pushed forward with their wing backs but I believe AFCB conceded even more goals from free kicks and corners. One individual cannot be singled out and it is how well the back five play together that counts as well as those in front of them.

While Elliot Ward, Ian Harte and Adam Smith are players that have been brought in to make the defence stronger it will be interesting to see if another big name can be attracted to the club. The one signing that has already made a huge difference is Lee Camp, but even Lee can't save the Cherries every time. 

As for the top of that clean sheet table, it may surprise you that Brighton were top on 20, while the strength of Burnley's defence is clearly see with their 19 clean sheets and Leicester (18), QPR  (17), while Middlesbrough are had 17. With AFCB having half as many clean sheets as these teams, perhaps the defence is the area where Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall can tighten up over the summer. 

World Cup Fever - plan ahead
World Cup fever is starting to set in now but are you fully prepared? If you are not sure where to go to see the game why not go down to De Vere's Urban Village Hotel in Bournemouth? The sponsors of Cherry Chimes have some World Cup big carnival days that they'd like to share with you, starting off this a special event for the World Cup opener.

Carnival Days
Thursday 12th June, First game of the tournament.

Brazil V Croatia
- Live DJ, Brazilian Carnival Dancers & children’s face painting.
- Entertainment commencing from 18.00, kick off at 21.00

Food service extension
- The Victory will be serving food until 22.00 for the entire duration of the world cup with the exception of England’s first game (Saturday 14th June) which will be until 23.00.

Download the complete game planner for the Victory pub and kitchen.
In addition, you can now join the World Cup Fantasy Mini League I have set up on McDonald's FIFA World Cup fantasy League. It is free to play. The league is called Chimes Fans which you can put in the search after you have built your squad. The website is found on this link - World Cup Fantasy League.