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's the same old story. AFCB play well, get the early goal and then concede late on and don't get the three points we had hoped for at home. It is annoying when it happens and it doesn't get any better when it keeps happening, but having done so well this season it is becoming harder to accept when AFCB are in such a great position, and may only find that a couple of points either way mean the difference between an automatic promotion place and maybe even missing out altogether from the play-offs. At the moment the goals are continuing to go in against the back four and the clean sheets seem a distant thing, although it was only when the team played Watford that the team did manage to prevent an opponent from scoring against them, albeit that Watford played with 10 men. The crazy thing is that as Steve Cook has said, the goals that are being scored against them are not even good goals. Most have been scrappy affairs, such as James Vaughan's toe poked, redirected shot, off a wayward effort from Jack Robinson. There was more finesse about Darren Bent's equaliser for Derby a few days earlier, but in that game the Ram's first goal from Tom Ince saw a goal develop from a routine, hopeful punt up the wing that should have been dealt with.
Artur Boruc has struggled to keep clean sheets of late.
Artur Boruc must be wondering what has been happening to his proud record of keeping clean sheets as it was all to easy when he first came to AFCB. The Polish shot stopper has not been that busy in games, but when he has been called upon the ball has usually passed him of late which is something that he'll be working on in training as he'll not want to lose his place in the side. We did see some much better distribution in the Huddersfield match from him and that did give the team a better platform than of late to build confidently from the back. With the games coming thick and fast, Eddie Howe has to look very carefully now at what is happening at the back and if Elliot Ward needs to get some minutes and I think it is clearly essential that Simon Francis plays in every remaining game now. The team does not have the same power going forward without him. I advise you all to visit the official AFCB site if you have not already read through the article on the General Supporter Focus Group as there is some great information on there from news on tickets for away matches, ground expansion plans and Matchday programmes and plenty more besides!
I could see Elliott Ward doing some pretty full on warm up runs along the touch line on Tuesday night with a bit of a transgression onto the pitch in front of the family stand. He may be keen to stretch his legs on the Goldsands' turf, but Eddie Howe does not often make many changes to a team that has not been defeated for a while.
Can Elliott Ward add more solidity to the defence?
The match against Derby brought into focus the form of Steve Cook who was arguably at fault for both goals that the Rams scored. It is often his way to try and keep the ball in play when being chased down by a striker and the first goal really could have been avoided, had he decided to take no chances against Darren Bent and deposited the ball in the East stand rather than try and find Artur Boruc with a risky back pass. Still, these things happen and a simple slip, under pressure from Bent, saw him unable to do anything about Bent's cross for Tom Ince to score. Darren Bent also rounded Steve in the box for the second goal and the experience of the on loan Villa striker was not going to make him miss such an opportunity once he had nipped in front and turned his man.
Elliott Ward could get a chance to start if he can
show that he is safe and assured in his passing at the back.
While it was disappointing to drop two points at home, Bent is the kind of striker that it is good for our back four to play against as it is up just another level again on what they have become accustomed to in the Championship. As long as Cook takes on board what he might have done better then it can make him a better player, and even before that the team might look at why did Cook have to come out to the left and cover? Charlie Daniels must have been caught out up field, but that takes nothing away from a great finish by Tom Ince.
Steve Cook will be looking to put a good performance
in if he gets the chance against Huddersfield.
The decision on when to rest one of a central pair of defenders is not a point that you can take lightly though. Steve has also saved many goals that looked nailed on against AFCB this season. Whether Ward is given an opportunity at home against a team lower down in the table and struggling for form could be a key decision. If Eddie decides not to play Ward then you would think Ward is going to have to wait for an injury or a serious defeat before his name appears on that starting 11, and I think Cook and Elphick's performances as a whole mean that they are likely to keep the shirts for the moment.
Steve McClaren might like to play a few mind games, but Derby are not in the Premier League yet. His post-match comments were met by a bit of disbelief by AFCB fans. Derby had a good amount of the game and did enough to get a draw, but they easily could have gone behind further at times when they were 2-1 down. Instead McClaren's 'magnificant' players will have to do with a draw as they could not roll over an AFCB side that were suggestively 'hanging on'.
Indeed you never deserved to lose that game - actually Steve you didn't lose it!
Derby's expensive side may come up
short in the long run, despite their larger budget.
AFCB proved to be no push overs.
Small words here and there from managers will niggle supporters from time to time and I'd rather look at the game as a whole and consider that it was another good advert for Championship football. These two sides are surely among the best Championship sides and Derby should be pleased enough that they have taken four points from the two matches with AFCB, although that is perhaps not what McClaren thought he was owed having splashed out in January to boost his squad with big name signings. Still, Tom Ince and Darren Bent scored so perhaps it will be money well spent. Pleasingly for AFCB fans though two matches don't make a season and if AFCB were hanging on in this match it will be interesting to see who is adjudged to have been hanging on when we come to May. This league is so tight and the margins so thin that I don't see any team lacking in spirit or fight and Derby and AFCB will be right there at the end. Derby did have a good second half at Dean Court and they had periods of the game when their power and control was very evident. They did edge the amount of shots on and off target, but I thought it was a fairly even contest with both sides giving a good account of themselves. Eddie Howe did suggest that like the Watford match the Cherries did not start as sharply as they might and getting into that good early tempo again is something that I think he will try and get back for the match against Huddersfield on Saturday.
Honours were even in this crunch top of the table match, but AFCB slip to second in the Championship as a result of Middlesbrough winning late on 1-2 at Blackpool. Built up as the biggest match of the season for the Cherries, it was quite a nervy start with passes going astray and Derby pressing high up the pitch that put the Cherries out of their stride. Matt Ritchie opened up the scoring though on 12 minutes with a beautifully worked goal. While Chris Martin had departed with a pulled hamstring, Derby were not shy at having shots at goal and on half an hour the Rams equalised through Tom Ince's drive from just inside the box. Yet, when Callum Wilson broke free on 44 minutes to put the Cherries back ahead it looked like AFCB would extend their lead at the top of the table. However, a second half rescue strike by Darren Bent brought the scores level again and you get the feeling that this battle is going all the way to the end of the season.
Terry and Andy give their pre-match Derby views.
Derby fans brought their large flag again - always good to see.
The lights were on at Dean Court.
Eddie Howe did not make any changes to the starting 11, but Junior Stanislas came back into the 18 as Rantie was absent from the bench. More pictures will be put up on Match Day Gallery later tonight.
Derby players just before kick off.
AFCB player prepare for the start.
AFCB knew this would be one of the hardest games of the season and Derby came out of the blocks meaning business and hounding the AFCB players into several early mistakes. Artur Boruc for the second home match in a row could not get his kicking right and Will Hughes and Jeff Hendick were cutting out passes well and retaining possession for Derby. Tom Ince took a pot shot from distance but it went straight to Artur Boruc. While Boruc was having problems with his kicking, at the other end Lee Grant had trouble knowing where his penalty box ended and handled outside the box having dropped the ball when trying to clear his area. He escaped without any punishment expect for a free kick, but was spared his blushes when Kermorgant shot over.
Derby were less fortunate a few moments later when AFCB attacked down the right and Callum Wilson's cross was well cushioned on Yann Kermorgant's chest into the path of Matt Ritchie who buried his shot in the bottom left corner from 12 yards to give AFCB the lead. Matters then got worse for Derby when Chris Martin hobbled off with a hamstring pull and Darren Bent took his place.
There was no respite from the fast pace being set and Derby almost got back on 17 minutes when Will Hughes had Boruc diving at full stretch, spilling the ball and having to clear with his legs before Darren Bent could get the rebound. Will Hughes was causing problems and chipped a good ball through to Bent again and Brouc had to save at his near post when he might have expected an offside flag.
AFCB had not really slipped into their usual flowing style and yet they were creating chances with Ritchie having a shot blocked bu Buxton on 28 minutes that looked destined for the corner of the goal. Wilson then had a near post header that just slipped over the bar.
Derby were far from out of it though and they equalised when Darren Bent broke down the right wing and Steve Cook in trying to clear only bashed the ball against Bent and fell over leaving the striker to pull the ball back to the edge of the box where Tom Ince slipped passed Francis' attempted block and shot passed Boruc's left to make it 1-1.
Derby could have gone ahead on 41 minutes when Jake Buxton was presented with a bobbling ball from a corner on the six yard line but he missed his chance, shooting right at Boruc and when the ball came back out to Jamie ward Boruc could finally hold onto the ball.
AFCB got back in front though soon after with Kermorgant stretching Derby's defence up the right and pulling the ball back to Callum Wilson who made a turn and fired the ball right into the top left corner just before half time. Ritchie had another shot saved in extra time but it was 2-1 at half time.
The players come off at half time.
Will gives an AFCB fan's view at half time with AFCB 2-1 up.
BDO Darts World Champion Scott 'Scotty Dog' Mitchell
made a guest appearance with his trophy at half time.
Second Half
Derby picked up possession more in the second half and started to run the game a bit. Pugh was doing some good covering work at the back and it took a while for Bournemouth to get some control. Derby made a sub on 66 minutes with Dawkins coming on for Ward.
Bournemouth were on the attack though and Arter almost got Wilson but Callum shot wide at the near post. Following another AFCB move, Derby raced up the left wing and Dawkins crossed from the wing to find Darren Bent who turned quickly past Cook and flashed home his shot past Brouc from close range into the roof of the net to make it 2-2 on 68 minutes.
Eddie Howe tried to change things by bringing on Adam Smith on 77 minutes and Shaun MacDonald, but if anything it was Derby that were pressing for the win. Christie saw his cross driven passed Boruc's far post and then Dawkins had a good chance go wide. Will Hughes picked up the only yellow card of the night for a foul on Callum Wilson as Bournemouth's front man broke out of defence. For a moment Harry Arter looked like he might win the game with one of his dazzling runs but he chose in the end to pass to Adam Smith on his right who had his shot deflected for a corner.
Three minutes of extra time brought not more goal mouth action but Brett Pitman did come on for Matt Ritchie.
The end of the match.
All square at the end of 90 minutes.
Eddie Howe walks onto the pitch.
Summary
A difficult game for both sides. Derby looked physically stronger but it was AFCB that looked like they could have missed the chance here to open up a gap on the Rams. But for the January signings of Tom Ince and Darren Bent I don't think Derby would have created as many problems for the Cherries, although a fit Chris Martin would have been a handful for any defence. A draw was a fair result though and what we saw is two sides who will score goals when given opportunities and that is why they are both right near the top of the table.
