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.
Newcastle United might only be three points above the relegation zone, but they have had most of the stat of the season playing the top teams. Having picked up four points from their last two games, it is tempting to think that Newcastle are on the right track.
The home form of Newcastle United is pretty good of late. They have picked up a draw against Wolves and beat Man United 1-0, just like Bournemouth, as well as picking up score draws against Brighton and Watford. In fact, they haven't been beaten at St James' Park, but they have been drawing a few too many games. One win though and they would close up to a point behind Bournemouth.
So, I don't see this as a bottom side against a top side. The two teams are probably going to be quite evenly matched. Newcastle played very much on the break against West Ham in their last match and only had 30 per cent possession. But on the break they were fast with Allan Saint-Maxim making incisive runs down the middle of the pitch. Joelinton has also kept his place in the starting line-up, even if he has only scored once in 11 games. Paraguayan Miguel Almirón has also been consistently picked by Bruce in midfield alongside JonJo Shelvey.
Advertisement
Where Newcastle have been less successful is in keeping goals out. They tend to concede a goal a game consistently. Looking at the last home game the Toon had, they gave Wolves as many shots as Newcastle had themselves and Wolves had five shots on target. Against Man United they also conceded possession at 32 per cent but kept a clean sheet and had as many shots as United. Brighton too had the majority of possession at 72 per cent and it is likely that Newcastle are setting up this way to try and catch teams on the break.
For Bournemouth there will be an enforced change with Jefferson Lerma suspended for one match, but we have seen Dan Gosling training this week and Lewis Cook will also have his eyes on a starting spot next to Philip Billing. Let's also not forget that AFCb are going for a record fourth clean sheet in a row in the Premier League today, such has been the form of Nathan Aké and Steve Cook.
Last summer anyone looking at the disappointment of Raffa Benitez seeing few of his transfer targets come to fruition. But the Geordies have started the season very well and of the newly promoted teams they are the highest placed currently.
Off we go to St James Park.
It may be good for Newcastle that they have collected so many points early on as their points have come against the bottom six sides. They are strong at set-pieces and Lascelles at the back can get on the end of corners and free kicks. Atsu tends to play on the left but can drift into the middle, while Ritchie favours the right side. It's Jonjo Shelvey who likes to get hold of the ball in the middle and dictate the passes from the middle. Mohamed Diame was meanwhile picked up from Hull City in 2016 and adds protective cover in front of the back four, although he can be used in the whole as a number 10. The defence has been solid with the left side protected by new summer signing Javier Manquillo and Florian Lejeune and Jamaal Lascelles well capable of dealing with the high balls at the back, while DeAndre Yedellin may not get forward much but he is quick to get across on the right when Newcastle are being attacked from the flank.
Newcastle have bot been scoring a tremendous amount of goals and whether Dwight Gayle will be given more opportunities as the season goes on will be something Benitez will have to wrestle with you'd imagine. At the moment it is Joselu who is getting the nod and who scored recently against Liverpool slightly fortuitously. Perez can also be a good runner up front, while Mikel Merino and Mitrovic have been mainly used as subs. In all Newcastle are a tidy side. They have scored more than two goals just the once, against West Ham and will endeavour to press high. Make mistakes and Newcastle will usually punish you, and what I like about Raffa is that he tries to keep the same players starting as much as possible - no wonder they have been building their confidence. Newcastle Utd's Home Form LWWDW AFCB's Away Form LLLLW We have ToonBano on Cherry Chimes' Rival Lines tomorrow to get the inside fan view on Newcastle Utd.
Simon Francis is becoming accustomed to being the captain these days. In the first few matches in that role he perhaps did not manage to get his performances always in line with leading from the front, but now he is starting to drive the team with his own actions and it is a welcome surprise for me as I was one of those who expected Tommy Elphick to straight come back into the side. At Newcastle, Simon had one of his best games I would say of recent weeks. I am not sure if he or Cook was particularly alert for Newcastle's goal but for the rest of the game it was challenge after challenge where Simon Francis was there first. He made an important block in the first half by throwing himself in front of the shot from Riviere. It was that kind of bravery and determination that the other players could grow from.
Simon Francis is looking more comfortable now at centre half.
We then saw Ritchie fighting for balls and Gradel scrapping away to keep possession. It set the tone through the team, and while there were lots of pretty aspects to the Cherries' play it was just as important to show that AFCB's players were prepared to fight as hard as the Newcastle players. In fact, it was Francis and Jonjo Shelvey that were probably the two players that stood out the most in their determination to win the ball and both captains put in a great effort. It all bodes well for the future as far as AFCB are concerned. One captain is great, two is even better but when you then get a team of players following that lead it is a team that more often than not gets results.
While we won't harp on about it for too long, Newcastle's goal against the Cherries was the only disappointing event that Tyne & Wear had to serve up at the weekend. Sitting 0-2 away from home with a howling Newcastle crowd none too pleased about the story unfolding before them, it probably came as a bit of a shock when Perez found the back of the net on 80 minutes. I'd like to highlight the quality of Jonjo Shelvey's curved pass from the back that negotiated AFCB's midfield and defence, ending at the feet of Perez in his stride. It was a real peach of a pass for Newcastle. It split Cook and Francis and even with Franno and Smith trying to get back on terms, it left too much for them to do. Artur Boruc made the decision to come out to try and narrow the angle, but the ball he went down early and the shot flew past him. It is not often that the Cherries get caught out by a long through ball, but I think the quality and vision of Shelvey's pass was exceptional while the starting positions of Cook and Francis made the possibility for the pass.
Eddie did not have too much to grumble about after the 1-3 win at Newcastle.
Luckily Newcastle did not really get any more momentum after the goal. It was also late on in the game. The Cherries have become good spoilers of games and as early as the hour mark the referee was having words after Charlie Daniels was taking his time to get the ball back into play from a throw on. It had been comfortable at 0-2 and yet there was a few moments of uncertainty that crept into the Cherries' game when the gap had been cut to a one goal lead. It says a lot about the team though that they went again and Charlie Daniels made the game safe. I would have been inclined to rate the back four much higher if they had have kept a clean sheet as to do that at St James' Park would have been terrific. While the clean sheet escaped our lads this time though they are showing that the team is defending particularly well and was able to weather Newcastle's early storm when they did have the home crowd with them for a while. Eddie Howe said that AFCB did not make it easy for themselves at times and keeping leads with a tight defence is something that has been an area where improvements can still be made, but the Cherries are starting to see out games now and back to back wins are pushing the Cherries towards a strong end to the season. PremierTalk - Don't let Gus Hiddink leave the Premier League next season. Look out for the Back of the Net podcast today.
There was a big crowd at St James' Park to see the away team heap more despair on Steve McClaren and his team. That the home crowd did not remain patient and quickly got on the backs of Newcastle players which is exactly what Eddie Howe would have hoped for.
Newcastle Utd fans created an intimidating atmosphere until their own side received a backlash.
It was not that helpful to AFCB that their fans were situated high up in the Gods, but they made themselves heard. I could hear the repertoire of AFCB songs ring out for the whole game and it must have been a boost for the players. Playing in front of a hostile home crowd though can cause the concentration to drift, but Eddie Howe must have warned the side of what it might be like if the Geordie crowd turned against their team. Every pass that went astray was met by a wall of frustration which made it very hard for the Newcastle players to emerge from the pressure that was already on them. That Newcastle Utd made a bit of a game of it with Jonjo Shelvey trying to rally the troops was credit to them really as AFCB were not in the mood for taking pity on their prey. I have not seen the running figures yet for the game, but the Cherries were swarming everywhere and did not give Newcastle a moments peace. It was a big away performance and I believe most of the away fans expected that it would be that way even before a ball was kicked. When AFCB are in tune and go at teams together, both in song and on the pitch it is a powerful combination. AFCB are pulling out all they've got on the pitch, which tells me they are not only up for the fight but they are even enjoying it. There have been hard games and some uncharacteristic performances at home. Some of that was probably expected with the step up in class. When AFCB enters a lion's den though it tends to bring the best out of the players and that is why the away wins have kept coming. There are more photographs on Match Day Gallery.
St James' Park saw a big away win for AFCB. Picture supplied by Damien Hill
AFC Bournemouth came into this game with some of the pressure perhaps taken off of them with the midweek win. Still Newcastle were certainly fighting for their lives and had a reasonably strong home record until the Cherries turned up. The match was really won by AFCB's high work rate and finishing power. While the first goal came from a deflected Josh King cross it was consistent with the run of play and when Josh King cracked in the second from just inside the box it looked all too easy. Jonjo Shelvey was probably Newcastle's best player and he fed Mitrovic in for a comeback goal that put the jitters through AFCB for a while only for Charlie Daniels to shoot in a thumping killer blow in added on time to make the points safe. AFCB only made one change from the last match with Harry Arter missing out with an Achilles problem. In came ex-Toon player Dan Gosling to replace him. On the bench there was no Juan Iturbe but Eunan O'Kane made the subs for a change.
Steve McClaren made two changes with Gouffran and Mitrovic dropped to the bench and they were replaced by Perez and Riviere. Gayle Hope (@bmb_afcb) was the closest guesser for the last goal and she wins this week's prize! Just 2 minutes off!
Jason Tindall reveals the team news.
Match Description
Francis takes the ball off Riviere but Sissoko put in a great ball that went swirling across AFCB's box from the right side! Jonjo Shelvey takes the ball off Afobe and pulls his shot just wide of Boruc's right post from 20 yards out! Close! Ritchie's cross then forces Rob Elliot to make a near post save. Adam Smith is the first player fouled - there's a surprise! Daniels is getting some good touches on the ball. Afobe is coming deep to get on the ball. Gradel pops up on the right and wins the first corner. Cook on the floor tries to scramble the ball back and Surman tries to get out the way, Gradel - just over! Franno does some good clearing up at the back. Well I can hear AFCB fans singing "Keep the red flag flying high." Daniels cross is collected by Smith. Adam Smith dinks in a cross and the ball falls on Afobe's chest and hits a volley but it's over the bar! It just would not come down for him. Newcastle's passing breaks down. King almost gets Ritchie in with a back heel. AFCB playing with some freedom today, which is good to see. Shelvey puts in a long ball to Riviere but Cook covers well. Janmatt tries a shot which is blocked and Sissoko's cross is cleared by Surman, 13 minutes gone. Wiljnaldum cuts the ball across the top of the box to Perez who fires over for Newcastle. Ritchie fouls Colback in Newcastle's box. "Is this a library?' Not with AFCB fans singing away. Good steal by Ritchie. Smith comes forward. Newcastle fans are clapping on 17 minutes. "We've got the special one," sing AFCB. The sting has just been taken out of the game a bit. Wijnaldum s fouled by Smith in the Newcastle half. We enter the 21st minute. Daniel's early cross was cleared but Ritchie might have had a shot but he looked for King and he was on his heels. King holds the ball up well but Shelvey comes flying in and tackles him. Janmatt down the right pulls it back for Riviere but Francis just gets a touch on it as it goes wide! Good chance. Corner to the Toon. It goes through everyone but another corner has been given. Break on with Afobe and Janmatt on the cover gets a corner. Cook tried to get on the end of it. AFCB get back and defend. Perez has a dig from distance but it's well wide. Sissokko puts in a cross and Francis heads clear. Janmaat clobbers Gradel. Gradel beats a few players wriggling free, passes to King on the left and the cross is deflected by Taylor past Elliot on the near post 0-1!! AFCB are in the lead on 29 minutes. AFCB keeping possession now. Here comes the "Eddie had a dream, -17 song!" Sub for Newcastle. Lots of boos. Dummett is off and on comes Anita on 31 minutes. Tactical or was Dummett injured? Lots of unrest in the Newcastle crowd. AFCB are bossing the game now. Newcastle are resorting to long balls to Riviere but Francis will mop those balls up all day long. King has a burst on the right against Lascellles. AFCB settle for a throw. Daniels wins a free kick on half way. Gradel now against Janmaat. King on the left beats two, Daniels cross is cleared. Smith and Afobe goes down in the box from Colback's challenge no penalty given. Afobe made too much of that perhaps. Ritchie on the right gets a cross in and it beats Lascelles, but Afobe slips just when he needed to shoot! Taylor would not have got to him. Fortunate that for Newcastle. Perez puts in a weak low cross that Francis clears. Franno has played well at the back this half. Ritchie can't quite get his cross in this time. Gradel lifts a lovely ball over the top for Afobe but the striker is beaten off it. Gradel again and Daniels into King but the touch is heavy from King and the ball goes to Elliot. Riviere loses out having been pulled back. Ritchie slips in the box. Wijnaldum and Shelvey now. Janmaat and Colback. AFCB getting back in numbers.Gosling and Cook sort it out. Shelvey flies in against Ritchie on half way. No foul. Cook has to put in a good headed clearance. Newcastle pressure. The crowd is very agitated as half time approaches. Newcastle fans are frustrated Riviere crosses to Taylor and he has a chance to shoot. He chests it down with Gosling and Francis closing, but he has it deflected wide of the left post! That was the best chance for Newcastle. Corner and Afobe heads clear. Shelvey's cross is headed behind by Wijnaldum. Cook is given a yellow card for the pull back earlier on Riviere. Shelvey fouls Gosling with two minutes of added time. 0-1 at half time and a good chorus of boos from the Toon Army for Mr McClaren. Half time stats - AFCB shots 5, 0 shots on target, 2 corners, 2 fouls, 55% possession. Newcastle Utd - 7 shots, 0 shots on target, 3 corners, 6 fouls, 45% possession. Second Half Mitrovic replaces Riviere. A popular substitution with the Newcastle fans. King and Afobe kick off. The Cherries have the ball. Colback and Perez get on the ball - nothing on. A good ball in from Newcastle's right but AFCB's centre half clear. Gradel goes for a shot as it opens up - well wide. AFCB fans sing flying high. Shelvey loses the ball in the middle and King breaks but has a shot blocked. King now 2 v 2. Afobe wide and Taylor heads clear. Smith shoots low to the bottom left corner and Elliot puts it behind for a corner. Wijnaldum clears. Gosling has his shot blocked by Anita and Shelvey breaks. Anita to Janmaat bit the cross is too high. End to end now. Francis tries to take the sting out of the game by slowing things down. Gradel and King fights for the ball in the box but it breaks to Elliot. Dummett had a hamstring problem apparently. Lascelles is struggling now. Perez has a shot that Boruc takes comfortably. Perez gets carded for pulling back Smith. Appeals for handball Gradel goes over from Perez challenge, no penalty. Shove in the back? 57 minutes gone. The players are starting to look tiered. Pugh is getting ready to come on. He replaces Gradel on the hour. Mitrovic receives the ball and makes a turn. He's running at goal and takes aim. It just clears the bar! AFCB backing off there. Daniels takes his time over the throw and Francis gets the warning for the team. Janmaat comes forward and links with Wiljnaldum. His shot forces Boruc into a near post save - corner. Pugh clears up. Mitrovic gets away from Gosling and Sissoko fires straight at Boruc, comfortable height. Daniels makes a good run forward. At the other end Mirtovic sees his shot blocked. King beats Lascelles but can't find a pink shirt. It's too open open this game. AFCB need to close up shop a bit now. Newcastle make their last sub. Sissoko goes off and Aarons comes on. Afobe is also subbed by Lewis Grabban. Ritchie in for King and he hist the top corner 0-2. Fabulous goal. King split Taylor and Janmaat and buried that on the turn. That went in on 70 minutes. Grabban fouls Colback. Aarons runs it out of play. Gosling gets a yellow for a late challenge on Wijnaldum. AFCB need some calm heads now. Free kick to the Cherries now. Newcastle deal with it. A straight ball through to Perez and he's scored! Shelvey played the ball through and it split Cook and Francis. 10 minutes to go. Poor defending from AFCB. Shelvey again, but Mitrovic is offside. Will Eddie put on another midfield player or defender? Ritchie does well to win a free kick with Shelvey pushing him to the floor. Grabban on the ball on the left. He turns and shoots but Elliot reads it well. King and Pugh shoots. Elliot saves and AFCB get a corner. Gosling finds Grabban on the far side of the box and the shot misses by a whisker! Four minutes plus added time to go. Wijnaldum with a chance after Gosling's stab back and it's deflected for a corner! Grabban gets a yellow card for kicking the ball away. Sylvain Distin is getting ready to come on. King now and Ritchie. Newcastle have it in the corner. Distin comes on for Matt Ritchie. Daniels runs up the left wing and he has a shot - it's in the bottom corner!! (90+2). That's 1-3 and a devastating goal for the Toon Army. Janmaat with a cross in and Boruc punches it away. Summary A superb away win for AFCB and the score line did not flatter the team either. It is all about how far the side want to go now. They have shown that when they work hard and keep their shape they are a match for any team in the Premier League. There was a spell after Newcastle scored when things did get edgy but the players really dug in well and it is a massive three points for Eddie Howe's team which pushes them ever closer to safety now. The goals from Charlie Daniels and Josh King capped off a great game for AFCB. I hope those that travelled all that way enjoyed their day.
Newcastle had plenty of time to reflect on their 5-1 demolition handed out by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a couple of weeks ago. Since then they have had a midweek game against Stoke where they lost out narrowly, but they are finding it hard to pick up points and the Cherries have to make the most of that. The media have been focussing on the amount of money that Steve McClaren has been able to spend in January and while the signings of Jonjo Shelvey, Andros Townsend and the signings of Henri Saivet and Doumbai may have strengthened the Toon Army, but they have heaped even more pressure on the manager. Two wins in their last 10 games is only one win worse than the Cherries, but Newcastle are finding it hard to break out of the lower regions of the table and that in itself brings its own pressure as well.
Newcastle Utd players at Dean Court earlier this season.
Goals are what will save the Geordies if anything does, but with midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum their top scorer there is plenty of room for improvement from their strikers. Andros Townsend was rested with a hamstring problem but could make it back for this game. Mitrovic and Perez have had their moments including Perez' goal at Dean Court, but McClaren had to strengthen in January and he decided on Seydou Doumbia on loan from AS Roma. Doumbia still has not scored yet. In fact, I am not sure if he has even made it on the team bus! McClaren may also have hoped that the return to fitness of Steve Taylor would make a big difference in defence but the drubbing that Newcastle got at Chelsea still leaves a question mark over the back four with Janmaat, Coloccini and Aarons not proving very water tight, although they got a clean sheet a week earlier against WBA at St James' Park. That is the worry. At home Newcastle are a different team and the Cherries will have to quieten the crowd with some early pressure if they are to pull away from Newcastle and get a win, which would be one of the most important of the season. I even believe a draw would be a good result for the Cherries as it would be very damaging to Newcastle not to make any ground on the Cherries at this stage.
Newcastle's team last time out against Stoke City.
Elliot
Janmatt, Taylor, Lascelles, Dummett
Shelvey, Colback
Sissoko, Wijnaldum, Gouffran
Mitrovic
Newcastle Home Form DLDWW AFCB Away Form LDDWD Competition time - Guess the minute of the Last goal I am just keeping you on your toes by changing the competition this week to ask you in what minute do you think the last goal will go in for either team during the game between Newcastle Utd and AFC Bournemouth? Tweet the minute to @Peter Bell19 to win an AFCB key ring with screwdriver end fittings - I rather like that prize! If no one guesses the exact minute we will go with the closest guess and if we have more than one correct answer we will draw the winner from the hat. Good luck!
Toon Banois a Newcastle Utd fan blog written by Ginger Pirlo as he likes to be called. He is not afraid to shout out about his beloved team and this Toon Army man is a bit closer to home than you might think! CC: From what I understand you are a Toon fan and blogger that lives in Bournemouth. Is that an easy situation and if you had a second team would it be AFCB? Yeah, I haven't lived in Newcastle for a long while so I'm more then used to being away from the Toon. Bournemouth are without doubt my second team. Ever since I moved here a few years ago I went to go watch them and the way Eddie Howe has them play is phenomenal. I have been hooked ever since. The girlfriend is a Cherries fan also which helps. We were there on promotion night last season and have been at every home game this season. I am lucky enough to have a job as a Football Stats Operator for all Bournemouth and Southampton home game, so I get to see how the Cherries play week in week out. [Ed - hope he does not feed Mr McClaren with too much info on the Cherries!] CC:Steve McClaren wanted the fans to wait 10 games before they judged him, so are you surprised or disappointed that he is still at Newcastle after 27 games? Surprised? No. Lee Charnley our chief exec won't sack him, even if we go down. Him and Mike Ashley have this 'stability' mentality to keep the manager no matter what. [Ed - Others might disagree] Pardew should have been sacked a long time ago, but even head butting a player still didn't get him sacked. Disappointed? I'm not disappointed he is still here, but I am disappointed in what he has done with the team this season. I fully expected us to be a well coached team with a strong philosophy and strategy towards the way we play. I haven't seen anything like that from McClaren. No Toon fan could tell you what 'kind of team' we are. Apart from probably a poor one. CC:While the £21m offer for Saido Berahino did not entice WBA this January, do you feel that it is money saved when you consider the Saints picked up Charlie Austin for £4m? Well it's too early to say if it was money saved. If we go down, then obviously it wasn't. If we stay up, then I think paying that amount of money for a player like Berahino is way too much. Charlie Austin is an absolute steal. Eddie has to explain to us all why he didn't at least try to bring him in. He is head and shoulders above Glenn Murray for example. [Ed- It was not through a lack of trying.] CC:What is the best thing about being a Newcastle blogger? Getting to say whatever I want, about whatever I want and having even the smallest influence on a fellow fans outlook on the team. I get plenty of stick from some quarters which always makes me laugh but lots of agreements as well. Whenever I get time to do it, which isn't much these days having two jobs and coaching a team, I do love it. CC:Jonjo Shelvey has made a good start at Newcastle. Is he a better player than you expected having seen him for a few games now in a white and black shirt? He is to be honest. When you look at the Liverpool team he left a couple of years ago, he is exactly what they are missing. His passing is very good but he needs to watch his attitude. He can spit his dummy out and go missing in games. Hopefully he will grow up in a black and white shirt for years to come. CC:Newcastle have not lost at St James' Park this year so is there more hope now about the possibility of staying up? Not really. I don't look at little stats like that to judge whether we will or won't stay up, it's all about the performances. Which overall have been pretty dire apart from the one game against West Brom. Even in that game we scraped over the line, which sums our team up to be honest. We just don't score enough goals. How we didn't sign a striker (Doumbia doesn't exactly count given his lack of fitness) is beyond me and all Toon fans. CC:If the Cherries score against Newcastle on Saturday that will be 51 goals that the Toon Army has let in this season so has McClaren done anything to improve the defensive side of the team that you can see? Not that I can see. We signed Mbemba in the summer who is a good signing for us but much like the way the team play overall, I can't tell you 'how' we defend as a team. We don't really press nor drop off. We don't necessarily play a high line, our full backs tend to get forward but so does every team. McClaren will always have doubts over his ability as a manager, but I am even doubting him as a coach now from what I've seen this year. CC:Is Georginhio Wijnaldum an exceptional player playing in an average (I'm trying to be kind) Newcastle Utd side? Most definetly. Well at home he is exceptional. Away from home he may as well be on the bench for the impact he makes. All I can hope for is we stay up, sign a decent striker and defender in the summer and have a much better campaign next season. Otherwise he will do what Cabaye, Demba Ba etc did and find a much better team to play for. Thank you for being kind by the way. I'll take average... CC:Which three sides are going down? I imagine you might have a Black Cat in there! Villa are doomed. Hopefully Sunderland won't pull off an escape act again. Then I think Norwich. My worst nightmare is Newcastle and Bournemouth in a head to head fight for survival on the last day of the season. I'm hoping both will be safe and sound by then. Watch out for Palace being dragged into mind you...Pardew loves a winless run end a season. CC:How important is this game against the Cherries for Newcastle's season and your score prediction please? Huge. If we lose against the Cherries we will struggle to pick up the points we need to survive given our fixtures. I think Bournemouth will get enough even if they lose. I'm going for a draw though, 2-2. Thanks ToonBano. I really hope that the Cherries are not sweating on Newcastle's result on the last day of the season when we are away at Old Trafford! I kind of agree that Villa and Norwich will find it had to escape the drop but I am glad I don't live in the Northeast as Newcastle and Sunderland have a lot of work to do. I know a lot of our fans are making the trip up to the Toon to not only see the game but to experience the atmosphere and stadium. This one will be like a cup final! ToonBano has some great articles on it including a battering of Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Co, plus some strikers who they could have looked at to improve their standing in the table - And yes Mario Balotelli is among them. Competition time - Guess the minute of the Last goal! I am just keeping you on your toes by changing the competition this week to ask you in what minute do you think the last goal will go in for either team during the game between Newcastle Utd and AFC Bournemouth? Tweet the minute to @Peter Bell19 to win an AFCB key ring with screwdriver end fittings - I rather like that prize! If no one guesses the exact minute we will go with the closest guess and if we have more than one correct answer we will draw the winner from the hat. Good luck!
The football Gods may have not noticed that AFC Bournemouth could do with some luck now and again. They played with a tempo and energy that left Swansea's players finding it hard to get hold of the ball for much of the game, and having established a 0-2 lead it finally appeared that the Cherries were headed back to winning ways. Unfortunately, the fragile defence shipped a goal from Ayew's back heel in the six yard box, just before the half hour and a trip by Francis on Ayew gave Shelvey the opportunity to level things up from the spot. Swansea had been given a life line and they took it. While Steve Cook probably came closest to finding the net for AFCB in the second half there was to be no winner, but this game offered further reason to believe that the Cherries are starting to find their feet at this level. Josh King got his first Premier League goal and Gosling demonstrated what a midfield dynamo he is.
The Cherries feature on the stadium fixture board.
Team line up for AFCB - I got it right this week (that must be a first!).
Jason Tindall reveals the team news.
The team was set up similarly to the Newcastle game with five in midfield, but with Steve Cook coming into the starting line up at centre back and Adam Smith moving to the bench. That allowed Simon Francis to go to right back and Josh King and Junior Stanislas kept their starting places while Glenn Murray returned to the sub's bench. There was no Boruc or Pugh though in the 18-man squad.
The teams greet each other.
The teams stand together to honour the French victims of last week.
The French national anthem is played
Swansea made four changes from their last game with Sigurdsson, Montero, Fernandez and gomis dropped to the bench and they were replaced by Britton, Routledge, Eder and Bartley. It was Eder's first Premier League start.
AFCB huddle.
Swansea fans Oscar and Paul appear on Cherry Chimes' FanCam.
There are more pictures on the Match Day Gallery. The Cherries certainly did not play like a team that had just landed in the bottom three. This was an AFCB side that were showing determination from the start and by pushing up and boxing Swansea in, it was the home side that seemed short on ideas and forced into errors. Right from the start a ball into the Swansea box bobbled and caused a hurried clearance. With Junior Stanislas darting in to the number 10 position from the wing, he was finding Gosling in advanced positions and Dan had the first shot that went wide on four minutes. AFCB fans were soon celebrating though as Daniels intercepted a pass that Jonjo Shelvey made and gave Stanislas a ball to chase that Yeung and Bartley made a mess of, and Junior crossed quickly and Josh King broke his duck with a smart finish to put AFCB 0-1 upon 10 minutes. Winning the ball high up in the Swansea pass had paid off and it had been a good opening by the Bournemouth players. Swansea came straight back though. Eder broke away on the right and passed to Ayew and Wayne Routledge found himself clear on the left with just Federici to beat, but the Australian keeper made a super save that went out for a corner. The danger was still there from the corner as Kyle Bartley headed the ball towards the far post where Eder headed towards goal, but again the shot was saved by Federici. Josh King was clearly encouraged by his goal and was chasing down Swansea's back four whenever he almost made it 0-2 when Britton slipped and King broke free. The striker raced towards goal, beating Routledge and Williams, but his shot was saved low down to Fabianski's right. A move then from Francis on the right swept passed the Swansea defence and Stanislas running in flicked his shot off the post and in (hurray!), only the flag went up for offside and the goal was disallowed (so close!). Referee Andre Mariner was not helping matters by not allowing advantage when King was fouled and Bournemouth had come away with the ball. Cook and Distin then clashed heads and there was a break in play, but Cook recovered after receiving some attention. Matters became worse for Swansea though on 26 minutes when Bournemouth broke with Daniels who made a long run into the heart of the Swansea defence. He found Arter who passed up a chance to shoot, but released the ball to Ritchie who knocked it back to Dan Gosling, who picked out the top right corner from 18 yards and Swansea were 0-2 down! The Cherries should have known that Swansea strike back quickly if they can having seen what happened after the first goal. This time AFCB did not get tight on Shelvey who headed a cross on to the feet of Ayew, who back-heeled in from about three yards into the goal, even if the AFCB fans thought he was offside. There was a suspicion that Distin might have played him on though and the goal was given , it was 1-2 after 28 minutes. Ritchie soon picked up a yellow card after the restart for pulling back Ayew on half way. Swansea were picking up the pace and Ki Sung Yueng's shot was smothered in the box by Francis and Cook with some appeals for a penalty, but the referee did not agree. AFCB resorted to their possession football and yet this game was now on a knife edge with Swansea definitely back in it. That was made even clearer when Leon Britton who had been starting to orchestrate Swansea attacks found Ayew running into the box and Francis clipped the back of Ayew's heel leaving mariner with a simple decision to point to the spot. It was a clear penalty from where we stood, even if the striker had run across Francis' path. The collision could mean only one outcome. Federici composed himself with a drink behind the goal before facing Jonjo Shelvey, but the England midfielder powered his shot to Federici's left and it was all square at 2-2 on 38 minutes. AFCB won their first corner on 41 minutes but Arter did not even get his dummy completed, and after three minutes of extra time only a shot wide from Ritchie came close to giving the Cherries a first half lead.
The players come off after an action packed first half.
Half time fun.
Arter and King are ready for the second half.
Second Half AFCB had 59 per cent of the possession in the first half and things started off in similar fashion in the second. stanislas was yellow carded for a lunge on half way. Arter tried a shot from over 20 yards out but it was deflected and an easy save for Fabianski. Some of the football was sparkling from the Cherries with Arter, Gosling, Stanislas and King getting straight on to Swansea when they had the ball on their back line. Ritchie was warned after running across Britton and for a second I wondered if it would be a second yellow, but he got away with it. AFCB's clearest chance came from a corner on the hour when Cook flashed a shot across the goal and just wide of the far post along the ground. The shots were coming still from Ritchie and Cook again, but Swansea were holding on. At times the Cherries play was unbelievably neat and tidy but just needed someone to pull the trigger. Swansea were also looking for goals and a move by Yeung had Ayew in the clear but his shot was deflected and Federici saved, with 20 minutes to go. Montero then replaced Routledge and Sigurdsson came on for Britton. Kyle Bartley who had a fine game was given a yellow card for his mistimed tackle on King and from the free kick it was Steve Cook who fired over. Swansea were visibly tiring and Gary Monk brought on Gomis for Eder. AFCB changed Ritchie for Smith with 11 minute to go. Swansea were refreshed with their changes and Gomis might have scored but for Adam Smith throwing himself in for the block. Shevley's shot from distance was worse though and went into the stands. AFCB's next change saw Murray come on for King who had been fabulous. The yellow cards came out again for Sigurdsson and Shelvey after a half way late tackle and then tussle on an AFCB breakaway. Gosling then fired over after Murray had made a nuisance of himself in the Swansea box. On 90 minutes Shaun MacDonald came on for Harry Arter and received a big round of applause. With four minutes of added on time, Gosling was still running past most players but could not get past Williams. It was a point a piece.
It could have been more than a point but at least
the Cherries were rewarded with something
for a much improved display.
The players after a tight second half.
Summary This was a game that could have been redemption for AFCB if they had taken all three points. While they did not get the win the positives were all clear to see. King is now making the runs that are opening up defences and the front players are much more effective as a unit with Stanislas and Gosling causing all kinds of problems. At the back there is still much work to be done, but Federici is growing into the keeper's role and the team just need to panic less and concentrate more when the ball comes into the Cherries' box. The importance of picking up a point cannot be underestimated even if the team will be disappointed not to have got a win. At last AFCB move off eight points.
