Showing posts with label Man City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Man City. Show all posts

Friday, 25 September 2020

Bournemouth bow out to Man City 2-1 in Carabao Cup

Carabao Cup Second Round
Man City 2 v 1 AFCB
24 September 2020 

AFCB get driven around the pitch by Man City, but put up a brave fight

Bournemouth slipped behind to an early goal from Liam Delap as City ran the first quarter hour of the game, but a long run by David Brooks set-up Dan Gosling who passed on for Sam Surridge to pull the Cherries level on 22 minutes. The second half was tougher for Bournemouth with De Bruyne and Sterling coming on for City. They held out for a while though before Phil Foden, perhaps somewhat fortuitously, saw the ball come back to him, from a Mahrez shot off the post, to score the winner.

From the previous Carabao Cup line up, Jason Tindall dropped Begovic, Stacey,  Zemura to the bench and bought in Adam Smith, Rico, Gosling and Travers to the start line up. Harry Arter had played against Crystal Palace but has since left to join Nottingham Forest. Dan Gosling was made the captain.

City had Mahrez, Walker and Foden in their starting line up with Aké, Sterling, Mendy and De Bruyne were on the bench. Delap, Steffen, Delap and Torres were the novices for City.

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The Disrupted Season (2019-20) completes the story of Eddie Howe's reign at AFC Bournemouth - it's available now for £11.49 as a paperback - visit Amazon to order

Match Description
Bournemouth tried to get an early run on goal with Brooks playing a ball up for Surridge, but the forward was offside. Adam Smith has a go from range but blasts over.

Adam Smith puts the ball out for a corner. Travers' first test. Billing concedes a corner. Phil Foden shoots wide from the second corner.

Ferran Torres has a chance but Travers is down quickly and saves on 11 minutes. Good start for Travers that will give him confidence. Billing plays it up for Brooks who is offside. City are well on top for possession. Bernabé's foul gives Bournemouth the ball.

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Foden plays Mahrez in over the top but Travers makes a second save, it's a City corner. Surridge has lost the ball. Liam Delap scores and City are 1-0 up. Foden had the assist.

Surrdige has equalised on 22 minutes. Gosling picked the ball up from Brooks' run and Sam scores from inside the box, bottom corner. Great strike 1-1. Gosling prodded it forward to Sam who turned and fired home across the keeper. Not sure why City didn't close Brooks down, his run set up the goal.

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Lloyd Kelly is injured and is replaced by Zemura. Rico drops to the back three and Zemura goes wide left. Bournemouth win a corner.

City are giving a few fouls away as Bournemouth find their stride. Bernabé is subbed for Mendy on 33 minutes.

Brooks almost gets Surridge in but Mendy covers. Brooks is running the show. Will Guardiola put someone on him second half?

Rodri shoots wide from distance. Bournemouth have to watch out from throw-ins - almost caught out like they were up at Middlesbrough.

AFCB 24% possession, 1 shot, 1 shot on traget, 1 corner, 1 foul
Man City 76% possession, 7 shots, 3 shots on target, 3 corners, 6 fouls

Second half
Simpson concedes a corner to Man City. Mahrez shoots wide. Billing puts a ball out playing from the back, far too strong.

A couple of shots from City are blocked before Mahrez shoots well over. Sustained pressure from City. Surridge is in, he can shoot, but the ball is held up and he has the shot deflected harmlessly to the keeper. Big chance went begging there.

Brooks plays Surridge in again and the keeper saves well. Bournemouth have got to take one of these chances. Torres puts a cross in but it evades all the City players.

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Lewis Cook and Gosling tried to work the ball through to a shooting position but were closed out. Walker's shot is deflected for a corner. Simpson blocks a cross, and it's another City corner.

A goes header wide from Harwood-Bellis. De Bruyner is coming on for Rodri. Billing fouls Foden. Foden shoots from distance and it's over the bar. Steve Cook replaced Rico.

Lewis Cook fouls de Bruyne. Ofoborh heads away for a corner. Doyle is replaced by Sterling n 67 minutes. Torres shot come cross is palmed away by Travers. Torres is fouled by Zemura. Zemura has been booked. De Bruyne wastes the free kick.

Travers picks up Torres' cross well. Goal kick. Surrdge took the ball down well for Billing but the midfielder couldn't get the return pass away. Bournemouth would have been in on goal.

A long kick from Travers is headed on for Brooks. But there's nothing doing. Mahrez hits a shot that comes off the post. Travers is on the floor and Foden finishes bouncing it against the ground and over Travers to score on 75 minutes 2-1.

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Kilkenny replaces Brooks on 76 minutes. Torres shoots wide after good work from Sterling. Delap fouls Travers and the keeper is down. Delap is yellow carded. Travers is up and well.

Garcia is caught by Surridge. Zemura does well but is caught by Garcia - free kick. Surridge heads wide.

Billing can't find the pass. Four minutes of added time. Ofoborh and Zemura puts a weak cross in that's cleared. Lewis Cook fouls Foden. 

Lewis Cook is carded for fouling de Bruyne. Great tackle from Simpson on Mahrez. Free kick for Bournemouth. Full-time 2-1.

Summary
A decent performance from the Cherries. Man City were just too strong in the second half and kept the ball so well that Bournemouth were basically run off their feet. Still, a strong showing from Surridge and Brooks will please Jason Tindall. Less pleasing is the injury to Lloyd Kelly. Bournemouth have rested a few players for the weekend and they can be pleased to do as well as they did last time at the Etihad in terms of the scoreline.

AFCB Line up

AFCB Subs: Begovic, Stacey, S Cook, Zemura, Lerma, Kilkenny, Anthony


Man City: 13 Steffen, 2 Walker, 50 García, 78 Harwood-Bellis, 47 Foden,
16 Rodri, (De Bruyne 61), 69 Doyle (Sterling 67),  82 Bernabé (Mendy 33), 21 Torres,
26 Mahrez, 48 Delap

City Subs: 6 Aké, 7 Sterling, 17 De Bruyne, 22 Mendy, 33 Carson, 61 Nmecha, 80 Palmer

In other news, Cherry Chimes has written a fan's perspective on Jordan Ibe for
Rams Review podcast

Thursday, 24 September 2020

Beating Man City is now possible for AFCB

There have been times when Bournemouth have travelled to the Etihad expecting to be on the back of a whipping by Pep Guardiola's side. It will be a feather in Jason Tndall's hat if he can pull off Bournemouth's first win against Man City and he will be conscious that it is a hurdle that could well free up any doubts Bournemouth players have in how far they can go in competitions if they can get a win.

Getting close to Man City isn't the problem, but beating them still eludes AFCB.

Okay, it's the Carabao Cup and not the league and Man City will probably field a bunch of academy players. It is the mental hurdle of beating a top club that would give Bournemouth's players a boost. They showed that last time at the Etihad they could push City all the way and they are in a better state now I believe with the good start to the season they have made.

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There is a possibility that Nathan Aké will be involved for Man City and that could add a bit of spice to the game. Bournemouth's players would no doubt like to get one over on Aké and we could see Dominic Solanke coming up against Aké. I suppose Aké is under a fair bit of pressure as a new player at Man City and that could be helpful to our players that know his game inside out.

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The Disrupted Season (2019-20) completes the story of Eddie Howe's reign at AFC Bournemouth 
- the book has 298 pages and is available for £11.49 as a paperback - visit Amazon to order

Although the number of games goes up the better you do in cup competitions I don't think the Cherries will be looking for an early exit. More time on the pitch builds comradery and experience and against top sides like Man City, the team will learn where they are not doing well enough. 

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All in all, these are the games Bournemouth fans got very excited about no less than six or seven years ago, and having been in the Premier League these matches don't seem so unique anymore. Still, tonight's match doesn't mean any less if Bournemouth can topple a big named team. Bournemouth hasn't done so much giant-killing in recent years and has tended to falter at this stage when facing a top-six side. JT will be hoping that for once they can overcome such a challenge and be on a real high going into the league match against Norwich City at the weekend.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth's left-back might want to pass at Man City game

Wednesday, 23 September 2020

Bournemouth's left-back might want to pass at Man City game

The return of Charlies Daniels doesn't look far off now. He was seen training with the AFCB players ahead of the Carabao Cup game with Man City tomorrow. For Charlie though, the Man City game might not be such a good game to come back in having injured his knee last ear against Man City at Dean Court. I don't know if Charlie is in the manager's thoughts yet, but it would be difficult to take if Charlie was ready and got another knock against City.

Charlie is close to putting an AFCB shirt back on
 but the Man City game may come too soon

Players have to return at some point and the fact that you could return against the team that injured your last time out might not mean much to some players. Competition for the left-back spot has been easier with Daniels being away but as he returns he will want that spot back, and Adam Smith may find he is more up against Jack Stacey to find a place in the team.

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The Disrupted Season (2019-20) completes the story of Eddie Howe's reign at AFC Bournemouth 
- it's available now for £11.49 as a paperback - visit Amazon to order

What you will get with Daniels is a high work rate and plenty of deliveries. Bournemouth has been supplying a lot of crosses from the right side but has certainly missed Daniels' power on the left. It is possible that Man City will play a few academy players in Thursday's game, but Bournemouth has the numbers to put out a fairly strong squad. The  Carabao Cup has only seen Bournemouth progress to the quarter-finals, but if they can beat Man City they would suddenly be one of the teams thinking that they could go a long way in the competition. It would also be good to see Charlie come back if he is ready. If JT can get as many positives as he can at the start of his reign it will start to push the Cherries forward again.


The team that JT will pick might be quite different from the Crystal Palace line-up from the last round. Begovic has been newly installed as the number one keeper for league games so we could see Travers or Will Dennis in goal, while Jaidon Anthony and Gavin Kilkenny will be hoping to get more of a chance like Jordan Zemura has was given against Palace. I'd imagine Philip Billing is also hoping to get some minutes as it hasn't been a great start of the season for him.

Possible AFCB line up

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

First goal-itiss - did it contribute to AFCB downfall?

Steve Cook was clear that he felt a lot of the poor results that AFCB had in the season were not helped by conceding the first goal. Even when Bournemouth did score first that didn't always hold on to a lead. It was curious how well the team could play at times when they were really up against it, like at Man City and Everton and yet they couldn't perform at home after the restart with the exception of the Leicester City game, when even then, they didn't score first.

The first goal didn't come often enough for AFCB.
I am not sure what was happening in the players minds after the restart. They still had a good opportunity to beat the drop, but only mustered seven pints from nine games which is relegation form. West Ham pulled in 12 points, as did Brighton and Aston Villa won 10 points, only Norwich and Crystal Palace gathered less points than Bournemouth and Watford, who bot took seven points.

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Scoring first was perhaps on the teams mind, but it just didn't happen. The crushing free kick that was struck by Crystal Palace's Milivojevic completely deflated any confidence that had been gained from the pre-restart games with Chelsea and Liverpool. it was a downhill spiral from then conceding first goals to Wolves away and Newcastle at home. The Man Utd defeat was different because the players did score first and came out fighting - they were just beaten by a better team. The writing was on the wall by then, but still Bournemouth could have saved themselves. The failure to either beat Spurs and Southampton at home proved very costly. The away form had been bad all of 2020, so it was likely to turn at some point and Everton was a game where Bournemouth couldn't afford to have nerves. They duly delivered, just too late.

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Of course, Bournemouth were considered a team that made great comebacks in previous seasons, but these didn't materialise in 2019/20. The worry is not for me that the first goal didn't always come, but that the players are perhaps burnt out and will soon have to play again as a new season gets underway.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth just weren't good enough

Friday, 24 July 2020

AFCB still have everything to play for

This is it then. One game and a definite must win against Everton to stand any chance of staying in the Premier League. Lose this one and there is no excuses, Bournemouth will have had their opportunities. All we can ask is that the players pick up three points. Anything after that is down to bad luck if Villa or Watford pick up points or a point. Bournemouth should have done more earlier.
Bournemouth have to give it one more go.
It is surprising that it has come down to the last game. I don't think many Bournemouth fans would have seen the team only pick up four points from the last eight games, and to still be without an away win in 2020. It would be a great time to get rid of that away record, and just to reach 34 points would help the players go into the next season knowing they did all they could on the last day to try and stay up.


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The stress and nerves should really be gone now for this game. Bournemouth have a clear directive what to do and the ayers know they either do it now or will be down if they can't beat Everton. I'd rather the team had drawn level with Watford and Aston Villa on 34 points already, but this way Bournemouth are the underdogs and the pressure is really on Aston Villa and West Ham, who have it all to lose, if they put in poor performances.

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I am sure Eddie Howe will tell his players to look at it in that way. A win is the object of the game. Whatever comes after that is either a bonus or something that we couldn't do anything about, so the players can't worry about it. If the boys go out in that frame of mind we may see more of the flowing football that we saw at the end of the game against Man City. If the shackles are off, it might surprise a few people how well Bournemouth can play.


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It will be strange to see the players either in agony or ecstasy at Goodison Park come the end of play. But perhaps we should be thankful that the team did pick up some points against Spurs and Leicester, which was unexpected out of all the games that Bournemouth had to play since the restart. It is those points that have given the team an outside chance of staying up.

AFCB Away Form
LLLLL


Everton Home Form
DDWDD

Opposition view - Cherry Chimes spoke with Royal Blue Mersey to preview the Everton v AFCB game

Tomorrow we will have a Rival Lines wth Royal Blue Mersey

Wednesday, 22 July 2020

Howe's side to be dismantled as Aké heads to Man City?

Nathan Aké deserves top-flight football next season and to play in a team that is playing in Europe. Man City will offer him that. It appears that Aké's apprentice days are over. If Man City pay out £35m, he will be going to the Etihad, national media reports suggest.

Man Cit hold talks with Nathan Aké.
It is not long since Bournemouth lost to Southampton, but Man City didn't waste any time in moving for Bournemouth's defender. While the fee looks lower than the Chelsea £40m buyback clause, Man City seem to be in the box seat for Ake's signature.

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It is not a surprise that Nathan is being picked up by a top six team. What Bournemouth fans will wonder is, who else will be quickly snapped up if any of their other main players? David Brooks is the most likely next asset to be on the buy list of the top clubs, and it will be hard for Eddie Howe to see his side dismantled. The Cherries will have to restock their numbers, and while they hold many top earning players, it is not clear what relegation would mean to those salaries.


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Bournemouth will need to clear in their message for what they want next season to attract the right kind of players. Everyone knows that Bournemouth have funds and will press for high prices. While we don't yet know how long clubs have before the start of the next season, Bournemouth need to have lists of players ready to hit the market hard as soon as this next weekend is over, whatever league they are in.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Delight and agony - AFCB fans see relegation battle go to last game

Delight and agony - AFCB fans see relegation battle go to last game

Bournemouth fans could rub their hands with some glee again and go and get their hidden scarfs and shorts out of the dustbin, as the unlikely escape was back on after Man City thumped a demoralised Watford 0-4. There was some caution though as Bournemouth fans still had to wait to see what Arsenal would do against Aston Villa. It was a flat Arsenal performance and Aston Villa kept a 1-0 lead to also go three points ahead of Bournemouth, but we knew that the relegation battle would now go down to the last game no matter what.
Destiny is not in AFCB's own hands but at least they are not out of it with a game to go.
There is every chance now that the 17th place in the Premier League this season could be decided by goal difference. We could have three teams  on 34 points. Arguably none of these teams have played well enough to stay up, but there is a place for one of them. A 1-0 win for Bournemouth and two 1-0 defeats for Aston Villa and Arsenal would save Eddie Howe's side. But a draw or a win for Aston Villa or Watford and Bournemouth will have to adapt to life in the Championship.


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Bournemouth fans could just peak from between their closed fingers again and start to imagine again what a win at Everton would mean. It is the hope that rally hurts and yet Bournemouth fans have to believe their team has been given yet another opportunity to climb out of the relegation places.

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The pole position is held by Aston Villa now, who may only need a point against West Ham to secure their Premier League place if Watford can't beat Arsenal.  Is till think it will be between Bournemouth and Watford. The way Arsenal played against Aston Villa, you have to fancy Watford to get something in their last game. It is going to be nail biting, but Bournemouth have to beat Everton as their first job, to stand any chance of avoiding the drop. After that they can worry about goal difference and goals scored if Aston Vil and Watford have not added one or three points to their totals.

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Tuesday, 21 July 2020

Bournemouth have to hope for one more chance

Tonights night's games take on even more importance for Bournemouth, if that is possible, after the defeat to Southampton. In a way, looking at the bottom teams of Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Watford, they are all as bad as each other. None of them deserve being saved, and to me,  it wouldn't be unfair to see all three along with Norwich City being relegated.
AFCB still hope they have something to play for come next weekend.
But one team out of Watford, Aston Villa and Bournemouth will survive. They may even survive on 34 points and with less than 10 wins in the season. That is looking quite likely now, as none of these teams has found winning easy. If the season does go to the last day, with Bournemouth still involved with a chance of staying up, then it is perhaps not a great advert for the Premier League. Yes it will be exciting, because any one of three teams could stay up, but it shows how poor four teams are compared to the rest of the league.

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There may be satisfaction if Bournemouth stay up. But the team will need a drastic overhaul no matter what happens. Of course, Watford can take it completely out of Bournemouth's hands, if they get a point against Man City. It will all end there and then, if they do. But if Villa and Watford fail to get above 34 points this season, Bournemouth fans will have another nail biting weekend to suffer.


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I am not sure if I want it to be all over. The suffering is never ending and in a way, it will be a relief when the season is over. I have been predicting relegation ever since Bournemouth lost away to Norwich City. They are bad enough to be relegated. If they stay up it will only be via the back door now. That might be good enough for Eddie Howe and the AFCB board, but this season has been anything other than fun to watch as a Bournemouth supporter. Yes, we are in the top league and it has been a pleasure to be a part of it for five seasons. But is it wrong to want more? Have Bournemouth overstayed their welcome? We may find out on tonight. Then again we might have to wait until next weekend. Drawling a line under this season might not quite be done this evening.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Harry Wilson puts his hands up

Friday, 17 July 2020

For once Bournemouth have impact players from the bench

The match against Man City was not only important for a small goal difference defeat, but I was impressed by the substitutions. Okay, we can argue about the timing of the subs and maybe Bournemouth played a bit reservedly first half, but when the subs came on the confidence was flowing.
David Brooks finds his touch.
I was especially pleased, as Eddie Howe was, for David Brooks to score. He has been struggling with lasting a whole 90 minutes, and perhaps he is finding it easier to come on as an impact sub against tired legs at the other end. You can't deny he is a super finisher. He took his chance very calmly to beat Ederson. That goal could yet be priceless and it will do Brooks the world of good to get his first goal of the season.

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Callum Wilson also looked more dangerous than he has in recent weeks, and I am sure Eddie kept him on the bench for motivation to get him wound up like a coiled spring ready to explode when he came on. It almost worked and I still think Callum will have a crucial role to play in Bournemouth's last two fixtures, as he is most likely to have a chance fall to him. He knows he'll have to take the chances, if he is to get to double figures in goals this season.

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Eddie now has more idea about where the players are in terms of fitness and match ability for these last two games. He perhaps got it wrong for the first few games back. Bournemouth were well out of sorts. But with players like Sam Surridge waiting to come on and do a salvation job and Solanke believing he can score, there is every hope that the players will make an impact in the last two games, especially as they know they could have come away with points against Man City.

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I still think there is more to come from Josh King, Harry Wilson and Lewis Cook, but if they can grasp hold of the confidence that the rest of the team are playing with, then the unthinkable could just happen and Bournemouth could save themselves at the death. To beat Southampton and Everton is a worthy test to prove you are Premier League quality and there are only positive vibes coming from the players now whether they are starting of on the bench.

In other news, Aston Vill were close to getting three points against Everton, but Theo Walcott equalised in the 87th minute to keep Vila in 19th place. Brighton also got another point against Southampton which pretty much puts them safe with their goal difference.

Thursday, 16 July 2020

Bournemouth have to take their chances in final two games

Bournemouth got on the score sheet against ManCity but it took them far too long to put any pressure on City. David Brooks took his goal well though, unlike Harry Wilson at the end of the Spurs game and to lose 2-1 to Man City is actually a good result for Bournemouth's goal difference, even if not in terms of points.
Better finishing is a must for AFCB to pick up points. 
The problem was that Bournemouth had chances to get at least a draw from the match with Man City and can count themselves unlucky not to do so. A bit better finishing and they would have taken a point. There wasn't much happening for Bournemouth in the first half except for a turn and shot by Josh King, and Junior Stanislas' free kick which would have gone in had it not been for Ederson being such a good keeper. But the chances really started to come in the second half, and Eddie Howe could have expected better finishing from his team.

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The first disappointment was Josh King's disallowed goal. He just timed the ran a fraction too early and was so nearly kept on side by John Stones. VAR had to check a few times, but Stanislas really did everything right for Josh King and the chance went begging.

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As we drew nearer to the end of the game, Bournemouth did net and that gave them another lift. It could have been a great scoreline, if Callum Wilson had taken his shot better on the edge of the box. But there were other chances for Lewis Cook and Lerma who were blocked. Sam Surridge also came close to nipping in. But it wasn't to be.


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Bournemouth have to take on board that they are creating chances though and are very strong in the second half of games now. If they do start taking their chances they could rack up a really big score in their remaining games, and I am just hoping they can at least do that and see where that gets them.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth put City all the way in 2-1 defeat
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