Better defending still needed for the Cherries

Match Report

Man City 2 v 1 AFC Bournemouth

15 July 2020

AFCB don' get the VAR decision but put in a great performance at the Etihad.

Bournemouth went a goal down early in which was just what wasn't required. David Silva scored on from a well taken free kick, just six minutes in, after Lerma had given a way a free kick. Bournemouth then soaked up pressure well and created one or two chances with Stanislas going close, when he hit the post from a free kick and Solanke saw an attempt cleared off the six yard box. Jesus put Man City in the driving seat before half-time with a great bit of skill on the left side, and a clean finish in the bottom corner. It could have been worse when Lerma left his foot in against Jesus, but VAR did not give a penalty. Bournemouth could also have gone 3-0 down, but a Steve Cook's penalty decision was overturned by VAR, and from then on it was Bournemouth who looked most likely to score. Josh King had been unlucky thought to be ruled offside, when he though he had halved the deficit. David Silva misjudged ball that hit his arm in the box, but there was no VAR penalty decision in favour of Bournemouth. The energy of David Brooks and Callum Wilson were a big positive and David Brooks scored on 88 minutes. There was also a chance for Callum Wilson to get the draw in added time, and Lewis Cook and Jefferson Lerma had shots blocked, while Surridge almost got on the end of a free kick. In the end, Bournemouth just ran out of time in an exciting finish to the game.

Bournemouth made four changes for this game. It was a bit of a surprise to see Callum Wilson replaced by Josh King in the starting line up. Steve Cook also came in for the injured Aké and Billing made a start ahead of Danjuma, while Stanislas came in at wing back and Brooks was also on the bench.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Match Description
Man City are keeping the ball and are inching closer to the Bournemouth goal, but Walkers' cross goes past everyone. Rico makes a cross and Gosling's header is at the keeper. Jesus is found by Ederson on his own, but the pass from Jesus goes astray.

Billing loses it in midfield, not strong enough. Lerma slides in on Silva and it's a free kick. David Silva hits it right in the top right corner, off the cross bar, 1-0 to Man City on six minutes.

Solanke almost gets on the end of a lose ball. Fernandinho with a shot from distance, goes just wide. A well hit shot. Rico down to Billing, but Gosling can't keep it play.

Bournemouth are getting penned in, but escape with a free kick for Gosling. The long ball upfield and Ederson beats Steve Cook to it. Lloyd Kelly picks up a card for pulling back Jesus on 17 minutes.

The passing in the middle of the park is crisp from Man City, but Bournemouth are finding it hard to get a sequence of passing going. It has been like a training session or a game of chess with Man City just looking to find gaps on the field. King was doing well helping out the midfield. Stacey put in a great cross, but Stones beats Gosling to the ball.

Bournemouth have a press on. City get a throw though. Solanke over hits a pass for Josh King. Lerma intercepts, but gives it straight back to City.

Gosling keeps a chance alive, Josh King turns but puts the shot wide. Encouraging for Bournemouth. Lerma make a sliced clearance for a Man City corner. Bournemouth clear.

Advertisement

Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!

A long throw from Kelly and Billing knocks it on before Man City clear. It is still a pedestrian pace. Man City are taking their time and Bournemouth are doing all the running.  Every now and a gain Lerma or Gosling get a foot in.

Foden has a snap shot, but clips it over from Mendy's pass. Solanke takes the ball down well from a Ramsdale kick. Stacey crosses, but the Bournemouth players can't win the header. 

Solanke wins a free kick off Otamendi on 32 minutes. Stanislas is looking to take the kick. It's tipped onto the post at full stretch by Ederson. So unlucky for Stanislas, because the keeper didn't know where the ball was. It could have gone in off the back of his head.

Gosling crosses and King heads over. Bernado Silver shoots wide on the volley from a cross from the left. King to Gosling and Solanke is blocked on the six yard line by Otamendi. Another header goes over from Billing.

David Silva on the left and Jesus opens up the Bournemouth defence and fires in to the bottom corner cutting past Stacey and Steve Cook. It's 2-0 to City on 39 minutes.

King does ever so well, but doesn't shoot or pass at the need when Stacey was available. Ramsdale gets to a cross and juggles it, he's lost it. Lerma has to clear, but he has caught Jesus. VAR has not given a penalty. Few.

Two minutes of added time.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Second half

Sterling and Garcia come on for Bermardo Silva and Carl Walker.  Josh King wins a corner. Rico takes the corner, but it's headed out and he doesn't find Billing.

Man City are keeping possession now. Kelly heads clear a Mendy cross. Bournemouth just aren't able to get forward. They are being hemmed in their own half. Ramsdale catches a City corner.

Mendy crosses again and King wins a free kick. A ball over the top for Jesus, but Stacey has it covered. The pace of the game has been noticeably ponderous in the second half.

Solanke does well to keep the ball. Stanislas does great work down the right and cut's back and King taps in, but is he offside? VAR will check. 60 minutes have gone and VAR says offside.

Billing is on the box but can't find a team-mate. Rico has a cross down the left, but it goes out of play. Stanislas puts in a cross from the right and Ederson spills it with Solanke coming in and Gosling spoons his shot wide - a real chance on 64 minutes.

Advertisement

Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!

King gets in behind and goes down the byline and Stones is forced to give a corner away. Lerma tries to head it back but it's too strong.

Sterling fouls Kelly. Man City sub Gündogan for Rodri on 68 minutes. Callum Wilson and David Brooks and Lewis Cook are on for Solanke, Stanislas and Gosling.

Silva puts a ball in low from the left. Jesus in the penalty area is taken down by Steve Cook - penalty. VAR is checking. Maybe Cook got some of the ball. No penalty!

Sterling is trying to get in down the left. Jesus gets free on the left but shoots past the left post. Mahrez and Zinchenko come on for Mendy and Jesus on 76 minutes.

King is replaced by Harry Wilson on 77 minutes. Billing out to Harry Wilson and he's down in the box. Where is VAR? Oh, it was a dive.

City have a corner. Mahrez crosses but Ramsdale saves. Brooks on the right, pulls it back to Callum Wilson and he has squeezed it wide of the left post.

Advertisement

Free Bets Hub

Eight minutes left. Can Bournemouth reduce that goal difference? Garcia puts on a deep cross and Foden beats his man, but Ramsdale saves at the near post.

Kelly has a long throw. It hits David Silva's hand, but not a penalty! Billing and Callum Wilson but Bournemouth lose it. Bournemouth are pressing for this goal.

Rico a ball down the left  Callum Wilson and Brooks has turned it in on 88 minutes. 

Brooks and Callum Wilson now with a chance. He has hit it wide, off the defender. He snatched at it.

Six minutes of added time. Surridge is on. Billing is off, Callum Wilson is in behind. Lewis Cook doesn't shoot Lerma is blocked.

Free kick and the keeper might not get it, Steve Cook heads on, Surridge goes in but Ederson saves second time. Man City are hanging on the ropes.

Bournemouth get back to thwart Sterling and Mahrez. Garcia is carded for a foul on Harry Wilson.

Brooks puts in a cross too deep. Surridge on the chase, but Ederson wins the race. Kelly with a throw Cook heads on and Stones clears.

Summary
Bournemouth won't get any closer than this to making life uncomfortable for Man City. A 2-1 defeat was not perhaps justice for the chances Bournemouth created. The chances came right at the end, but Bournemouth couldn't convert them. Still, they did get one goal back from Harry Wilson and that could be vital when it comes to goal difference with Watford still to play Man City. Bournemouth made 14 chances which is the most of any team coming to the Etihad in the four years of Guardiola's reign. This is a team that is fighting and the fight goes on. VAR has again been cruel and Bournemouth aren't getting the strong referees that they need at times, but Man City is the toughest of tests and the remaining games will be easier for Bournemouth to try and win.

AFCB line-up

AFCB Subs: 1 Boruc, 6 Surman, 13 C Wilson, 14 Danjuma, 16 L Cook, 20 Brooks, 22 H Wilson, 25 Simpson,

44 Surridge

AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 5, Stanislas 7 (Brooks 6), Stacey 6, S Cook 5, Kelly 6, Rico 6,
Billing 6 (Surridge 5), Lerma 5,  Gosling 5 (L Cook 5), King 6 (H Wilson 5),
Solanke 5 (C Wilson 5)

AFCB MoM: Junior Stanislas

Ref Watch: Lee Mason 1/10 not very good at spotting penalties but Man City were already 2-0 up when he missed Lerma's foul. Then he thought Steve Cook had given a penalty away and VAR overturned it. Still, not sure why Davi Silva's handball was not given either.

Man City

31 Ederson, 2 Walker (Garcia 45), 5 Stones, 30 Otamendi, 22 Mendy (Zinchenko 76),
25 Fernandinho, 8 Gündogan, 20 Bernardo Silva, 21 Silva (Sterling 45), 47 Foden, 9 Gabriel Jesus (Mahrez 76)

Man City Subs
7 Sterling, 11 Zinchenko, 14 Laporte, 16 Rodri, 17 De Bruyne, 26 Mahrez, 33 Carson, 50 García, 69 Doyle

AFCB hit by Rashford's sucker punch 1-2

Match Report

AFCB 1 v 2 Man Utd

3 November 2018

Attendance: 10,792

Man Utd snatch a late win at Dean Court.

Marcus Rashford stole three points from the cherries right at the death in what had been a fairly even game with both teams passing up opportunities to win the game before Rashford''s intervention. Bournemouth had begin well with Callum Wilson's seventh goal of the season. Fraser had already passed up a chance to score before that and Brooks might well have had a good penalty shout, when he was bundled over by Luke Shaw. United found a way back into the game with an equaliser from Martial on 35 minutes after good work from Sanchez. From that moment on it looked like Bournemouth might struggle to regain the initiative. It was Mourinho's second half subs that won the game –  Rashford and Lingard found the movement to hurt Bournemouth. Ninety minutes of good work would be undone with one break and AFCB were left to feel sorry for themselves when a point was certainly obtainable.

Remembrance for the fallen. 

A few years ago it would have been a privilege just to play Man Utd and suffer a 1-2 defeat. But today it is a disappointment. Had Howe made more positive substitutions then perhaps he could have changed the course of the second half. Jermain Defoe and Lys Mousset may wonder if it is worth warming up on the sidelines on a Saturday afternoon. But in truth, Mourinho had stars on his bench and Howe had his best team on the pitch already with not enough quality on the bench to step up another level. That may change in January, but more likely in the summer, if the board give Howe the money he could have for the training pitch.

Ken gives a pre-match interview on Man Utd's chances at Dean Court.

Eddie Howe moved Charlie Daniels to the bench and played three at the back for the second game running, while Junior Stanislas lined up in attack with Wilson and Brooks.

There are more images on Match Day Gallery.

Bournemouth almost made the perfect start with Wilson finding Fraser free through the middle, but the Scotsman pushed himself wide and could only find De Gea's legs rather than the net. It was Manchester United that the began to win a couple of corners as Sanchez and Martial tested Simon Francis. 

The Cherries were quick when they did come forward with Adam Smith and Ryan Fraser. Wilson might have done better with a flicked shot on 10 minutes, but de Gea made the save. Another Bournemouth move from Brooks saw Adam Smith get into the box and cross for Stanislas who had his shot deflected off of Luke Shaw for a corner. It was sparkling stuff from the Cherries.

Bournemouth would take the lead after the corner, when Lewis Cook played a great reverse ball down the line and the cross that came in from Stanislas was sweetly struck by Wilson who reeled off in celebration of opening the scoring on 11 minutes.

Lerma was enjoying getting the better of Paul Pogba while Adam Smith put in a speculative cross that just bobbled wide of the right hand post. Francis was still crunching his tackles in on Martial to much applause.

An error from Lewis Cook at the back almost let Martial in but the forwards turn clipped the ball on to far and Begovic could grab the ball just in time. United tried the long ball up to Sanchez but Begovic was ready for it.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Fast passing from Francis and Wilson got Stanislas in a good position to shoot but he couldn't beat de Gea. Steve Cook was sliding in to stop Fred from making a break and Brooks was then unlucky not to win a penalty appeal when Luke Shaw went crashing into the back of him.

Bournemouth were defending well around their box with Lewis Cook on the floor but still able to clip the ball away from Pogba. Aké was sticking close to Martial, too.

A corner won by Wilson on 33 minutes came out to Lewis Cook who hit a good drive but it was blocked by a United defender. 

United broke down the right next with Young before Sanchez made the most of it getting to the byline and cutting the ball back where Martial made no mistake, scoring from near the penalty spot on 35 minutes.

United were confident now and Mata shot wide four minutes later. Bournemouth might have gone ahead again on 42 minutes with Stanislas setting Fraser away again, but Fraser could only find the side netting.

Equal at half-time.

Second half

The second half came alight when when Fraser outpaced the United defence and passed to Brooks at the near post. The Welshman looked to have scored by back heeling the ball goal wards, but de Gea made a world-class save! 

Aké put a header wider from a corner shortly after. Matic was carded for a handball which was duly well received by the Bournemouth fans as the referee had missed many more poor fouls that should have received yellow cards.

A run from Luke Shaw cut open Bournemouths defence, but Begovic was brave and made a the save to force a corner.

Martial almost found away through but Francis and Begovic kept him out. Mata was replaced by Rashford on 56 minutes and Herrera came on for Fred.

Lerma was booked soon after for a foul on Herrera. Stanislas also picked up a yellow card for fouling Ashley Young. From the free kick Young hit the bar and the ball bounced around the six yard box with Aké making a block from Rashford and another shot was cleared off the line by Brooks.

United were in control now and Pogba was starting to play, finding Herrera who bent his shot inches wide of the left upright from 20 yards out. Pogba next put his shot over,

Bournemouth were hanging in with Brooks' deflected shot from the edge of the box carefully caught by de Gea running backwards. Another Brooks' effort bounced off his leg before he could get hold of it properly.

Wth United on top Fraser was subbed for Ibe on 74 minutes. A Bournemouth corner was beautifully flicked on by Wilson at the near post but no AFCB player could get to the flick on. Ibe won another corner, but Aké and Steve Cook got in each others way.

United subbed Sanchez and brought on Lingard on 78 minutes. United were pushing for the win with Herrera's cross coming of Aké and Begovic just managing to keep the ball out.

A great Bournemouth passing move then saw Brooks on the left side of the box hit a fierce shot that de Gea clung on to. Young was booked after fouling Adam Smith, but Smith was also carded as he kicked the ball away. 

Pogba had a shot blocked before Ibe made a great run out of defence. Lingard saw his shot saved before four minutes of added time went up. Howe subbed Stanislas for Surman. In the next few seconds a cross from the left drifted over Aké and landed between Adam Smith and Rashford. Rashford reacted best to smash the ball in from six yards! United had won it 1-2 in the 92nd minute. Rashford was booked though for his celebration.

Howe has to reflect on the end of the unbeaten record.

Summary

This was a game that Bournemouth will look back on and be annoyed that they got nothing from it. They should have taken a point and could have won it if their shooting had been more accurate. A draw would have been fair. But United had the quality to win the game. Eddie Howe knows that his side can hurt the top teams though and they have to take that confidence into future games.

AFCB Subs: Boruc, Daniels, Surman, Gosling, Ibe, Mousset, Defoe.

AFCB Ratings

Begovic 7, Francis 8, S Cook 7, Aké 7, A Smith 6, L Cook 6, Lerma 6, Fraser 7, Brooks 7, Stanislas 6, Wilson 7

Man United
De Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelöf, Shaw, Fred (Herrera 56), Matic, Pogba,
Mata (Rashford 56), Sánchez (Lingard 78), Martial

United Subs
Romero, Darmian, McTominay, Jones, Herrera, Rashford, Lingard

Ref Watch: Paul Tierney 1/10 - afraid to give decisions against the big teams. Had a disappointing game.

No Cherry Chimes T-shirt winner this week.

Junior finds the luck AFCB needed

Junior Stanislas had a very memorable game against Man Utd. He may not have got everything right but he is making things happen. The ball was a bit like a magnet to him on Saturday and he can't have wished for a better start than he gave the team. He has been a player that has always been good from set pieces and along with Ritchie, AFCB have a couple of amazing strikers of the dead ball.

Junior and Glenn are getting some luck in front of goal.

The high intensity that the Cherries play with perhaps does not always mean that things always come off as well as they might. It is quick and yet controlled play that Eddie Howe wants from his team and that can often become hurried and rushed when it does not quite work. Repetition and familiarity are starting to pay off though and Junior is one of those players who can put into practise in a game what he does in training.

The movement of Junior has been a big factor in the Cherries looking more threatening in front of gaol. Like Josh King, Junior has to get better at finishing and his one-on-one test in the Man Utd game with David de Gea may not have come off, but it was his positivity of trying to go around the keeper that I was most impressed with. He might have tried to shoot from distance a few weeks ago, but by being daring, he commits others. AFCB players were trying to get the ball to Junior all the time as he was making things happen.

Junior won't have been so delighted to his early back pass that found Martial rather than Surman, but even that worked out luckily for AFCB. You create your own luck they so though and the early goal that Junior scored from the corner was something that I am sure Junior practises in the rain in the week over and over again. Things come off for you when you keep at it and Junior will now be feeling much more part of the team having scored five goals already this season which equals the fast start of Callum Wilson now.

PremierTalk: click on to Premier Talk to read - The wind of change is blowing through the Premier League

Will Man Utd struggle to pick themselves up?

I thought there were a lot of positives on how Man Utd played in mid-week against Wolfsberg, which on the face of it is not great news for the Cherries. The Red Devils certainly created chances and worked the keeper and the sideways passing that has been so heavily criticised of van Gaal's side gave way to positive forward passing and high pressing. The problem for them is they still did not win and the effort that Man Utd put into that game could be an important factor when they take on the Cherries in the late Saturday kick off.

Lee Tomlin and Marc Pugh were back in training this week
and could make the sub's bench for AFCB.

I'd have expected Schweinsteiger to be dropped for the AFCB game even if he had not received a three match ban as Man Utd need Michael Carrick to set the pace in midfield and he should be fresher than most having only playing just over 20 minutes in midweek. There was a strong performances from Martial up front, but the Cherries will also have to be on guard for Fellaini at set-pieces. Memphis Depay will give them some crosses and they had plenty of players in the box at Wolfsberg, but Mata looked the main man one minute and out of sorts the next. Chris Smalling also picked up and injury and de Gea kept Man Utd from conceding on several occasions so there are signs that this is not a Man Utd that are brimming with confidence.

The first goal is going to be everything on Saturday. The Cherries need to get at Man Utd early and put them under pressure. If Utd end up chasing the game their midweek exertions may well catch up with them. They have to make some changes to their team and will not particularly find it a thrill to come to such a small ground with the home fans in full voice. The noise at Stamford Bridge was amazing and that really needs to be replicated at home games.  

Eddie has to try and keep the momentum going now. If the team can beat Chelsea it can beat Man Utd. The players have to do the same positive things that they do away from home and stay compact when defending. I'd not expect any team changes on AFCB's side unless any injuries or colds have been picked up in midweek. I'd hope that Josh King is also keener than ever to get on the score sheet as an ex-Man Utd trainee and Matt Ritchie might also get the Man Utd scouts purring if he comes up with another blockbuster strike. David de Gea is a man that the Cherries will be aiming to keep very busy this Saturday.

Another win against a team as big as Man Utd would start to shake up the Premier League and that's what AFCB are here for. UTCIAD!