Steve Cook is back and so are the clean sheets

Steve Cook finally got a run out after his long-term groin injury on Saturday. To see him line up next to Nathan Aké again will have given a lot of pleasure to Eddie Howe who is still waiting for Simon Francis to recover from his cruciate ligament injury. The importance of Cook is not just that he is so familiar with being paired with Nathan Aké at centre-back, but the fact that he is a leader and the captain on the pitch while Francis is unavailable.

Steve Cook returns

Playing Olympic Lyons should be a step up from what the Cherries will face against Sheffield United next weekend. No disrespect to the Blades, but they are not a team who will be in the Champions League next season. While Bournemouth were at home, Howe would have expected Aké and Cook to have been really stretched against Lyons' forwards. But the good positioning and tackling of Cook and Aké helped the team gets its clean sheet. Cook was barking out the orders and choosing where the defenders stood when the back line needed organisation. It was what the players are used to and the players looked settled and comfortable with Cook back in the side.

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The thing that fans should be asking though is whether Bournemouth are going to concede less goals than last season? If the central two defenders are lining up again for the new season can we expect them to be better because they have another season behind them? Is it really the central defenders that led to most of the goals against AFCB last season? Eddie Howe looks to be satisfied that he can rely on Steve Cook to be the best partner for Aké. While Chris Mepham will surely play some games and will provide competition, it's Steve Cook that Eddie has always wanted to keep hold of and being one of the consistent factors in Bournemouth's success, it is hard for Howe to change his view. Perhaps he feels that it is in other areas where the goals need to be stopped.

Perhaps he is right in that more protection is needed for Steve Cook and Nathan Aké in front of him, and that Philip Billing will help provide that this season. New signings at right- and left-back will give a changed look to the team at some point this season, but I believe we can expect Steve Cook to be the first name on the team sheet for Bournemouth next weekend, next to Aké with Daniels and Adam Smith making up a rather familiar back four. 

In other news, Harry Arter seems destined to go on loan to Fulham reports the Bournemouth Echo with two years left on his contract. More worryingly, Man City a are eyeing up a move for Nathan Aké, reports the Sun and Leicester could also be in the picture for Steve Cook's centre-back partner.

Kilkenny stars in AFCB's 3-0 win over Lyons

Match Report

AFCB 3 v 0 Olympic Lyons

3 August 2019

Eddie Howe wanted a hard fixture to end pre-season and taking on a Champions League qualifying team seemed to be just the ticket. While Olympic Lyons threatened early on, it was Bournemouth that looked more ready for European football and once the Cherries had taken the lead with Callum Wilson netting, they never looked back. A second goal from young winger Gavin Kilkenny rounded-off for him what would be a man of the match display. The second half didn't see Artur Buroc make as many saves at Aaron Ramsdale and Josh King made sure of a Bournemouth win slotting home a third goal with 18 minutes to go.

Lyons were no match for AFCB.

Bournemouth race back after King loses the ball high up the field. Corner and Ramsdale punches before making a save with his feet and another shot goes wide from Traore.

Billing and Anjuma get early touches. Kilkenny and King get down the right and Wilson gets a header in but wide of the target.

King gives a free kick away. Ramsdale poor pass for Offoborh but Steve Cook clears up. Lyons are in the ascendency.

Kilkenny to Offoborh, down right, and Wilson slots home bottom right on 11 minutes 1-0 to the Cherries! That was against the run of play. Bournemouth are taking their free kicks quickly with Kilkenny the out ball up the right usually.

Moussa Dembele fires a shot, but it deflects off Steve Cook's foot to Ramsdale on 15 minutes. Billing looks comfortable going forward. He finds Kilkenny and Adam Smith drills a cross right through the box.

Gavin Kilkenny scores from the right side of the box after a throw from the left after 20 minutes. Wilson was involved in the move with a good assist.

Corner for Bournemouth. Back in Aké heads and it's well saved. Offoborh fouls 11 some 25 yards out a d central. It hits Billing in the face - that's what the tall man is for.

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A long sweeping pass from Billing to Anjuma and Wilson plays a one-two with the Dutchman's shot saved to the keepers left on 28 minutes.

Rico puts in a deep cross which the keeper grabs. Ramsdale is out for a long ball beats Dembele, then is tackled for a throw.

Traore on the break to Memphis Depay and Ramsdale turns shot around the corner.

King drags a shot wide from distance.

Adam Smith blocks Aouar for a corner to Lyons. Traore spins Rico but puts his shot wide of the far post.

Kilkenny plays in King up the right and the shot comes off the keepers legs for a corner

It's half-time 2-0.

Bournemouth were looking good by half-time.

Second half 
Boruc has replaced Ramsdale at half-time. Rico wins a corner which is grabbed by the keeper ahead of Billing coming in.

Smith puts in a cross but Andjum misses his kick. Kilkenny and Smith keep working the right side. King is just a bundle of energy today, hasn't stopped running.

King in to Wilson who shoots wide. Wilson gets the ball from the goal kick and he plays King in but the keeper saves on 58 minutes.

Bournemouth sub Billing for Corey Jordan on 60 minutes. A rare excursion by Lyons. Depay plays it out wide to Dembele but the shot is passed Boruc's left post.

Lyon subs come on after 65 minutes. Depay is off and on comes Kenny Tete and Rafael is off along with Traore, so on comes Pape Cheikh Diop and Jean Lucas.

Dobre comes on for Bournemouth, replacing Steve Cook on 66 minutes.

King with a great pick up and drive. Wilson goes for a header but Dubois clears. Smith at the near post sees his shot go just wide.

Wilson gets on to a poor goal kick and squares it to King, who makes it 3-0 on 72 minutes.

Terrier has a shot blocked for a corner. A long shot from Mendes is saved by Boruc. Wilson is subbed for Surridge and Adam Smith goes off for Jordan Zamoura 76 minutes.

Dembele is off and Gouiri is on after 77 minutes. Lyons win a corner. Lyons sub Aouar and on comes Caqueret and Mendes is replaced by Tousart on 81 minutes.

Aké makes a good block. Boruc hasn't had much to do this half.

Josh King is subbed by Sam Sherring on 86 minutes.

AFCB gave debuts to Anjuma and Billing.

Summary

A great result for Bournemouth. The clean sheet is very timely going into the start of the new season and neither Ramsdale or Boruc looked under pressure very often. The real surprise was Gavin Kilkenny who lit up the first half with his fast breakaways on the right and his good vision. Billing and Anjuma fitted in well and Offoborh was very involved, while King and Wilson looked much more tuned in for this game. Steve Cook came through 66 minutes as well so a good day all round for.

AFCB.
Ramsdale, A Smith ( Zamoura 76), S Cook (Dobre 66), Aké, Rico, Kilkenny,
Billing (Jordan 60), Offoborh, Anjuma, Wilson (Surridge 76), King (Sam Sherring 86)

AFCB

Boruc, Dennis, 55 Corey Jordan, 26 Jordan Zamoura, Surridge, Dobre, 50 Sam Sherring

AFCB Ratings

Ramsdale 6, A Smith 6, S Cook 6, Aké 7, Rico 5, Kilkenny 9, Billing 6, Offoborh 6, Anjuma 6, Wilson 7, King 7

Lyons

1 Lopes, 14 Dubois, 3 Anderson, 4 Rafael (Pape Cheikh Diop 65), 12 Mendes (Tousart 81), 8 Aouar (Caqueret 81), 11 Depay (Tete 65), 10 Traore ( Jean Lucas 65), Dembele (Gouiri 77)

Top international quality for Cherries to face

Lazio are AFCB's opponents on Friday night. The Italian team finished eighth last season just seven points off the European places in Serie A. They scored 56 goals in 38 games and won 17 matches. Their record is certainly above that of the Cherries, and it will be a tough challenge to win the game, which is just what Eddie Howe wants.

AFCB have a double-header this weekend.

A good signing Lazio made this summer was from Liverpool. They signed Habeeb Omobolaji Adekanye, who is a Nigerian striker and has played for the Netherlands U21. Frustrated by a lack of opportunities under Jurgen Klopp, Habeeb decided to join the Italians and could be one of their main goal threats against AFCB.

Another signing for Lazio in July was Denis Vavro, who is a Slovakian centre-back who signed from Copenhagen FC. He is expected to be joined by Gustavo Cipriano this week who is a Brazilian defender from Santos FC.

If the new players aren't so well known the manager certainly is - Simone Inzaghi. Surprisingly, he only played three times for his country at senior level, one game including scoring against England, but is known for his long period as a striker at Lazio between 1999-2010.

Having played under managers like Dino Zoff and Giovanni Trapattoni Inzaghi will have plenty of tricks to take on Eddie Howe having been head coach at Lazio since 2016.

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Olympic Lyons
The names at Olympique Lyons may be a little better known, certainly to me. AFCB take them on on Saturday and this is the big pre-season test for the Cherries as Lyons finished third in Ligue 1 last season scoring 70 goals.

Among their squad are players that have been in the Premier League such as Memphis Depay, who played two seasons at Man Utd and Moussa Dembele (not the Spurs player) who has played for Fulham and Celtic. Bertrand Traore also played a few games for Chelsea in 2015-16.

At the back they also have Marcelo the Brazilian defender who was previously at Real Madrid. He is known to be a flying wing back and will be a problem player with his raids into the Bournemouth half.

Lyons changed their manager this summer. The new man is Sylvinho who has played left-back for Arsenal, Barcelona and Man City but this is his first managerial appointment.

If AFCB can come out on top in both of these two games , they really will have had a fantastic pre-season.

In other news, Arnaut Danjuma has joined AFCB from Club Brugge. We should see him in one of this weekend's games.