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.
We have seen AFCB make comebacks in their last two games with a draw against Ipswich and a win over Birmingham, but in both games the Cherries have fallen behind with some suspect defending. Whether this positional mistakes are just unlucky or could have been avoided, only Eddie Howe's opinion really counts at this point but I can't see that he will be too enthused to see the Cherries making it harder for themselves by having to come from behind in games when they are chasing a top two position. The shock of how surprising it is to see the Cherries go not only one but two goals behind was very evident at Dean Court on Easter Monday. It just doesn't happen that often and when it does the fans can only help the team to try and get back on their feet and to get a reaction from them. It worked last season when the team played Millwall and it worked on Monday against Birmingham, but it so easily could have been a 0-3 deficit to the Blues if Birmingham had been a bit more fortunate with Clayton Donaldson causing all kinds of problems when he linked up with Andrew Shinnie.
AFCB keepers warming up before Birmingham match.
So why are the fast starts not happening? Artus Boruc perhaps made the wrong decision to stop coming out when he faced Clayton Donaldson for Birmingham's first goal but the left side of the defence was also weak for the second Birmingham goal. I do think there is a lot of pressure on the team and it is hardly surprising now as the prize is so close. When the players are on the pitch, Charlie Daniels says that they can only think about the players in front of them and they are not thinking about where they are in the league or anything else but to win the game. But the need not to make a mistake is obviously important and no matter how much none of the players want to slip up and make the wrong decision, they can't get it right all the time. The firepower in the team now is very strong though and towards the end of the Birmingham match it could have been two or three more goals in AFCB's favour had it not been for Darren Randolph. The total of 104 goals this season in all competitions is great, but there is plenty of work to do for the Cherries in keep the goals at the other end down. Still, the Cherries are unbeaten in eight and it is only three games ago that they did earn a clean sheet. That has to be a factor that Eddie Howe will seek to address when the team plays Brighton on Friday. Take a look at the Match Day Gallery to see the pictures from around the ground yesterday. All Departments has released a double bill Easter special podcast, Good Friday - Happy Mondays, covering the Ipswich and Birmingham games and you can listen to the recording by visiting the All Departments' website or by scrolling down the right hand panel on Cherry Chimes until you get to teh All departments' sound bar and click on it.
The sun was out at Dean Court as Birmingham City looked to
avenge their 8-0 drubbing from earlier in the season.
Those rolling up to the Goldsands stadium for their first ever game might have though this would be a nailed on home win if they knew the result of the fixture earlier on in the season at St Andrews. However, football is never that simple and after 21 minutes AFCB found themselves 0-2 down and wondering what had hit them. This what not going to plan and Clayton Donaldson was causing havoc up front for Birmingham scoring one and, after David Coterrill had doubled the lead, Donaldson really should have put the Blues 0-3 up, but for a last ditch clearance from Steve Cook. While the Cherries were tying themselves up in knots, Birmingham were playing directly and with creativity in the last third. Birmingham's failure though was not to score that third goal as Bournemouth bundled their way back into the game with Steve Cook grabbing a goal from a corner, before Yann Kermorgant played a ball through for Callum Wilson to round Darren Randolph and surprisingly pull the Cherries level at half time. A quickly won penalty in the second half by Wilson, saw Kermorgant give the Cherries the lead from the spot. By the time Charlie Daniels had scored AFCB's fourth, Birmingham well well beaten but there was still time for Paul Robinson to be sent off and for the game to become a shooting session for AFCB against Darren Randolph.
Almost ready for kick-off the two captains in the middle.
There was only one change to AFCB's team with Yann Kermorgant replacing Brett Pitman in the starting 11. Pugh was still absent from the squad and Ryan Fraser kept his place on the left wing. Birmingham brought in David Davis for Gleeson and Lloyd Dyer started instead of Demarai Gray.
First Half The game started with yet another Callum Wilson incident with a keeper when Darren Randolph kicked the ball against the strikers back and saw the ball just go wide of the goal. I don't think the referee saw the incident but he consulted with his assistant referee and decided to give the Birmingham keeper a free kick. The free kick situation was soon equally up when Ryan Fraser went head over heels after a challenge from Llyod Dyer. Yann Kermorgant only managed to direct his shot at the wall and Birmingham escaped with a corner. The kick was taken by Fraser and was headed on at the near post by a defender and Surman almost put the Cherries ahead at the far post but just headed over. Moments later the Cherries won another corner and first Arter shot and then Yann Kermorgant was blocked out before the ball was blasted over. Another scramble at Bournemouth's end followed when Boruc looked clear to smother the ball, but Tommy Elphick slid in and conceded a corner. It was the first of several Birmingham corners as they got into the game. Fraser passed a good ball through to Wilson on 14 minutes when the striker shot wide, but AFCB were not hitting their stride. In fact, when Andrew Shinnie played a long ball up for Donaldson to run on to the Birmingham forward suddenly looked favourite to get between Elphick and Cook and beat Artur Boruc to the ball, as the loanee keeper stopped coming forward and Donaldson lobbed him expertly to put Birmingham 0-1 up on 18 minutes. While the home crowd was stunned, things became grimmer just three minutes later when David Coterrill raced up the right wing and beat Steve Cook before shooting across Artur Boruc into the bottom left corner of the goal to make it 0-2. It was as if the AFCB back four didn't know each other and just couldn't cope with players running at them on the break. There was a further warning shot when Cook backed off and David Davis fired a shot, but Boruc was equal to it. Birmingham were coming forward with lots of encouragement now and Dyer forced a corner off a blocked shot before Jonathan Grounds won another corner from his shot. The pressure was released a bit when Davis fouled Fraser and was given a yellow card. Matt Ritchie ran away from the free kick before returning and hitting a driven low cross across the box but Randolph got down to it quickly. Birmingham still came forward and Donaldson had a golden opportunity on 33 minutes to make it 0-3. Steve Cook headed back weakly to Artur Boruc and Donaldson got in but lifted his shot over Boruc but not quite firmly enough to prevent Cook clearing off the line. The whole AFCB performance seemed disjointed and ill at ease, particularly at the back. everything changed though when a corner on 38 minutes was first headed by Tommy Elphick who had hit shot blocked but Steve Cook managed to bundle it over the line and get AFCB's first goal of the contest. It was a goal that the Cherries badly needed and it gave them a foothold in the game which they managed to breath even more life into when Yann Kermorgant played a delightful ball through for Callum Wilson to run on to, rounding Randolph to score from a tight angle a minuted before half time. Operation recovery was complete 2-2. Now what could AFCB do in the second half.
Half time and some how the Cherries had pulled the game back to 2-2.
Second Half We didn't have to wait long to find out. Callum Wilson was again showing why he is so vital to this promotion chasing Cherries' side running onto a ball over the top with a burst into the Birmingham box which drew a foul from Birmingham captain Paul Robinson and AFCB were awarded a penalty. Yann Kermorgant successfully converted the spot kick and normal service had been resumed with the Cherries comeback complete and now 3-2 up. Ryan Fraser was looking a bit tired with a shot come cross that hit the side netting and Arter had a solid shot from the edge of the box saved on 52 minutes when Randolph dived low to his right. Birmingham's best chance early on this half fell to Donaldson when Andrew Shinnie put in a delightful chip through, but Donaldson shot wide. There were still nervous moments at the back between Boruc and Francis but this was more the AFCB that we had come to know this season. The game did not flow that well though with so many free kicks and Wilson was the next to pick up a yellow card after a foul on Jonathan Grounds. That allowed Adam Smith to come on for Ryan Fraser and Ritchie swapped over to the left wing. AFCB were looking for more goals and Tommy Elphick crashed a header against the bar from a corner on 57 minutes. Cook also headed over a couple of minutes later. Birmingham were struggling to create much now and Grounds was yellow carded for a foul on Smith, while Donaldson was getting regularly caught offside. AFCB almost made it four when Yann Kermorgant got Wilson in some space but he shot at Randolph's legs in the 62nd minute. Birmingham's reply was to see Cotterill shoot over, but the momentum was with Bournemouth now. Ritchie was looking comfortable on the left and dummied the ball for Daniels and then crossed for Kermorgant to have a knee-height heeled shot at the near post fly over. AFCB fans were allowed to see Demarai Gray as he came on after 68 minutes for LLoyd Dyer who had been quiet. Simon Francis almost immediately went in the book for a foul on Shinnie. But again AFCB were looking more likely to score and Cook headed over once more from a corner. Adam Smith had shown strong running since he had come on and he then had a break and his shot was saved by Randolph and then had another go which was saved by a combination of keeper and Paul Caddis on the line, before the ball fell back to Charlie Daniels just on the edge of the box and he volleyed the ball down hard into the ground and it looped up over defender and Randolph and off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net to make it 4-2! That was game over, but Birmingham brought on former Cherry Wes Thomas for Shinnie. It was perhaps the wrong decision as moments later Robinson was red carded for a foul on Wilson and Donaldson had to be subbed to bring on Rob Kiernan, while Caddis took over the captaincy. The last 10 minutes were really a shooting gallery in which Darren Randolph acquitted himself tremendously well. Callum Wilson was first to burst through only to see the keeper turn his shot away. Brett Pitman replaced Yann Kermorgant and Wilson was subbed for Kenwyne Jones to make a home debut. Then Harry Arter decided to have a go from range and smashed a shot, similar to the one when he scored against Middlesbrough, against the inside of the right post. There was a slow down in excitement for a moment as Adam Smith picked up a yellow card for a foul on David, but with four minutes of extra time Kenwyne Jones was looking to add to his goals and when the cross came in from Daniels, Kenwyne rose supremely and met the ball with a powerful header only for Randolph to some how keep out from point blank range! There was lots of pushing and holding for the corner and even though Jones was being wrestled the referee gave a free kick to Birmingham to prevent AFCB getting anymore goals on the day.
Three more points, AFCB keep their promotion charge on track.
Summary It was not a totally harmonious day for the Cherries, but they got the three points and go back to the top of the table. They have some worrying tendencies to back off and hesitate at the back which I am sure will be worked on this week, but the positives were that Wilson bagged a goal to take him to 20 for the season and even when AFCB are not playing at their best they are a side that can grow into matches and come from behind. Now that's Champion form - to win when you're not at your best.
Post-match walkabout.
Yann Kermorgant and Ryan Fraser.
Adam Smith does favour the short style from the 1980s doesn't he.
The result at Ipswich might well have been guessed as really by both sides considering that it has been a drawn outcome the previous three encounters, but anything can happen and slipping 1-0 down so early in the game was a bit unusual for the Cherries. It was mission comeback and it so nearly didn't materialise despite all the clever passing and good movement of the players. Ipswich stuck to their task and made it difficult as they so often do. After the match Eddie Howe was talking about keeping the intensity levels high for the next six matches. We know from last season that the last few games are no guarantee of points and everything the players scrap for will not be given to them lightly. For the Ipswich match I was pleased to see that the players did not change their style in the first half and kept playing positively from the back. Things didn't all go right. There were misplaced passes and a few misunderstandings even between Francis and Ritchie which is unusual. It has also been a while since Ryan Fraser has started and he had big shoes to fill with Marc Pugh being absent. The work rate from everyone though was good and even if some got a bit frustrated the points will come if they can keep their heads and concentrate on their game.
Ritchie will be looking for better finishing against Birmingham.
Against Birmingham it will still not be easy. AFCB need the crowd to lift the pressure and to get behind the team as well as they did when Middlesbrough visited. Win the game and AFCB will be in a strong position with another match gone. It is all about the players in from of AFCB and causing that team as many problems as they can. Do that and this team is good enough to open teams up as we have seen in the past. I expect more chances at home and if they can get the early goal this time it would be great to see AFCB play with a bit of freedom - that's what we are after now. Enjoy the game and - UTCIAD!
With Birmingham City now on 50 points and probably already safe from relegation, you have to say that Gary Rowett has done an excellent job at the Blues since his first match as Birmingham manager back in November 2014. Since then Birmingham have won three away games, although their recent run of away form has only seen them win once in the new year in the FA Cup to Blythe Spartans. It is funny that before Rowett's revival the Blues could not win at home, but now that has been corrected and Rowett is looking to see his team do better in away games.
I'd be very happy if it was just 1-0 on Easter Monday to AFCB.
In his last away game post-match interview after the defeat against Cardiff, Gary Rowett said that his team had not been up to the standards they had been setting themselves. Indeed, the Blues have started to drop back off the kind of form that had taken them to within nine points of the play-offs at the end of last year. So have Birmingham City slipped into sleep mode for the rest of the season? AFCB fans will be hoping so as Birmingham City players have more reason than most players to put in a performance at Dean Court having been pulled apart 0-8 at St Andrews by a Cherries side that was rampant on that day. Wes Thomas might also feel that he has something to prove having not stayed with the Championship leaders and finding himself back at one of his former homes. It was unfortunate for him that he was subbed straight away at the earlier fixture because of a tactical change, but even in Birmingham's last match against Rotherham which they won 2-1 Thomas was an unused substitute. Clayton Donaldson is coming to form though for the Blues and is likely to lead their attack and he is on 14 goals for the season. There is also a good chance that loanee Watford signing Diego Fabrini could play behind the striker. AFCB will be waiting on the fitness of Marc Pugh who was certainly missed last Friday. The influential winger's finishing in front of goal could be just what the Cherries need in this game as he scored a hat-trick in the big win at st Andrews and would not be a pleasing site for Birmingham players to see him ready to add to his eight goals this season. Birmingham city Away form DLLDL AFCB Home Form DDWWW
There was no secret about AFCB's interest in Demaria Gray during the January transfer window. He was certainly the main target and while Birmingham City did not accept any of AFCB's repeated bids it is likely that both the management at Bournemouth and the fans of the Cherries will hope that he plays so that they can have a bit of a closer look at this talented youngster. Things may of course become a little more complicated if the Cherries make further offers in the summer, but for now Demarai Gray is a Birmingham player who will know doubt be just concentrating on his football. In his last away match against he played for 65 minutes but was replaced by ex-Watford winger Lloyd Dyer and it is possible that Demarai will have quite a battle just to keep his place in the Birmingham side for the visit to the Cherries having scored four goals in the league this season. On Friday too, the young international was subbed on 67 minutes against Rotherham for Lloyd Dyer to come on. Demarai recently played in the England U19 team that beat Denmark 3-2 where he scored after 44 minutes in the European qualifier. That side is of course managed by Sean O'Driscoll and I am sure that Eddie Howe is kept informed of how Demarai has been playing by Sean. Whether Gray is worth as much as AFCB seem to assess him is hard to know at this stage in his career, but Birmingham City are clearly wanting to hold on to him. AFCB fans might just find out what the fuss is all about when the Cherries take on Birmingham City on Easter Monday. AFCB fans will also hope to see the home debut of Kenwyne Jones who is already a favourite having rescued a point for the Cherries at Ipswich, now we just want to see that back flip again.
Eddie Howe was sure that his team responded in the right manner to going an early goal down at Portman Road. The first half saw some great football being played even if the keepers weren't worked that hard. It was a very open game and not a game where defences were looking totally confident. That always made me believe that AFCB were more than capable of getting back into the game and the only worry Eddie Howe had was that some of the momentum did subside in the second half before he made a few substitutions.
Steve Cook found himself in the unusual position of
being subbed at Ipswich but it enabled Kenwyne Jones
to com on to get the equaliser.
The goal that Ipswich did score was not that great from a Bournemouth defensive point of view. I saw Cook, Daniels and Fraser I believe go over to close down Darryl Murphy, but they never really got anywhere near him. None of them got close enough to make a challenge and with Steve Cook lying deep, it played Freddie Sears onside and you can't expect him to miss from seven or eight yards very often when totally unmarked. Uncharacteristic it might have been and it could have been more costly had the Cherries not managed to find a way back in to the game, but they did. That showed me that the Cherries are good even in adversity. They could have folded away from home and with a noisy and large crowd bellowing at them they fought for the ball and made it theirs for most of the fist half with possession stats that were 62 per cent in AFCB's favour at half time and it went up by another one per cent by full time. So it was a hard, but well earned point. Now Eddie Howe will be looking for an even bigger response at home. It is the sharpness that is now required in front of goal and so Birmingham City come to Dean Court knowing that the Cherries are looking to win and win big again. Check out the Good Friday balance swings in the promotion race by visiting The Championship Run-in - Good Friday was great for Boro, Brentford and Norwich.
I don't think Kenwyne Jones will have dreamt of the match at Ipswich going much better than how it did for him although he would have liked his goal to be a winner rather than an equaliser. he was certainly pleased with his goal with the celebration that we might get to see often, but I am not sure Marc Pugh (famed for his goal celebrations - get well soon Marc) will be doing a double cartwheel any time soon. Such a goal was deserving of Kenwyne's trademark flips because it was AFCB's 100th goal in all competitions this season!
The Bournemouth fans will be as delighted as Kenwyne that he managed to score in his first game for AFCB. You might expect there to be little pressure on a player that has been at the top and has played for several big clubs, but playing in a game with so much riding on the outcome will cause nerves even with the most laid back and experienced of players. Kenwyne was certainly relaxed enough to take his chance well and it is important now that he tries to do all he can to press for a starting place. Competition within the team is what will hopefully carry the Cherries over the line and the other strikers will know that they did not have their most clinical of finishing boots on at Ipswich.
The pleasing point is that AFCB carried the game to the opposition and created more than enough chances that could have seen them pick up more points than the one. We need to see the team try and hit the target more often against Birmingham and while the previous match between those teams will not have a bearing on the final outcome on Easter Monday, AFCB's players will have in the back of their minds that they beat that team well earlier in the season and they'll want to make it a double over the Blues and just maybe Kenwyne will have an even bigger impact in that game if he is now feeling more at home.
Would I start Kenwyne against Birmingham? I don't expect Eddie Howe to do that as he has not failed to trust his main trio of strikers all season as long as they are fit. But if the goals aren't flowing then I don't expect it will be long before we see a home debut from Mr Jones. UTCIAD!
I couldn't resist making some comments on the other top of the table matches on Friday so if you click over to The Championship Run-in you'll find an article called - Good Friday was great for Boro, Brentford and Norwich
