Friday, 3 July 2020

There's nothing much to like about this AFCB team

Eddie Howe bravely spoke after the game against Newcastle United. The players are said to be the best squad that Eddie has had under his leadership. Yet, they play like they don't know each other. The restart has been a disaster for AFCB in the first three games. Turning it around now could already be too late, but Eddie Howe might as well rip up the rule book for the next few game and start again. Why, because there is just about nothing to like about this team at the moment.
Josh King and Calum Wilson are unlikely to be around come August.
While the names are names we have grown to love over the years, and the new players have careers ahead of them, it is questionable why the team has not performed at all in the last three games. The form is now the worst in the league, and it is more than a slump, it is a perilous spiral that the team has found itself in. The early goals are no doubt part of the problem for this team. When they don't get the first goal they aren't able to see a way of getting back at teams. The towel comes in all too quickly, and Eddie has to change that mentality somehow.
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Against Newcastle, it was Bournemouth doing all the chasing. This was against a team that had the lowest possession stats in the league. The closing down was all too far after the event, as if the players were going through the motions, with no real desire to win the ball back. The steady defensive display in the first half against Wolves was nowhere to be seen against Newcastle. Clean sheets are a big factor in what will keep teams up and Bournemouth have the fewest in the league.

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Creatively, there was nothing much to shout about on Wednesday night. Dan Gosling's goal needed to come quickly after Newcastle's first to build confidence, but it won't have done anything coming as late as the 93rd minute. The damage had already been done and taking one off the goal difference isn't going to help that much, if AFCB can't get any points. Solanke has his critics but was unlucky not to score at the start of the second half. Had that gone in we might have seen a better second half performance.

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Going again is all that AFCB can do now. I am not sure that many fans can stomach much more of this though. AFCB need to make themselves hard to beat against the next three sides. How is that achievable I am not sure, but we have to hope that Eddie Howe has something up his sleeve, because we are nearly past the last chance now. This team mix is bad, and I am not sure Eddie has the players available in his squad to him to make them play any better. It's Man Utd next - dare you watch?

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - No zip for AFCB's players

No zip for AFCB's players

In his post-match interview with BBC Solent Sport, Eddie mentioned that the players lacked zip, even if they appeared fit. It was a statement that suggested the lockdown period had not been a time when AFCB had got the best out of the players and that perhaps other team had done things better. The team was playing with fight in March when they played Liverpool and the stoppage of play came at a time when Bournemouth were very much in games, but now they have only been in one close game against Wolves out of the last three matches. The defeat against Newcastle was embarrassing.

Where has the energy and fight gone?
Has the zip gone out of Bournemouth's season? I'd say yes. There is no bite or urgency for  players to get motoring down the other end of the pitch. One fan said things have gone stale under Eddie Howe. Perhaps they have become tired of his voice and are simply not able to respond in the way the manager wants anymore. Players may be trying but for whatever reason the zip isn't there.

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Would Bournemouth be playing as badly if they were higher up in the league, probably not. The relegation fight has consumed the players. They need to try and forget about what position they are in and just try and play the game. They have been like statues at times and transfixed by other teams who have just played around them and through them. It is almost like AFCB are having a bad dream or a nightmare and just don't know how to shake themselves out of it.

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When Eddie Howe's teams go on a losing streak, they often look totally bereft of ideas and unable to see how they can get out of the losing pattern. But there is something more niggling about this current poor run. There is not even a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. It is as if things need to be reset completely. A few heart to hearts might be needed with some of the players. Whatever the problems are they need to get them out in the open. To me only David Brooks looks somewhere near his normal self. The other players might as well be in a trance.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - First goal nightmare for Lerma

Thursday, 2 July 2020

First goal nightmare for Lerma

The match against Newcastle couldn't have got off to a much worse start than it did. I have felt at various points during the season that Bournemouth have been slow to learn from kicking long at goal kicks, when they can easily clear danger. Playing from the back patiently is okay when the players are confident, but at the moment it is a complication and if Ramsdale had kicked long rather than pass out to Billing, the Cherries wouldn't have conceded that early goal.
Lerma has a bad day at the office.
Instead the ball found its way out to Lerma and under pressure he slipped and lost possession. I don't feel that Lerma was the real culprit, it was the way Bournemouth chose to play that created the goal for Newcastle. They didn't minimise the risk and they gambled badly. Keeping a clean sheet had to be a priority, but gifting a goal set the momentum for Newcastle to rack up the big score.

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It was like the Crystal Palace game all over again. The players haven't moved on from that and crumbled again. The team has to take collective responsibility and at the moment you can only see individuals when you look at performances. The team is simply not functioning as a collective unit. Playing in an empty stadium is something that Eddie feels the players are finding extremely difficult, but if our players can't do it then here is little hope of staying up.

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The players need to accept that they are not going to score first in every game. They have only scored one goal in three games now, and at the moment having possession seems to be a problem for the players. The slow build ups and inability to play the ball forward has been more and more noticeable. The players have to get over this because they won't win a game before they do. At the moment the games are going to come very fast and it is going to be hard to pick the players up in time.

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Lerma's nightmare is symptomatic of a lot of things are happening to AFCB. You can call it bad luck, but I'd say it is more that the players can't see how they can get out of their predicament. It is pretty sad to witness. Good players that can't do the basics always looks depressing. The time is up for coming good and realisation could well be hitting the players that they are not as good as they thought they are.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth sign up for Championship football with 1-4 defeat to Newcastle United 

Bournemouth sign up for Championship football with 1-4 defeat to Newcastle

Match Report
AFCB 1 v 4 Newcastle United
1 July 2020

Bournemouth'c crunch game becomes a nightmare.
If this game was supposed to be the starting point for Bournemouth's climb out of trouble, it became more of a belly flop into the deep end. In just five minutes Bournemouth had given themselves the proverbial mountain to climb with Lerma losing the ball and Dwight Gale scoring easily. The confidence had gone for Bournemouth and worse followed when Allan Saint-Maximin danced his way around Adam Smith, before passing back to Sean Longstaff to put the visitors 0-2 up before half-time. While Lewis Cook offered a bit of energy in the second half, there was nothing to like about this Bournemouth performance. Almirón made sure of the result with a superb finish on 57 minutes and substitute Lazaro made it 0-4 on 77 minutes. Bournemouth offered nothing on target, until Dan Gosling stole on to stab home the ball 93 minutes into the game.

Bournemouth made four changes to their staring line up for this game. A second Premier League game was given to Lloyd Kelly, while Danjuma and Josh King returned, and Solanke also made the first eleven. Out went Callum Wilson who was suspended; Lewis Cook, Stanislas and Jack Stacey. At least Sam Surridge made the bench and Adam Smith had been moved to the right side of defence, while Billing overcame his dead leg from the previous match.
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Match Description
The Black Lives Matter salute was great to see before Bournemouth kicked towards the North stand. For a team that is not great at keeping possession, Newcastle were keeping the ball well at the start and Dwight Gayle almost nipped in before Ramsdale came out to collect a loose ball in the third minute.

Saint-Maximin gets to the ball after Lerma gives the ball away and it's an easy opportunity for Gayle and he finishes well on five minutes in the far corner. Ramsdale really should have kicked the ball long rater than give it to Billing. Bournemouth just put themselves under pressure and Lerma was the fall guy as he slipped.

Dajuma holds the ball up well on the left and pulls it back to Billing who shoots wide on eight minutes. Lerma misdirects a pass again. Newcastle win the first corner. Aké and Solanke clear.

Shelvey puts a long cross in from the right, Joelinton heads down but Longstaff skews his shot wide.

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Danjuma wins Bournemouth's first corner, after Brooks made a good pass from the right. The corner evades everyone. Saint-Maximin has a shot blocked.

Brooks is fouled by Manquillo on the byline. The ball comes out and Adam Smith knocks it back in, but Solanke scoops his shot wide on 21 minutes. Kelly picks up a yellow card for a foul on Longstaff.

Newcastle are playing with confidence and Kraft almost keeps it in, but just goes over the goal line to release the pressure on Bournemouth. Danjuma floats a cross but it's easy for Dubravka to claim ahead of King.

Saint-Maximin beats Adam Smith all ends up and passes back to Longstaff, who slams it in the roof of the net on 30 minutes. It's 0-2 to the visitors. Almirón replaces Longstaff on 33 minutes.

Shelvey has a shot form distance that Ramsdale gets behind to save. King and Brooks work the ball well in Newcastle's box, but King can't get a shot off and fouls his man. King wins a free kick on the edge of the box. Danjuma blasts it high and wide.

Steve Cook plays a cross field ball straight out of play. Two minutes of added time go up. Aké is booked for going into the back of Almirón.

Second half
Lewis Cook replaced Philip Billing at half-time. Lerma makes a good run Solanke's shot deflected hits the post and King heads in, but he is offside. Solanke so unlucky.

Lascelles falls from a jump against Solanke and hurts his shoulder. Ramsdale has to get down low to save form Saint-Maximin on 52 minutes. Corner to Newcastle. Brooks gets a corner after his cross is headed out.

Danjuma loses the ball to Saint-Maximin and Aké and Steve Cook get the challenges in to eventually get the ball back. Danjuma cuts in, Lewis Cook and Adam Smith hits a shot that is headed away by Lascelles.

Saint-Maximin on the break, across to Almirón, who makes it 0-3 on 57 minutes beating Akee and Ramsdale. Almirón just drifted across the box and picked out the top left corner - great goal for Newcastle.

Shelvey crosses and Steve Cook just gets ahead of Gayle to keep it from a fourth goal. Brooks cuts in and unleashes a shot, but it hits the cross bar on the hour.

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Newcastle sub Gayle for Andy Carroll on 61 minutes. Saint-Maximin is subbed for Lazaro. Harry Wilson and Stanislas come on for Danjuma and Brooks on 62 minutes.

Newcastle sub Manquilo and Joelinton.

Lewis King shoots wide from a free kick. Corner to Bournemouth. Harry Wilson crosses but it's to strong. Gosling replaces Lerma on 75 minutes.

Solanke is run off the ball when he had a chance and at the other end Shelvey slips in Lazaro who makes it 0-4. AFCB are humiliated.

Lazaro hits the bar form 25 yards and Hayden misses the rebound from seven yards with Aké in close attendance. Mepham replaces Steve Cook on 79 minutes.

Bournemouth have a corner but it is defended. Another corner and Gosling heads to King but his header goes over.

Stanislas has a free kick. Aké fouls the keeper.  Five minutes of stoppage time to go. Harry Wilson's shot is deflected for a corner. 

Carroll and Shelvey one-two, and Ramsdale has to make a save low to his right. Stanislas has a free kick in the Newcastle half. Aké heads on to Gosling who scores on 90+3 minutes.

Shelvey loses out on the edge of the box. That's it.

Summary
Where do we start? Eddie Howe keeps saying the team knows what to has to do, but there was nothing to like about this performance. The team pretty much capitulated as soon as the first goal went in which isn't good enough. Being humiliated at home should see a reaction, but I am not sure these players can pick themselves up. They are so far off the pace of where they need to be that it is hard to see how they can recover now. Bournemouth drop to second bottom and the goal difference has taken a big hit. This defeat is a hammer blow. Get ready for the Championship. So much for Eddie believing AFCb could win all seven of their games - they probably can't even win one of them.

AFCB line up
AFCB Subs: Boruc, Gosling, Mepham, L Cook, Stacey, Stanislas, Rico, H Wilson, Surridge
AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 3, A Smith 2, S Cook 3, Aké 4, Kelly 5, Danjuma 4, Lema 2, Billing 3 (L Cook 5),
Brooks 6,  Solanke 3, King 3

Cherry Chimes MoM - David Brooks

Ref watch: Kevin Friend 5/10 - had little to do. AFCB made thier own downfall.

Newcastle Utd
1 Dubravka, 17 Krafth, 6 Lascelles, 18 Fernández, 19 Manquillo (Yedlin 73), 36 S Longstaff (Almirón 33), 8 Shelvey, 42 Bentaleb, 12 Gayle (Carroll 62), 9 Joelinton (Hayden 72), 10 Saint-Maximin (Lazaro 62)

Newcastle Utd Subs:
5 Schär, 7 Carroll, 11 Ritchie, 14 Hayden, 22 Yedlin, 23 Lazaro, 24 Almirón, 26 Darlow, 28 Rose

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - AFCB can beat Newcastle and win all their remaining fixtures

Wednesday, 1 July 2020

AFCB can beat Newcastle and win all their remaining fixtures

AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is in no doubt that his team has not played as well as they can this season. He is not pleased that the club is in the position it finds itself in, with the worst form in the Premier League. Still, in his Newcastle United press conference Eddie reiterated that the players need to see their situation as a challenge and an opportunity to find their best form. If they can do that, they could well not only beat Newcastle, but they could win all seven of their remaining fixtures, he believes.

A day of reckoning awaits the red army tonight.
Eddie Howe is certainly not downbeat about Bournemouth's situation. He sees the next few games as the chance to act and Bournemouth's moment to take matters into their own hands. The message is certainly there that Bournemouth want to come out fighting and to deliver what they were unable to do in their first two games since the restart. Eddie Howe feels that just one win could give the players the belief they need to go on a winning run.


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Newcastle United are perhaps one of the best teams Bournemouth could be up against right now. They have done well already to get to 39 points and don't have to put their foot on the gas. Their form is strong with a 3-0 win over Sheffield United and a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Even the 2-0 defeat to Man City in the FA Cup was far from a poor showing. They are likely to be without Matt Ritchie, but Saint-Maimin has been as good as Traoré, who Bournemouth faced in their last game, Almirón has proved he can be a goal threat and even Joelinton has started to find the back of the net of late.

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Beating Newcastle would be a first step but by no means safety for the Cherries. A defeat would leave them struggling down river towards a waterfall, with little more than a twig as a paddle. The Cherries need to turn their boat around and Eddie Howe has given a rallying call to his troops. The team can't be in the same position in two games time. Now we have to wait an see if the players have finally taken the message on board.


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Away form Newcastle United
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Home Form AFCB
WWDLL
Possible AFCB line up
AFCB Subs: Boruc, Francis, Rico, Mepham,
Gosling, L Cook, Danjuma,  Solanke, Surridge
AFCBTV Preview




Chimes Newsletter - out today!
Cherry Chimes' July Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month. The newsletter has a special story - Is a relegation season exciting to be involved in?

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Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Will AFCB be under too much pressure for Newcastle game?

I am looking forward to the match against Newcastle United. It has been good to see that Matt Ritchie is back playing again and Newcastle don't really have any relegation worries anymore. They are the kind of mid-table team that haven't much to play for, so Bournemouth have to make the most of this game and that will mean they have pressure on them, especially after losing their last two matches.
Bournemouth have to deal with the pressure at this time.
It is how AFCB deal with that pressure that counts. They haven't done well since the restart in dealing with pressure, but to a large extent they are being helped by the poor results of others with Aston Villa dropping points against Wolves and Southampton taking the points off Watford. If Bournemouth can get a win, they would not only move out of the bottom three they would greatly improve their belief that they can stay up and give a damaging blow to West Ham, Aston Villa Norwich and possibly Watford.

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How do players deal with the pressure though? I think it is important that all the players talk about how they feel and what they feel like as the game approaches. They need to remind themselves of what they are playing for, and try and think of when they met with fans, had good games on the pitch, and when they were fearless at attacking teams. If they can surround themselves with positives, then they can get their game moving in the right direction.

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They don't need to think about the consequences of not getting a good result. It has to be all positive thinking now. They need a step up, and the only way they are going to get it is by playing well. So Eddie Howe must get through to his players that they are Premier League stars, that people want them to succeed, and that goals will come if they do their jobs well.

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They are getting paid for a job they love. It is so much better if they have that winning feeling. There haven't been many happy moments this season, so Eddie has to stress how enjoyable it will be if they can get a win. With a win the players will relax a bit and the pressure will come off for a few days. They need that relief of tension and to see a table where they are making progress. Newcastle United won't be an easy game, but it is a good game to have right now, and AFCB will want to make the most of it.


Chimes Newsletter - out tomorrow!
Cherry Chimes' July Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month. The newsletter has a special story - Is a relegation season exciting to be involved in?

To sign up for the newsletter just complete the form below - like all good things it's free!





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Monday, 29 June 2020

Saints do AFCB massive favour and AFCB fans know it

I was quite prepared for Southampton going to Vicarage Road and wave the white flag. But I turned to see a very competent performance by Ralf Hasenhuttl side who scored freely to win 1-3. Danny Ings was especially keen to do AFCB a favour as an ex-Cherry with his two goals, but I'm not sure AFCB deserve such favours.


For once Southampton give AFCB a golden opportunity.
Watford are now sitting like lame ducks, just a point ahead of Bournemouth with a goal difference, which is now only a one goal better than the Cherries. The Bournemouth fans have also had their say on Twitter, with some mixed emotions on a Saints win, but ultimately thankful to receive any help AFCB can get at the moment.

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While the results have kept the bottom five in close proximity, there has to be some belief in some of these teams that they need to pull away now. Bournemouth have been shocking, but they have been gifted a great chance in opening up a gap like Brighton have done. The players can only blame themselves if they don't start to pull away from the relegation zone.

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If Bournemouth go down now, we really know that they deserve it because nobody usually gets as many chances as this to get some points on the board in a relegation scrap.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes -  Is a lack of football Bournemouth's problem?
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