Wednesday, 8 July 2020

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.


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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.
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.


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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.

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.


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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

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Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Does Brooks need a rest?

Against Manchester United, Bournemouth didn't have the same threat that they have been carrying on the right side as they have in previous games since the restart. David Brooks was forced to defend and he hardly had any influence on the game which is unusual for him.
David Brooks has played in all the matches since the restart. Can he keep going?
It did make me think is Brooks shattered after his previous good performances, when the team was not playing well. He put everything into those games and was the best player on occasion. He was subbed early in the second half against Manchester United and I had no doubt that it was the right call, because he couldn't make an impact.
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It will be interesting to see what Howe does in the next match against Tottenham on the right side. Harry Wilson hasn't exactly been pulling up trees either and yet if Brooks is feeling it a bit after his run of starts then Howe may be forced to change things. That would be a shame as Brooks is one of the most exciting players Bournemouth have, but we also can't afford him to breakdown.

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Son Heung-Min could well be the player that Bournemouth have to look out for on Tottenham's left side in the next game, and he is one of the best talents in the Premier League. While It is possible that Stanislas could be switched to add more defensive might on the right, he had such a strong game against Manchester United on the left that it would be hard to move him. But I also felt Danjuma did well when he came on so Danjuma could be worth a start on the left and Harry Wilson and David Brooks could be held back as subs. It would be unusual for Eddie to hold Brooks back, but he might just be compelled to do so if Brooks is not quite 100 per cent at the moment.

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Is Kelly more suited as a centre-half?

Watching Lloyd Kelly play his second starting game for Bournemouth was not so much a surprise, but nobody expected him to play at centre-half. While the left back position is what he is recognised for, he showed that he is more than capable of becoming a permanent centre-half, and it may well be his best position on the long term.
Official AFC photo.

Eddie Howe tends to look at defenders who initially play as wing backs, and sees if the are more suited to becoming centre-halves. He did it with Tyrone Mings and then Nathan Aké and even though we have only seen Kelly for a few games, I already believe he could become the best centre-half for Bournemouth.
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It is vital that the club holds on to players like Kelly if they do get relegated. He has the stature of a player that finds the Premier League very much to his suiting, but in the Championship he would probably be well above the standard of many others. I became a bit nervous when I an Wright was saying what a god prospect he was on Match of the Day. Anymore strong performances like he had against Man United and the scouts will come circling for him.
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Bournemouth have had a lot of problems at left-back and Rico found Greenwood a little too hot to handle at times. But Kelly got right in the groove at centre-half and read many of the through balls to Anthony Martial very well. He got blocks in and wasn't afraid to make strong challenges. One of those did lead to the free kick from which Fernandes scored, but on the whole it was an impressive performance and leaves Howe with a decision to make when Steve Cook is available again.
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Kelly was probably asked to fill in next to Aké as a favour rather than what Howe would have done if Cook had been available. He'll probably be shifted to left-back next match, but it might well not be his best position. He has the height and intelligence to play at centre-back, and if there is a fire sale before next season gets underway, it could be a massive bonus to have Kelly playing at centre-half next season.

 Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Strong start to second half proves AFCB's fight is back
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Monday, 6 July 2020

Strong start to second half proves AFCB's fight is back

The way Bournemouth came out for the second half against Man United was the best start to a second half for the Cherries in a long time. It was a shame that Solanke didn't score when he tried to capitalise on a mistake by Harry MacGuire, but he at least caused havoc in the United defence and Lewis Cook hit his drive extremely hard, which De Gea did extremely well to keep out. Danjuma will also count himself unlucky to have hit the post.
Bournemouth are at least getting fired up for games, but they are running out fast.
At the time, Bournemouth were 3-1 down and the game was looking over for them. Still they came out and fought hard to get back in the match, and it is something we haven't seen hardly at all this calendar year. For once their was a bit of gritted teeth and energy to the side. Had Danjuma made it 3-3 when the Cherries had got some momentum going, it could have been a nervy last 30 minutes for Man United.

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As it was Man United were able to extend their lead to 4-2 which released the pressure Bournemouth had created from their strong start to the second half. That was the absolute killer goal, and by adding another goal United were may be a little flattered with the scoreline. Most of their goals were from strong shots from over 18 yards out and Ramsdale may be annoyed he didn't keep some of them out, even if Kris Temple thinks Ramsdale had no chance with any of them.
Bournemouth still carry their defensive woes, but they ate least had something at the other end to trouble a team. That was the main positive to take from the Man United result. United had had two clean sheets in their previous two Premier League games, so Bournemouth at least showed they had teeth in attack and that was without Callum Wilson, who will surely be back for the next match.


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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth have started to create chances again
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Bournemouth have started to create chances again

Bournemouth began the game against Manchester United well. That was the first time they have got a good start to a game since the restart, and Junior Stanislas' goal really set the team up to believe they could do well and put in a good performance. It didn't turn out that they could hold on to that lead. They perhaps scored too early, because it just stirred Man Utd. If Bournemouth had played like that though against many other teams since the restart, they probably would have picked up points. So, fans have to take some encouragement from the way the Cherries attacked the game against a top six side.
Better but AFCB have to win games.
The choice of Stanislas on the left wing was not unsurprising, as he has been one of the best defensive wingers in the squad. But it was his attacking play that was a great outlet for the team, and they really kept playing the ball up to him, in the first half hour. Stanislas is experienced and has a cool head. He took his goal extremely well. It was more of an individual goal, but Bournemouth just needed that foot up to get their game really going well.
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That was the pleasing thing about the Man Utd game, Bournemouth found their game. They did their best to defend, but were quick to get at United on the break. The attacks were not created as well on the right and While Brooks hit the bar with one effort, he struggled on the day to be a big influence, so it was no wonder that he was an early sub. The chances kept coming though in the second half, with Danjuma showing his pace and even Solanke having a run at United's defence.

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 Bournemouth have to take encouragement from the performance form an attacking point of view. They got the ball in the box and they had shots on goal. It was vastly better in that respect for the Cherries, we just feat it is all a bit too late. It shouldn't have taken until the trip to Old Trafford for the team to show some passion and fight.
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Sunday, 5 July 2020

Bournemouth find themselves but are smashed 5-2 at Old Trafford

Match Report
Man Utd 5 v 2 AFCB
4 July 2020
United power their way to a big win over AFC Bournemouth
Bournemouth needed luck to turn their way at Old Trafford. More than Anything, Eddie Howe wanted the team to win back a bit of respect. They got the perfect start when Junior Stanislas snuck in for a goal on 15 minutes. Then it all went wrong. Greenwood thundered in a powerful shot on 29 minutes and a handball by Adam Smith put United in front from a Marcus Rashford penalty. United really claimed the points though on half-time when Martial scored a delightful goal in the top corner to lead 3-1. The second half started with Bournemouth flying at United. The Cherries were awarded a penalty which Josh King scored. Danjuma also had a goal disallowed for offside, but that was as far as the comeback went. Instead, United upped their finishing and Greenwood fired in his second, before Fernandes wrapped the win up with a well taken free kick.

Eddie Howe picked a new defensive line up with Rico at left back and Kelly playing at centre-half. Stanislas also came in on the left wing for Danjuma. Lewis Cook came in for Billing, but there was no place for Gosling or Surridge in the starting eleven. Steve Cook was dropped, having picked up a hamstring injury and Chris Mepham was injured late, so Travers came in as an extra keeper on the bench. It didn't bode well with two keepers on the bench and no spare centre-half!
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Match Description
United soon got into their groove with Rashford making their first break. Mason Greenwood looked good coming forward on United's right side. 

 Stanislas did well to rob Pogba. A long ball for King from Lewis Cook was well over hit though. Bournemouth pressed high with United trying to play from the back. It was good to see Ramsdale kicking long, after the way the first goal came about against Newcastle.

 Rico and Stanislas are already linking well up the left. Matic runs into Solanke in his box but the Bournemouth striker can't make the most of it. Stanislas is getting forward well on the left, but can't get his cross in.

 A quick ball from the left from Rashford to Fernandes has Bournemouth stretched and Kelly is a step or two behind, but Fernandes has wasted the shot over the top on 10 minutes.

 Adam Smith makes a good diving header out. Bournemouth are defending in numbers. Lindelöf goes on a run and the ball bounces for him, so Ramsdale has to smother save. A switch to the far post from Adam Smith and Stanislas is on it, shot blocked and he's round the back and scores from narrow angle on 15 minutes. Maguire was completely done by Stanislas and de Gea beaten on his near post.
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Pogba has won a free kick. Ramsdale saves to the right from Rashford, corner. Lindelöf heads wide. Another corner for United. Brooks blocks a shot from Shaw. Ramsdale is out in front of Greenwood to make a save.

 A Bournemouth free kick. Stanislas goes for another shot but hits it well over on the volley. Wan-Bissaka puts in a low cross and Kelly digs it out well. King on the break from Lerma's pass and Solanke can't beat Maguire. If he had, he was in.

Mata on the right, across to Greenwood and he's lashed it into the top corner to has equal the scores on 29 minutes. There goes Bournemouth's lead. They gave Greenwood too much space.

 King battles well to win the ball. Stanislas is kept out. Lerma is in the book for a foul on Martial. Corner and Martial heads it and there's a hand in there from Adam Smith. VAR decision. Lerma tried to clear and the ball just hit Smith on his arm. It's a penalty.

 Rashford to take and he makes it 2-1 in 35 minutes. A short run up and right in the bottom left corner.
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Bournemouth get in with Solanke and Brooks who finishes, but Solanke was just offside. United fortunate there with Maguire losing the ball. Lerma over hits a ball looking for King.

Kelly goes for a long throw. Matial is fouled by Rico. We haven't seen much of David brooks this afternoon. King is away and gets a corner. 

 United are just holding possession now. Ferenandes hits a long pass and Shaw gets on it and hits the post, but he is offside. Three added minutes. A shot from Martial from the right and he's picked out the top left corner 3-1. Too much space again and Martial bends it in superbly.
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Second Half
Danjuma comes on for David Brooks and Bailly has replaces Lindelöf. Maguire loses the ball and Solanke runs through the United defence. It runs to Lewis Cook and it is saved Danjuma hits the post, but Bailly has handled the ball apparently. VAR us checking.

 Penalty and Josh King has scored bottom right. Some 49 minutes gone and it's 3-2. Aké makes a good clearance. King is through and Danjuma would have made it 3-3  but he's offside! Time your run Danjuma!

Bournemouth are not out of this. Aké again closes the door but Greenwood has flashed another goal past Ramsdale 4-2 on 54 minutes. The ball rolled across Bournemouth's box and Greenwood hit it first time. VAR is checking for Rashford being offside, it's a goal.

 Pogba has a shot blocked. Kelly fouls Martial on the edge of the box. It's a scoring opportunity. Fernandes finds the goal in off the left post. It's 5-2, but Ramsdale is arguing about the goal. There is an offside call VAR check against Matic, his heel looks offside. Still, the goal stands.
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Bournemouth have a corner. United defend it well. Kelly with the long throw Lerma misplaces a pass. Pogba into Wan-Bissaka, who crosses and Rashford scores. VAR is checking, offside. That one won't count.

 Gosling is coming on and Harry Wilson and Philip Billing. Off go Solanke Stanislas and Lewis Cook. United bring on Fred for Matic on 67 minutes. 

 Bournemouth have possession, but can't get a break. Danjuma is offside. United corner and King hits it towards his own goal, but Ramsdale has it. United sub Greenwood for Dan James on 75 minutes.

 A Bournemouth throw and King almost gets on the end but de Gea is there. Stacey is getting ready to come on for Adam Smith on 77 minutes.

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Rashford puts in a cross that Martial can't reach or James. Kelly blocks off Martial well for a corner. James puts a ball back in, but it's gone out of play. Mata comes on for Martial. Ighalo is on for Rashford.

 Kelly puts in a great tackle on James. Pogba goes long to Shaw and Ramsdale has to make a save. Bournemouth still passing out of their box calmly, despite being 5-2 down.

 Ighalo has a chance but puts it wide. Got the wrong side of Kelly. United have a corner. Aké has to make a clearance. The crosses are still coming in on the Bournemouth goal. Gosling is tripped. Rico puts in a poor free kick.

 Dan James is fouled by Gosling. Five minutes of added time go up. Ramsdale makes the save from Pogba top left corner for Ramsdale. Fernandes shoots and Ramsdale saves again.

 It's teed up for Fred and Ramsdale saves well. Mata with a cross but Pogba is offside.

 Summary
It seems silly but this 5-2 defeat was a vastly improved performance from Bournemouth. They just ran into the United steam train and got flattened with some superb strikes from United. The Cherries created chances and had shots on target. Okay, they were nowhere near getting a clean sheet. But Bournemouth entertained and found something of their true selves in this performance. They played with courage and tried to be positive. It is just a shame it has taken to the fourth game since the restart to have a go. It's points that count now though and no return means Bournemouth sink deeper into trouble.
AFCB line-up
AFCB Subs: 1 Boruc, 42 Travers, 17 Stacey, 4 Gosling,
6 Surman, 22 H Wilson, 29 Billing, 14 Danjuma, 44 Surridge
AFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 4, A Smith 3, Kelly 5, Ake 6, Rico 4, Brooks 4, Lerma 4, L Cook 5, Stanislas 8, King 4, Solanke 4

 Cherry Chimes MoM - Junior Stanislas

Ref Watch: Mike Dean 7/10- let the game flow well and didn't give out too many cards.

Man Utd
1 de Gea, 29 Wan-Bissaka, 2 Lindelöf (Bailly 45), 5 Maguire, 23 Shaw, 6 Pogba, 3 1Matic (Fred 67), 26 Greenwood (James 75), 18 Bruno Fernandes, 10 Rashford (Ighalo 80), 9 Martial (Mata 80)
Man Utd Substitutes
3 Bailly, 8 Mata, 15 Pereira, 17 Fred, 21 James, 22 Romero, 25 Ighalo, 39 McTominay, 53 Williams
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Saturday, 4 July 2020

Rival Lines: "Our front five must be pretty scary for any opposing side!"

Rival Lines
Match Preview
Man Utd V AFCB
Blogger Interview - Old Trafford Faithful
Twitter: @OTFaithful

This week I spoke with Jordan Street from the Old Trafford Faithful website on the form of Manchester United ahead of the match with Bournemouth. United are looking stronger than ever with the inclusion of Bruno Fernandes who has scored five goals in eight games and the striking power of Anthony Martial who hit three against Sheffield United. They have had two clean sheets in their last two Premier League games so the Cherries are really up against a form side today.

CC: Are you surprised that Anthony Martial has suddenly hit the sweet spot in his scoring having had the first hat-trick for Man Utd in an absolute age?

 OTF: I'll be honest, I am. I'm not the biggest Anthony Martial fan out there, though I appreciate he's a super-talented young man. Inconsistency has really hampered his growth over the last few seasons, but now with a manager in place who believes in him, perhaps he can take his game to that next level? I'm more than happy to be proven wrong!

 CC: Marcus Rashford is the best role model in English football at the moment. But how has he done since the restart on the§ football field?

 OTF: He's struggled, though we have to remember he was suffering from a pretty serious back injury before lockdown. I'm happy to give him another couple of weeks to get back up to speed before judging him too harshly, though!

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CC: What would be success for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season - FA Cup winners and fifth place? And is it good that the press have stopped talking about him losing his job?

 OTF: I'm pleased that the press is off his back for now, because I genuinely believe he has been the best manager we've had since Sir Alex Ferguson.

 To me, it's all about trophies. An FA Cup win would be lovely, while I give us a great shot in the Europa League, too. A top-four finish would be the icing on the cake as Champions League football is key when it comes to attracting those big-name signings.

 CC: Do you expect Man Utd to make a move for either Josh King or David Brooks this summer?

 OTF: I think the Josh King boat has probably sailed. I said it at the time, but there were definitely worse options available in January than the former United man.

 As for David Brooks, I love watching him operate. It's a shame that injury has wrecked his season because he was outstanding last term. He definitely fits the player-profile that Solskjaer had shown a preference towards. He'd be pretty pricey, but it's a deal I'd fully get behind.
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CC: Where do Man Utd need to strengthen to become a challenger for the Premier League title next time around?

 OTF: United need a world-class right-winger, another centre-half and some more depth in midfield - hence why I like the possibility of the versatile Brooks joining.

 CC: What do you think of how Bournemouth have performed this season and their league position?

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OTF: I, like all Bournemouth fans I'm sure, are feeling pretty disappointed. The results and overall displays haven't been anywhere near the level I expected - though I appreciate injuries and behind-closed-doors situations (Ryan Fraser) haven't helped...

 It's sad because I love Eddie Howe and the work he is doing down there. I just hope Bournemouth stay up!

 CC: Which three teams do you think will go down?

 OTF: I think Villa and Norwich are already gone. West Ham, Watford and Bournemouth are all in danger of finishing eighteenth and going down. Personally, I think it'll be Watford as the other two have so much quality in their ranks, but right now it's a toss-up...

 CC: Bournemouth managed to beat Man Utd at Dean Court this season, so is this far from a gimmie for Man Utd at Old Trafford despite AFCB's recent poor away form?

 OTF:  There must be something in those South Coast waters as we always struggle down there! Jokes aside, I feel far more comfortable with this game being at home, and we're playing pretty well right now.

 No game is a gimmie, and United will have to perform, but I'm hopeful we can pick up all three points here, sorry folks!

 CC: How would you expect Man Utd to line up for this game?

 OTF:  As strong as we can. We need to win every single fixture to give ourselves the best shot at finishing in the top four.

 David de Gea, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial.

 That's about as good as it gets for us right now, though that front five must be pretty scary for any opposing side!

 CC: How many do you think Man Utd should win by?

 OTF: Two? Three. I'll go for a 3-1 United win...

 Well thanks Jordan for confirming that United are ready to get some revenge on AFCB. It is just about the worse time to play Man Utd at Old Trafford but the lack of a crowd may make it different for our players. Of course Bournemouth have not played well yet in an empty stadium and all the prospects are for a United victory. United have lost to Burnley at home in the league this calendar year so it is not impossible to win there. Still,  I fear for a drubbing in this game. Bournemouth can only go out and try and improve on their recent performances and at leasts try and get a few shots on targets, which has been woeful since the restart. Do take a look at Old Trafford Faithful for more news and views on the Man United team.

 Man Utd Home Form
LDWWW

 AFCB Away Form
LLLLL
Possible AFCB line up
AFCB Subs: Boruc, Stacey, Mepham, Rico,
Billing, Danjuma, H Wilson, Surrdige, Solanke
AFCBTV Preview
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