AFC Bournemouth hosted the current Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Club Cup winners Manchester City on Saturday evening, live on Sky Sports.
The build-up surrounded the Premier League title chase narrative of course, the only passing comment on the Cherries was the fact that AFC Bournemouth have failed to get anything from any of their meetings against Manchester City in the top flight of English football. A fact that remains today, but is far from telling the whole story.
Pep Guardiola called his players “supermen” following the closely fought contest, that had Manchester City clinging on for all three points. He wasn’t being magnanimous however, he was just taking a dig at the fact that his side had less days to rest and prepare for the game. Ignoring the fact that his side has a near €1 billion transfer market value higher than AFC Bournemouth according to transfermarkt. He of course, also has a huge squad and strength in depth to choose from, his opposite number? Well, he selected two goalkeepers and teenager Max Kinsey-Wellings from the youth team just to make up the numbers on the substitutes bench.
After the match, AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola told Sky Sports…
“Even when you play well and put them under pressure – second half I think they were suffering – but you have to take your chances and be more clinical.
“It was the type of game we expected. We did well for 25 minutes and then started to lose the high press as we got tired.
“They scored the goal but the second half was very good from our side. But in the end, we missed the most important thing which was the finishing.
“We were brave in the second half and we were close to having something, but we couldn’t do it.
“It is very difficult to get a result against them. We defended well but on the other side, we didn’t finish the things we created.
“I think we are playing well. Now I hope we continue with this level of football and intensity.”
Man of the match against Manchester CityNeto
Semenyo
Kerkez
Senesi
Christie
Scott
Someone else
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NWCherries98
Really disappointing result in the end, because on the balance of play, we should’ve won that game. Which is obviously a statement and a compliment in itself!
I can’t think of many teams that have borderline bullied City like that for a whole half. It’s so frustrating because I’ve seen performances half as good as that from other teams that have nicked actual wins against them. Really does feel like a cursed fixture.
Jared Gillet had never been a fair ref to us. Something’s off with that bloke. Even Kris Temple was saying something similar on Twitter. I can’t agree that he balanced it out in the second half, either, he still gave them pretty much everything. Shocking performance.
MoM is difficult, Kerkez really grew into the game. Semenyo was a threat throughout. Solanke and Zabarnyi dependably good. But yeah, it’s Christie again isn’t it lol. Tavernier just isn’t at it atm, needs dropping – and Dango looked sharp when he came on tbf. Senesi I felt was very poor for the goal too, and was a bit loose on the ball more than once. Not his best performance.
Waz afcb
We were brilliant, especially in the second half.
One of only two occasions we have ever given them a proper game, and not only that we went toe to toe with them and definitely had the better of the chances. If only we could have been more clinical in vital moments.
So many standouts out there:
Christie was absolutely immense, the heartbeat of this team. Tackles, interceptions, non-stop work rate, the ability to manipulate the ball masterfully in tight situations. Even a decent effort on target. One of the individual performances of the season, he did not look out of place at all up against the best midfielder in the world.
Semenyo is incredibly inconsistent but when he is ‘on it’ he truly is an absolute nightmare to play against. Ake could live with him, at one point he was isolated against three players and just effortlessly glided past all of them. His potential is off the chart.
Kerkez was almost impeccable too, I feel like he suits the way we play more than Kelly does at left-back, despite the fact he is prone to the odd error. Endless energy up and down the line and so many positive defensive contributions. You can see why he is so highly rated, he should play every week.
In all honesty, mostly everyone was very good today, even all of the subs made a very positive impression on the game.
The only two negatives:
Neto again costing us a goal, he’s simply got to be doing better with that initial effort. A better keeper comfortably deals with that rather than parrying it straight back into the danger zone.
Tav was very poor again, I’m really not sure why he’s getting picked right now. Both Dango and Sini have looked a lot better in recent weeks, virtually everything Tav is doing at this moment he is fluffing. No surprise he failed to connect with that golden opportunity.
hba1
We gave that a right good go. Really enjoyed the game and sadly the chances didn’t go out way. We were not afraid of City and they had to work hard to get the result.
Overall a good team performance but stands Zabartni, Christie of course but my MOM Semenyo.
"It's a key part of the season for us" 🔑
Andoni Iraola says Bournemouth must be more 'clinical' heading into a crucial period 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/jtW5xcjOeR
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 24, 2024
Neil Dawson
Don’t think I’ve enjoyed a defeat as much? The bravery was superb. The places individual defenders got when following their man was incredible. Twice when Foden dropped deep Zab was further forwards than Solanke. It was brilliant and City couldn’t really fathom it.
Semenyo was excellent as was Kerkez and Christie and MOM from those three but closely followed by Zab and Smidge.
Downsides… Tavs and Neto and also the thought that we expended a lot of energy ahead of Tues so may need to make changes. Really enjoyable and for only the second occasion in recent history City knew they were in a game against Bournemouth.
I say recent history because it’s been like City’s past has been erased pre their premier league years but some of us remember an epic comeback and painting Manchester red afterwards…
thegazzyb
For me, this was our best performance against them.
Yes, we’ve matched this margin of defeat before but never in this way.
This was not a defensive performance, we went toe to toe with them for 97 minutes, all guns blazing, and only the Foden goal, which was somewhat fortunate in the way it came to him, separated the teams.
We just went toe to toe with a top European side and only lost by a single, somewhat fortunate, goal.
Breathe that in for a moment.
Seeing City trying to run the clock down against us at the end was just about the biggest compliment they could have paid us.
If Iraola and his team carry on like this, we really should be in a European competition sooner rather than later.
I hope that everyone involved takes massive confidence from this and sees that from here on in we should expect points off of everybody.
Hopefully this result can kickstart a fantastic run of results to end the season.
So proud, not just of the result, but the manner of it !
billythekid
Just got back from watching a great performance by our lads.
With a bit better finishing we could have had a deserved first point against City today and possibly three.
Solanke had one saved on the line and listening to Willo in the car on the way back it was half way across the line when he watched the playback.
Great atmosphere in the second half as our team pushed for that equaliser.
Ryan Christie had another great game today, never stopped running.
No points in the end but no complaints after watching all our players give their all.
Thank you for your brilliant support today 👏 pic.twitter.com/DGrTo3Xrth
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) February 24, 2024
AFCBmattjamr
Finally, we played City and went at them.
If that’s the level we can play at we will go far
Allen
I’ve never been so proud of the club in defeat, the manager, the team and the fans were excellent today.
What an atmosphere! Brilliant tactics! & the substitutions were all spot on.
Neto was faultless today.
Zabarnyi just gets better and better, so composed and good with the ball and a huge presence.
Senessi showed why he had the nickname “gladiator” at his old club – he made Haaland look weak to the point where he even tried diving out of desperation and couldn’t buy a free kick. He won every battle and forced Pep to hook babyface off.
Kerkez was arguably our MOM, he got stuck into every challenge, bombed forward and had a decent effort on target.
Smudge is a fine wine – he seems fitter than ever, all over the pitch.
Lewis Cook should be in contention for a place in the England squad, I thought his best days were long gone until he formed that perfect partnership with Christie.
Likewise, with Christie, I thought of him as no more than a squad player until he flourished under AI, he is ridiculously skillful, if he wasn’t Scottish and playing for us he’d be rated as a world-class player.
Semenyo had one of his best games for us – he made Ake look like a championship player and not a Champions League winner, he beat him to absolutely everything in the second half and just tore City apart.
Kluivert made a nuisance of himself and was decent.
My 1 negative was Tavernier who was awful! I do rate him and he was my player of the season last year, but today he couldn’t be bothered to close them down or try and tackle, he was walking back and just shouting at Kerkez and pointing at everyone else around him who were playing their hearts out as he strolled about without concentrating. He had a complete stinker, I was sat where he was based for most of the first half and he just didn’t seem up for it or interested. His form has been well off for a while and a rest would do him good and allow Dango a chance; Dango has looked very good coming on and doing a job anywhere on the pitch.
Dom was amazing, no surprise the stats say he is one of the busiest players in the league.
Scott looked silky and composed when he came on.
Enes Unal looks like a special talent to me. He is Bournemouth’s Berbatov.
MOM – There is a case for 9 of our starting 11, I can’t pick between Semenyo, Senesi and Kerkez,
Home debut ✅
Enes Ünal is certain the goals will come 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/2ojQKeOusU
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) February 25, 2024
I haven’t been invested in a manager since Eddie left but I’m all in on Iraola now…everything I want in a manager
afcb_rednblack
A brilliant game, everyone played their part, we had our chances and on another day we might have got a draw.
As for Iraola, a really nice man, always smiling and my goodness, what a smart manager. Subs were spot on today, and brave too, as were the tactics. And the way we play is a joy to watch. We’re getting better and better…the results will come.
I hope Iraola is given/signs a long contract as he’s definitely what we need long-term in my opinion. – To join the conversation, click here.
