Nottingham Forest’s visits to the south coast will always be remembered for the Cherries clinching promotion back to the Premier League with a wonderfully worked set-piece from Philip Billing and Kieffer Moore. That moment will be remembered for years and years to come, unlike this match.
Luis Sinnisterra and Justin Kluivert linked up well to put the Cherries into an early lead and for the first period of the game, AFC Bournemouth were excellent.
The press from the front was superb and a joy to watch, Solanke, Kluivert, Sinisterra, Semenyo and Christie were brilliant, pressing in packs, AFC Bournemouth had Nottingham Forest penned in their own third and during that period of the game it was like watching a punch drunk boxer on the ropes. The visitors had no answer as the home side swarmed them.
But then Christie got his dead leg and during that period of him running that off, the Cherries lost their intensity and Forest grew into the match.
From then on, it was stop-start with the whistle being blown more and more to the frustration of both sides. The decisions seemed dubious a lot of the time, again for both sides, Justin Kluivert seemingly being given 3 extra lives whilst on a booking to avoid a red card. Before Philip Billing was rightfully shown one for a horrible Achilles scrape.
After the game, AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola told Sky Sports…
“It was a game where there was not a lot of space for both teams. I think they had more energy than us, that’s the reason I made the subs very, very early to try to match their physical condition. We dealt well with the game, we finished with 10 and didn’t concede clear chances.
“Today, we didn’t have the legs. We started very well in the first 20-25 minutes, but once we burned some energy, we couldn’t keep this level and it cost us much, much more.”
Man of the match against Nottm Forest
Sinisterra
Neto
Cook
Kluivert
Zabarnyi
Someone else
Andoni's assessment of #BOUNFO 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/jYsCifIgNC
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) February 4, 2024
thegazzyb
Disappointed with that although we did well to keep the point once we went down to ten men.
If there is one thing Andoni Iraola needs to work on with this squad, as mentioned after the West Ham game, it’s getting that second goal, putting the game to bed after a lightning start.
It happened again. We had them on the ropes at 1-0, playing at home, but something in the mentality of the players seemed to change once we got ahead.
They become sloppy and wasteful, gradually letting the opposition back into the game. We need to learn how to maintain that laser focus and calmness once we get ahead. Just do the same again. Get the second goal. After that, maybe you can start to relax and get a bit sloppy.
We looked by far the better team and playing at home, we should have won this game comfortably, particularly after that perfect start.
Defensively we still look pretty good, we are developing a habit of getting an early goal, so the one thing Andoni Iraola really needs to work on is maintaining our focus and intent once we get ahead.
A point is okay for our season as a whole. Puts us closer to safety. But this team, with the exact same players, should have got all three today. We were wasteful of the opportunity.
We were crying out for a game-changer at 80 minutes but unfortunately, we currently have none. Maybe the new Turkish forward will be the player to come on and take responsibility for turning these draws into wins. We need somebody to come on and grab the game by the scruff of the neck, in delicately poised games like these. As it was, no doubting the effort, but it was just more of the same and I never thought we’d get a second goal.
I’m sorry, but Billing needs to play the game of his life when he comes back, otherwise I can see us offloading him in the summer.
He really didn’t do much apart from get sent off in this one.
I was expecting him to seize the opportunity and was left feeling disappointed.
Another point towards safety and a clear demonstration of just about the only thing Andoni Iraola needs to work on for us to challenge for Europe next season.
ANWardy
Started well, Forest worked their way back in, draw prob fair.
Kluivert was lucky not to be sent off.
Second game running Dom hasn’t had a kick. Dango sent in a couple of lovely crosses when he came on, start him next game.
When our wingers play well we win, when they don’t we struggle it seems and they’ve struggled the last two games, heck knows what was said to Brooks to get him to go to Saints could have used him today.
🍒 I think we, & PGMOL, have to accept that fast-tracked referees will have good days & bad days when promoted so quickly.
Rebecca Welch has only officiated 8 times in the Champ, and now 2 in the PL.
She was unnoticed at QPR in FA Cup, but had a very difficult day today. #afcb
— Kris Temple (@kristemple) February 4, 2024
table
A scrappy crappy match, both teams and officials were below par.
Notts are in a relegation fight ( unless or until they get a points deduction). They came to play the way they did and the ref played into their hands. It doesn’t bother me what nationality the coach is but ones that use that “anti-football” approach, I don’t like. I don’t like leaving my nice warm house to watch it and I don’t enjoy watching it on the tv, in my nice warm house. The thing is, Nuno’s job is keeping them up, not entertaining me and the Good Lady. A late winner is always sweeter against teams like that but after Philip’s red card it was unlikely. I don’t think raking the lad’s achilles was intentional but the foul was, obviously. Had he only been booked, I feel VAR would have interfered and he would have been off anyway. Christie’s dead leg also had a detrimental affect on us.
I think the ref was poor and we’ve had ones like that before against teams like Notts and it just helps ruin the match as a spectacle. She was booed by both sets of fans, obviously more by us than them but she looked out of her depth. Also I noticed she nearly collided with one of our players during the match, Prem’ refs very rarely do. She’s got a lot to learn, and I hope she does. She was inconspicuous against QPR, I hope she can be a top referee. But she’s going to need support and help from the Ref’s union to stop her from becoming a bette noir for women refs. They need to be sure she’s up to the tasks they set her, not rush her elevation. That performance in a bigger, televised match will finish her career and set back women refs for years.
Last couple of matches the player looked a little jaded, not much but enough to stop us from winning either. The way we’ve played since “it’s clicked” under Andoni has moved us from a team people target as a “winnable” to a “stop them winning”. I have every confidence AI and the players will adapt. As fans, we’re a tad disappointed to “only” draw away to 6th place West Ham and draw at home with 10 men. We’ve come a long way, in a short time, and I feel we’ve not reached the upper limit yet : )
We take the point and move forward to the next one 🔥
Thank you for your support ♥️
Up the cherries 🍒 pic.twitter.com/2tJDIfFRD2— Marcos Senesi (@senesimarcos) February 4, 2024
AFCB_Liam
Our poorest performance for a long time. Without the rocks of Zabarnyi and Senesi in defence we’d have lost that game and we probably would’ve lost it last season.
Dom looked very weak today and was bullied off the ball throughout so nothing stuck up front. Too many long balls today and no mixing if up with anything intricate through the middle. The diagonals are effective but the aimless punts down the line are less so.
Kluivert should clearly have been sent off and Yates, as he always does, spent 90 minutes kicking people.
Cook was the only one of our midfield or attack to have a good game, and possibly Sinni. We were very sloppy on the ball and a better side would’ve punished us today.
Probably put it down to tiredness mostly, but we need to mix up our approach when Plan A isn’t effective. – To join the conversation, click here.
