AFC Bournemouth travelled to Birmingham City on the back of an impressive away victory to Nottingham Forest, showing their battling qualities to hold on to the three points despite playing with ten men for 35 minutes of the game.
David Brooks’ sending off saw him suspended for this game, further depleting AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker’s options. He opted to try and stick with the same system and set-up as closely as possible, which saw on-loan Leeds United left-back Leif Davis, make his first start for the Cherries in an advanced role down the right flank.
Centre-back Chris Mepham continued at right-back, with youngster Zeno Ibsen Rossi continuing his centre-back partnership with Lloyd Kelly in front of Mark Travers in goal.
๐๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข – 20
๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ – 21
๐๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ – 22
๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ – 22
๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฆ – 23A first clean sheet of the league season secured with an average age of 21.6 years across our back line ๐๐ #afcb ๐ pic.twitter.com/GcHYYerhjU
— AFC Bournemouth ๐ (@afcbournemouth) August 18, 2021
After the game, Parker told Sky Sports…
“We’re stretched at the moment but this group of young players have been nothing but first class. They have worked tirelessly the last eight to nine weeks and if you work hard, you reap rewards – they deserve to be sitting on seven points and they deserve two wins and a draw.
“A lot of these players are experiencing things for the first time in this league and they are doing a fantastic job. We’re trying our hardest to bring players in but saying that the players that are here, in those roles, have done fantastic as well.”
Fฬทeฬทrฬทgฬทiฬทeฬท'ฬทsฬท ฬทFฬทlฬทeฬทdฬทgฬทlฬทiฬทnฬทgฬทsฬท
Parker's pups ๐๐ถ
Full reaction to come tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/LNL0JA5YiD
— AFC Bournemouth ๐ (@afcbournemouth) August 18, 2021
Man of the match against BirminghamAnthony
Solanke
Ibsen Rossi
Travers
|
A fine performance by @DomSolanke tonight ๐
The Bournemouth striker spoke to @kristemple after the 2-0 win at Birmingham ๐๐ #afcb ๐ pic.twitter.com/k0qbzfRSVu
— BBC Radio Solent Sport (@solentsport) August 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/lloydkelly4/status/1428120081956024324?s=20
๐ฌ๐ง Such a great team work tonight, props to our Star boys, the young lads are flying, thanks for the amazing support, safe travels. See you all at Dean on Saturday. #afcb ๐
๐ง๐ท Que trabalho em equipe, a nossa molecada tรก voando, obrigado pelo apoio de sempre. Nos vemos sรกbado. pic.twitter.com/2Z08T5XXyQ
— Emiliano Marcondes (@EmilianoMarcon3) August 18, 2021
Written by kirsikka
Those subs came just in time. They were really starting to put us under the cosh and you can see it solidified things and then Brum looked vulnerable from that moment on.
Gavin Kilkenny struggled at times but it’s a lot to ask from him. Not terrible but shows he could do with a Ben Pearson/Jefferson Lerma alongside him.
Jordan Zemura was on walkabout a lot and in all sorts of odd positions for a Left Back. I still can’t tell if that was tactical from Parker or his own initiative but it certainly confused the heck out of them. Another team might have punished it but it worked tonight. His best game of the three by far and on that showing we may not need another LB.
Jaidon Anthony is one of the four-wide forwards in the squad this season. No room for argument. Not a youngster getting minutes here and there but a genuine first XI option.
Ibsen Rossi was brilliant. Loved him giving instructions to Junior Stanislas for the two corners! We even scored from the second of those. Signs of a real leader of the future. Again, should certainly be considered a first XI Centre Back, even if it will likely be the fourth choice when everyone’s fit.
Feeling relieved that we have some options now. Desperately need one of the Right Backs back though. Chris Mepham did his best and was solid enough but, understandably, offered zero going forward.
David Brooks, Junior and Pearson all now back in the mix for Saturday. Plus, if earlier reports are true, another signing is in the offing. It Bodes well after what has been a great start to the season.
A first senior goal ๐
SO proud, @JaidonnA11 โค๏ธ pic.twitter.com/qS6buxP7rx
— AFC Bournemouth Academy (@afcb_academy) August 18, 2021
"I wasn't meant to be in that position"@JaidonnA11 says it was a stroke of luck he found himself in the right place to score his first senior goal
Listen to Anthony with @kristemple after Bournemouth's 2-0 win at Birmingham ๐๐ #afcb ๐ pic.twitter.com/1jFF5H9KL7
— BBC Radio Solent Sport (@solentsport) August 18, 2021
Your say…
CherriesOnTop wrote…
What a result, especially with the squad at the minute.
Anthony is going to have a big season. Zemura, off the ball, worried me against West Brom but today was much improved. Him down the left-hand side linking up with Anthony really excites me going forward.
Kilkenny for me is far too weak and loses the ball in important positions, he needs to play in a 4-2-3-1 and not with 2 number 8’s. He has a lot of potential, but I’m not sure his position is a number 6.
Rossi, I saved this guy until last as this guy has bags of potential. Elegant on the ball with a physical presence. Fingers crossed he goes from strength to strength.
Early days of course but from what I’ve seen so far we may have a few players on our hands here.
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