Written by kirsikka
AFC Bournemouth v Millwall – Match Report – Click here
– When you send your side out to sit on a solitary goal lead for a half and then make a sub to protect it, even more, you bear the full responsibility if that blows up in your face. AFC Bournemouth manager Jason Tindall has to carry this one on his shoulders. It was shocking tactically.
– I don’t know whether to pin some of the David Brooks problems on Tindall as well or whether it’s purely the player. I suspect a bit of both. Adam Smith was utterly pointless out there as he had nobody to work with. Why play wing backs if you aren’t going to use one of them?
– We’re stuttering. One league win in four is not good form and we’ve continued this unenviable record of dropping points against teams lower down the table. This season could still go either way very easily so JT needs to take it by the scruff of the neck. He’s been a little too hesitant in the last couple of matches.
– Defensive organisation was a problem at times. The gap in the middle of the defence that kept appearing in the first half was worrying and should have been a situation of which Steve Cook took charge.
– The best thing I can say about that performance is it’d make a good cure for insomnia. I hope that helps someone out there.
Man of the match against Millwall?
Stanislas
Solanke
Rico
Someone else
— Player Ratings —
Begovic – 7
Good saves in the first half.
S Cook – 6
Lack of organisation in the defence is his responsibility as the senior player.
Simpson – 7
Starting to really look a player. Some good defensive work.
Kelly – 6
Was up and down pretty well tonight.
A Smith – 6
Thankless task as often completely isolated on the right so could add almost nothing on the attacking front.
Lerma (off on 83) – 6
He battled. He gave the ball away. He won it back. He mis-controlled. He cleared one off the line. Gallimaufry on a football pitch.
L Cook – 6
Not one of his better performances. When he stepped passed players they looked worried so it is a shame he didn’t do it more.
Rico (off on 87) – 6
There wasn’t an awful lot of quality in his wing-back play but he at least played the role, constantly getting forward.
Brooks (off on 83) – 5
Sean O’Driscoll once said about Brian Stock something like he’s got to decide if he’s Premier League or Sunday league. The wildly varying levels of performance we’re seeing from Brooks reminds me of that, except his choices are Champions League or Championship. He’s an absolute gem of a player but at times this season he’s all over the shop.
Solanke – 7
Took his goal well, a sign of a striker with confidence. Worked hard feeding off scraps.
Stanislas (off on 71) – 7 and Man of the Match
Made the goal with a great piece of play and we immediately looked poorer when he went off. Fingers crossed his injury curse hasn’t struck again.
—Subs —
Billing (on from 71) – 6
Didn’t really influence things.
Riquelme (on from 83), King (on from 83), Stacey (on from 87)
No marks since not a lot happened when they were on the pitch.
Overall Grade: D
Tindall dropped the ball here. The first half we were poor and lucky to go in ahead. To then try and protect that lead was way too cautious. I understand we aren’t in the Howe era of attack, attack, attack but let’s not start to fall into the mindset of a team that only wants to protect a lead as soon as we get one.
The most frustrating thing is Millwall were absolutely there for the taking.
Having been surprised and impressed with how he started the season I’m getting a little more concerned as it goes on. It feels a little like we’re going backwards in terms of performances.
Lots of work to do, let’s get things back on track on Saturday.
Your say…
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Agree with near all you say; For me Simpson has very poor distribution skills. Our Centre halves are NOT dominant in the air. Lewis Cook should be the leader on the pitch. S Cook has limited and often exposed positional play. To rectify this move him to left centre half where he used to excel. A back four of Stacey Mepham or CCV, S Cook and Kelly would still allow the forage forward and leave a back 3. Upfront we need a solid 2 strikers, whilst Solanke has proved his position we are yet to find a strike partner. Play King whilst we still have him. Danjuma? Whilst L Cook can be our” Beckenbauer”/”der Kaise”, the rest at the moment are pretty random. Time to give Anthony a run of games. We may start with Brooks but he needs strikers in front of him to work with and better midfield players to feed off. Until the riddles are solved I feel we will continue to be disappointed with the tactics, more draws than wins. We are extremely grateful for some outstanding displays from Begovic, without him we would certainly be at the wrong end of the table.