AFC Bournemouth travelled to Nottingham to face Steve Cooper’s side for the first time since that famous night at Dean Court where the Cherries clinched automatic promotion in a near, winner takes all game against Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest would go on to join the Cherries in the Premier League due to a fortuitous victory over Huddersfield Town in the Championship Play-Off Final at Wembley.
The two sides have taken very different approaches to “the big time”, the hosts have signed in excess of 20 new players spending over £150 million. The visitors have spent in the region of £ 20 million.
Caretaker manager Gary O’Neil opted to name an unchanged side from the starting XI who drew with Wolverhampton Wanderers, however, it was his changes which turned the game in the Cherries favour.
It's all over and Bournemouth have 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 it around! 👏
FT: Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth pic.twitter.com/4IalHX7Txd
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 3, 2022
After the match, O’Neil told Sky Sports…
“Just delighted for the boys really. We asked them at half-time to believe and go again. To respond at that point after the week they have had says everything about what this group is about.
“They are an incredible group – so committed, so relentless. They never know when they are done. Two games on the trot they have literally emptied the tank for me.
“Everyone at the club deserves it, everyone who has supported me over the last few days.
“They are delighted, they need a rest, as do I, they have been on a rollercoaster of a journey since this time last Saturday.”
"𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀."
Gary O'Neil with afcbTV 🎤
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
Man of the match against Nottm Forest
Solanke
Billing
L.Cook
Tavernier
Lerma
Mepham
Anthony
Someone else
"This is an incredible group and they never know when they're beaten."
Gary O'Neil praised his #AFCB side after their superb comeback win against Nottingham Forest
Listen to his full chat with @kristemple below 👇https://t.co/fkWYBLSkWG
— BBC Radio Solent Sport (@solentsport) September 3, 2022
Written by kirsikka
When things are against you, you’re trailing or battling to get a foothold in the match it’s vital a team shows resilience.
2-0 down at half time it would be easy for heads to drop. With last Saturday fresh in the memory and a dick of a manager telling them they weren’t good enough to compete at this level a lot of teams would have folded.
The tactical change at half time was surprising but credit to O’Neill, he spotted something and we were absolutely all over them after that.
I moaned at half time about the right side offering nothing going forwards but Fredericks had them on toast in that second period. He looks a very decent addition in his showing so far. The left also got back into the action as well after a slightly slower start to the period.
Crisp passing, men showing for the ball, runners and… belief.
A brilliant three points. The first half was a worry as it looked a little similar to Wolves, strong defensively but nothing in attack. The second half kept the former but completely turned around the latter.
We’ll need a lot more resilience before the season is out. Now they know they’ve got it, I hope they keep showing it. – Join the conversation, click here.
What a week this has been @afcbournemouth but in the face of adversity the boys and our incredible supporters have shown that no one should ever underestimate the passion of our club. Thanks to everyone for your support and kind messages this week together everything is possible
— Jeff Mostyn (@jeffmostyn) September 3, 2022
𝟴𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀: Anthony comes on
𝟴𝟳 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀: Anthony scores pic.twitter.com/ZQZVRMEXTV— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
https://twitter.com/Jzemura3/status/1566120101115576330?s=20&t=XqjuSq7YwbbAu95voWUvKQ
Some BIG smiles in that dressing room 😁 pic.twitter.com/wVvq5QJh2N
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
Your say…
darwinsdummy wrote…
It was the same switch as Wolves, but at the same time completely different – and that’s the tricky thing about wingbacks. Against Wolves, we either failed to hold on to the ball or were intentionally backing off and being defensive, so it became a 5 at the back. Today though, chasing the game down 2, this actually improved our width because we acted as a back 3 and allowed Tavernier as Left Wing Back and Fredericks as Right Wing Back to both get forward (versus the 1st half, where Zemura at Left Back got forward but Smith at Right Back didn’t, now our attack had both flanks).
"Up the Cherries!" ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Y0KBGjELtV
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
Johnny Comelately said…
That was a great game. What football is, or should be, all about. I really, really enjoyed it. Makes you wonder what pleasure Man City fans get out of most of their games. I was perplexed at first when he put Fredericks on and took Zemura off instead of Smith who wasn’t having a good game but it made all the difference. So glad that Solanke has broken his duck for this season and looking forward to a few more now. And, for me, the cherry on top was Anthony scoring -please get a decent manager in who’ll convince him to stay. – Join the conversation, click here.
We heard you loud and clear #afcb fans ❤️
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) September 3, 2022
