AFCB Vital Blogs

Opinion: Eddie Howe – His biggest mistake

|
Image for Opinion: Eddie Howe – His biggest mistake

Written by naplesfloridacherry

“AFC Bournemouth, we score when we want.” There’s a song you don’t hear nowadays.

56 PL goals scored last season, 55 in 2016/17 yet only 29 from 29 this season.

Surprisingly goals conceded 47 this season is on target to equal 2017/18 best total of 61.

So why have the goals dried up?

For me the main reason is that Eddie Howe has not recognised that Callum Wilson has built his reputation based on working in a strike partnership. Leon Clarke at Coventry, Yann Kermogant, then Joshua King/ Glenn Murray. He’s not a hold-it-up-and-lay-it-off striker. He runs the channels and will do it all day for you, he never gives up.

Add to that the fact that in King we have a genuine Premier League class striker. Big, strong, quick, great touches, he’s the perfect partner for Callum.

Too often the midfielders get the ball, look up and the only option in front of them is Callum who’s already started to run a channel. The pass has to be so precise that it rarely finds the man.

Play King more centrally, back to goal, play it to feet, hold it up and then the midfield can advance and the shape is instantly much better. Lay off to Callum or attacking full-backs and you’re back to the old days of the free-flowing Bournemouth style football.

King is not a wide player. That’s Eddie Howe’s biggest mistake and it could well define the season.

I’ll bet anyone that when he moves on in the summer, he’ll play in a central striking partnership and make a real impact.

Burnley away: King cutting in from the left-wing and floating a cross for little Harry Wilson at the far post. All wrong.

Take Burnley as an example. Chris Wood and Jay Rodriguez are not fit to lace King and Callum’s boots yet as a partnership they are an effective strike unit who cause problems for central defenders. Too often central defenders get an easy ride against an isolated Callum Wilson.

With King injured, Howe now MUST play Sam Surridge and Callum as a central strike partnership for the Crystal Palace game.

Rant over.

Your say…

Tinpot Club replied…

The original poster doesn’t make sense because most of the games we have failed to score in were when we were passing from side to side in a 4-4-2. It’s only since we’ve changed formations we have been able to play through the lines and create chances.

Very few strikers play in a genuine strike partnership these days. If you can’t play “on your own” then you aren’t good enough to play in the Championship let alone Premier League.

Also think King is much better out wide. He is quick and wants space in front of him not surrounded by packed defences with his back to goal. I know everyone longs for nostalgia at the moment but playing 1988 football isn’t the solution. – Join the conversation, click here.

Share this article

DJ

Up The Cherries!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *