Following on from the 91st minute defeat to Manchester United at Dean Court last week, the Cherries travelled to Newcastle United on Saturday.
Written by paul49
What have we been doing all week to turn up and play like that. It was like we had never played as a team before. Newcastle were up for it and AFC Bournemouth simply weren’t.
Benitez had done his homework with a strategy of three up to press. Most of the time AFC Bournemouth ended up overcomplicating their play and ended up giving the ball away with the result that Callum Wilson was starved of the ball.
Whilst AFC Bournemouth huffed and puffed with corners Newcastle’s keeper hardly had a shot to save and the Cherries flattered to deceive.
AFC Bournemouth are not as good as we, the supporters, think we are. All our outfield players were off the boil. Only Asmir Begovic can come out of this game with any credit.
Jordon Ibe is a liability and I would rather have Marc Pugh than Ibe.
Rondon was man of the match, the Cherries really stuggled to defend against him.
Adam Smith’s injury was a strange one. Looked to take a free kick and held his leg back as a Newcastle player was standing close to the ball then went down in a heap. Had he injured himself in a poor challenge by a Newcastle player a few minutes earlier and never realised it? Hope it’s not too bad.
AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told afcb.co.uk…
“I think we didn’t perform well in the first half and I’m disappointed with the start, we gave ourselves a mountain to climb going 2-0 down…
“…We feel we’re good enough to beat almost anybody in this league if we perform well, but today we haven’t hit our best levels and have been beaten.
“This league is ruthless enough to do that to you, and the challenge is now for us to analyse this game and we have to come back as a better team for it after the international break.
Your say…
northstandmark wrote…
Late goals can often be turning points in seasons and have an impact far greater than the one game in question.
Remember occasions like Everton 3-3 in the 98th, which kick-started that season. Newcastle away 1-0 last season in stoppage time, which kick-started last season.
I fear the United game last week will be a turning point for the worse, and will take some getting over.
Ake didn’t look like he’d gotten that United winner out of his head. Likewise Franno carried on from the last 20 minutes last week and had a 90 minutes of that today. Lewis Cook faded second half last week and also carried that on for the full 90 today. Wilson and Brooks both ran their legs into the ground last week, and both barely got a kick today, nothing fell for them.
We have a rest now to hopefully reflect on our strong start, put things into perspective and try to shake off these last two games. Not too mention clarify where we are with injuries, allowing Eddie to shuffle the squad around accordingly.
If we fail to get over these two games, then it’s going to be a bloody long 2 months with all the calibre of opposition we have coming up now. – Join the conversation, click here.
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