Written by kirsikka
After the home matches against strugglers not quite having the performances or results, we wanted there was a little extra pressure on this match than there should have been. AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker’s starting team seemed obvious enough that I could name it a few days ago, despite all the options available to him.
In the first period, both teams struggled when the other team was putting the press on. I almost wanted us to give them possession at their back as they looked so vulnerable!
The way the confidence grew the more the match went on was something to behold. We absolutely had them on toast in that second half. It was exhibition stuff at times.
The first goal was a fantastic team effort. A perfect ball from Christie, great vision from Solanke (so often those crosses just get pinged off the first or covering man) and a nice late run and finish from Anthony.
Beautiful play as well for the second and Lerma with the instincts of a striker… That Hudders defenders clearance though? Oh, dear!
The ref started as lenient but got stricter the longer the match went on, particularly against us. I’m glad there wasn’t a real match going on as in a competitive situation I could have seen a bad decision going against us.
The energy of the press was been something to behold. Zemura and Billing in particular. And when PB is excelling at the press then you know you have a committed XI out there!
The third goal was pure quality again. Lerma at the heart of things as he often was today. Then good play from Anthony to delay and wait for the Billing run and Solanke’s finish was delicate and delicious in equal measure.
The second half possession play to kill the game was how this system should be done. Drag them back and forth, left and right. Don’t worry, keep hold of it and work the opening. Very different to knocking it between the back four at a snail’s pace followed by a hoof.
Today we saw exactly what Parker has been trying desperately to get from his players all season. Guess what? It was good to watch. Let’s implement his system like that some more, please.
Positive performances:
There were a lot out there so I’m picking out a few but I could list most of them here.
Lerma – Reinvented himself as Glenn Hoddle today with some of his passing and vision. Unexpected but a joy to see. Sharp finish. Shame about the brainless yellow card.
Smith – Was all over this game, at both ends. We may have been less effective attacking down the right but that was in no way due to him.
Kelly – After the recent criticism, he was utterly dominant out there as well as good on the ball. Welcome back!
Could easily mention Billing, Zemura, Anthony, Solanke and L Cook here.
Room for improvement:
Christie – Still kept his work rate up but gave away a couple of chances early on and never quite had the same on the ball quality we usually get from him. Of course, there was still that beautiful pass for the first goal so… not terrible! Picking holes as there’s always room for improvement.
Man of the match against HuddersfieldSolanke
Lerma
Anthony
Travers
Smith
Christie
L. Cook
Billing
Someone else
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Waz afcb wrote…
Struggling to process what I have just watched, to be honest, last game we looked like a league one team, today we looked like a Prem team playing away to a non-league side in the cup. I’m not entirely sure how we can go from being so bad to being so good but I’ll definitely take it!!
You can wax lyrical about a number of individual performances but for me the big difference today was actually the team work ethic and application off the ball. On Tuesday against Reading we sat back and admired as they knocked the ball around with ease, today we pushed high up the park and hassled and harried at every opportunity. If one man was beaten there would be two more backing him up busting a gut to try to win back the ball. We just haven’t seen that nearly enough recently. This way of playing really does rely on playing at a high intensity.
I don’t know what it is, maybe the players feel like they only need to apply these intensity levels against the ‘better’ teams in this league. Maybe they are only able to raise their game against better opposition? I honestly don’t know, but it was absolutely ridiculous the difference in the team today compared to Tuesday.
NWCherries98 said…
While we were 10x better today, we were also far more clinical than we have been. Lost count of the number of games we’ve actually created chances in and not taken them. Even still it probably should’ve been 4-5 nil.
My main issue hasn’t ever been the style of play personally, it’s been the lack of cutting edge and then a slowly descending quality of performance as the games drag on and we’re unable to drag ourselves out of it.
MAYBE…we played so much better because the players were relieved to be playing away, supported by the less bitchy away fans.
Red_till_im_ded added…
Chalk and cheese from last Tuesday. Really stepped it up and rather frustratingly showed just how dominant we can be. The question is why have those performances been so rare this season. The quality of team and squad that we all know we have turned it on today in a huge game. I must admit that I thought Udders would give us a bit more of a challenge but I’ll put that down to us being so dominant from the first whistle. Having Smith back makes a huge difference. He was excellent today. A proper in yer face Smithy performance. Confidence creates quality and we oozed both today. Three really well taken and created goals and could have, should have been, more. The possession, passing and movement in the last 15 mins was magnificent and you could see all of the opposition’s body language drop off the scale.
A wonderful performance that deserves all the plaudits tonight.
Well done lads.
MOM – Lerma. Silly yellow aside he bossed that midfield and scored a rare goal.
2nd MOM- tied between Anthony, Smith and Billing. – Join the conversation, click here.
