There was a palpable sense of optimism around the ground. Three wins in a row can do that to even the most pessimistic of fans
That optimism was tempered, however, when the team sheet was announced - 1 up front at home and no Kermorgant - not even on the bench - blast
OK so we weren't going to win 3-0 it would be a scrappy 1-0 instead
Matt had 3/1 for Ritchie to be an anytime scorer and I had Rantie at 17,000/1 as an anytime this season scorer so we were both on the edge of our seats
The other surprise saw Coulibaly selected on the left ahead of Fraser when the wee man had been playing so well but Coulibaly had shone before his injury so who knew - this could be a masterstroke
The game started evenly with Boro pressing high up the pitch and Ritchie did his best to do the same as both teams tried to get a grip on the game
The first chance of the game fell to Bournemouth on 7 minutes as good work from Surman on the left had his cross cleared to O'Kane and as he smashed it at the corner flag Grabban just wasn't quick enough to get out of the way and it struck his egg-shell head and went just wide
Six minutes later and we were treated to variation 104 of the short corner as it was played low into the near post and the ball was trapped and swung low into the box but unfortunately there was no-one there to tap it in - hmmmm where have we seen that before......
On 19 minutes Leadbitter kicked out at Ritchie miles off the ball and that allowed Harte to dazzle us with his delivery
He didn't disappoint and the Boro defence flapped and headed just over their own bar. I wouldn't have worried about an own goal - anything would do, and I still had Rantie in my back pocket.......
Our plan seemed to be playing the ball over the defence for Grabban to run on to - if only we could work out how to a) miss the defender stood right in front of him or b) hit the ball so it didn't end up in the south stand
It just needed to find that middle ground - but we just couldn't do it
It took 28 minutes for Boro to create their first threat as the defence backed off their 19 as he ran forward but luckily his shot was deflected wide
Just 3 minutes later and it nearly got worse for AFCB as O'Kane was robbed as he stuck to the Howe philosophy of playing the ball out from the back but luckily Cook was there to put in an outstanding block
The next few minutes it was all Bournemouth as they surged down both wings crossing the ball to an empty box, again and again
Kermorgant didn't just bring goals, his mere presence caused problems and this helped Arter get his brace. Without him we went back to the home games against the likes of Bolton and Birmingham
Actually that's not fair - in those games you just knew our lack of firepower was going to lose us the game - today however, I just didn't feel that the defence was going to concede - so that at least is a positive
On 39 minutes possibly only the one of two talking points occurred
Another long ball was, as usual, over hit and Grabban gamely ran on.
As the keeper ran to his right the ball was getting closer and closer to the edge of the box and as he jumped down on it he seemed to realise he was going to slide outside the box holding the ball so seemed to take his hands off the ball
In nipped Grabban, took the ball away from him and slotted the ball into the empty net
GOAL 1-0 to Bournemouth
Nope - not going to happen - the protect keepers' union was having nothing of it and it was disallowed
Yeah OK, maybe I didn't have the BEST of views - but that's what it looked like to me :-)
Despite Bournemouth clearly being the better side in the first half, they could still have ended it one down as a cross from the left was volleyed over by their 10 from about 10 yards when completely alone in the box - the only time the defence was found wanting throughout the game
Half Time 0-0
Ritchie was almost the game changer straight after the second half started as he ran down the right and his cross surprised the keeper by going near post and it actually struck the post with the keeper stranded.
To be fair he might have been aiming for the post or perhaps trying to emulate the crossbar challenge winner at half time because there were bugger all people in the box anyway....
This was further highlighted just a minute later when running at goal Ritchie looked up for support and all of the other 10 players were behind him. He had absolutely no-one to pass it to and so had to double back and pass it back to the defence - truly disheartening
On 50 minutes we beheld the rarest of occasions
Another Ritchie sortie and cross down the right had, wait for it, Grabban in the middle, actually jumping / challenging for the ball
Inexplicably, however, he seemed to manage to head the ball with the back of his head, such was his timing
When fit, I hope to God Yann has the patience to lead the training session on heading the ball for Grabban
This sounds like I'm down on the "goal machine" but I am an admirer of his pace and his ability to hold up the ball, most of the time
I just think he needs to be braver - he just doesn't seem to challenge enough, hoping for a mistake to come his way
Good players wait for things to happen and react - great players MAKE things happen - we just need him to make that transition
On 57 minutes, shortly after a Surman shot was deflected just wide, Coulibaly was flattened and then subbed for Fraser
I hoped he was OK, but glad he was off. You can't expect him to be match fit for a while and his touch and vision let him down quite often but you saw glimpses of what he can do and for that I am hopeful
For 15 minutes Boro seemed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and really have a go
But, unlike the beginning of the season, the back 5 never looked in danger.
Even when they surprised one defender, another would be there to cover - the way they worked as a unit was a real joy to watch
Both Cook and Elphick are the types of players others would crawl over broken glass for and with the calmness/experience of Harte and the strength of Francis, Camp had little to do
Then on 74 minutes came the second and probably defining talking point
Smart work down the left had the ball crossed in low and the ball ricocheted to Pugh (a sub for Ritchie) in the 6 yard box and instead of listening and complying to the 9000 shouts of "f***ing hit it!!!" he tried his "trademark" cut-back past a defender who couldn't possibly have got there in time to block the shot and was robbed of the ball
Unbef***inglievable!!
How many more times are we going to waste guilt edged chances like that??
He's been benched - surely he has a point to prove? - Absolutely gutted!!
That was the chance that we needed. The chance that other teams have had against us, taken, and won the game
While I was calling the tourettes hotline another Bournemouth attack had the ball laid back to Francis and unlike Pugh he lit rip an instant blistering shot destined for the top left corner but somehow the keeper tipped it over - a fantastic save
We then turned into Stoke, using Cook's long throw to launch attack after attack but the ball just wouldn't fall kindly
Surman had the last chance 5 minutes from time as he curled the ball again into the top left corner but this time the keeper was positioned better so had the time to create a real camera save, punching it wide
I hope he was smiling, that one's a cert for a key ring
Rantie did come on for the last few minutes for Surman and while the defence didn't like his pace - it didn't create any more chances
Final Score 0-0
Summary: This was like groundhog day. Bournemouth looked great on the ball until that last ball which needed to nutmeg 3 defenders and pass through the windmill to get to the recipient, or until the cross went in to an empty box
The bad news was that we played 4-5-1.
The worse news is that with the players that we had available, that was actually the best formation that we could have chosen
Sure Coulibaly was a risk, but with every minute's match fitness he could turn out to be the final piece of the puzzle
Yes Howe could have played Pitman to try to fill Kermorgant's giant boots - but I was there in Blackpool and saw what he "offered" to the team and in my opinion, its not the way forward
But for a bit of luck, or Pugh shooting, we could have, should have, won this game
The fact I'm disappointed that we didn't beat a very organised Boro side speaks volumes on how far we've come but without Yann we really lack teeth, especially at home where you are expected to make the running and break teams down
Star Man: Cook - just outstanding in the air and in his positioning. With he and Elphick playing like this, how does Ward get back in the side?
No comments:
Post a Comment