AFC Bournemouth travelled to the Midlands on Sunday to take on Aston Villa. After a superb start to the season saw the Dean Court faithful singing about trips to Barcelona, the harsh realities of “the best league in the world” have bitten hard in recent weeks.
The last four away trips have resulted in just two points, with 12 goals conceded against Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Manchester City and now Aston Villa.
AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola will be heading into the international break pondering just how to fix his defensive frailities in the wake of losing four of his back five over the summer transfer window and his new signings showing flashes of potential, but obviously lacking in experience in both this country and division.
Man of the Match against Villa?
Tavernier
Tavernier
Vote
Scott
Scott
Vote
Truffert
Truffert
Vote
Someone else
Someone else
Vote
No one
No one
Vote
After the game, Iraola gave an update on the well-being of Adam Smith, who had been involved in a nasty clash with Tyler Adams early on in the game.
He went on to tell Sky Sports…
“Obviously, it was a deserved win for Villa. Even if it’s a 4-0, 2-0 and 2-0 in each half, they’re very different halves. In the first half we were very, very poor. We did not compete at the level of the game. In the second half we competed a lot better.
“At the end of the game, it was a little bit more nervy but we didn’t take our chances. We were more us in the second half. We started in the worst way, we had to make a change straight away but we can’t use this as an excuse, the first half was really poor from us.”
Garbo
Tough watch…shame to lose Adam Smith so early.
My gripes would be that Semenyo should have been hooked and not Kluivert….and taking Scott off was also a bit strange?… fresh legs are one thing but Antoine was having a stinker today and with hindsight Evanilson could have stayed on at 0-2?… that said they scored two deflected goals and a poorly marked Barkley one…silly free kicks were conceded especially by Jimenez who also had a stinker of a game strewn with errors from us.
Well, onwards and upwards hopefully after the break. Still a long way to go in the season, but we do need to compete better against the top side in this league to be considered European challengers.
ErikThViking
Disappointing result.
We were clearly second best for the first time this season. Villa were not so good, though. If we had played them 3 or 4 weeks ago, we would have beaten them.
In summary, we need to get our mojo back.
Waz-AFCB
No need to be too dramatic after that.
A performance that kind of just shows where we are.
Yes, the manager got the lineup wrong today, but it happens; name me a manager who hasn’t.
Whereas last season we found ourselves with a CL-level defence this season it is obvious that we are more of a work in progress. Veljko, Jiminez and Kroupi all have enormous potential and all of the ingredients to go to the very top, but we are going to have to accept that every now and then, each one of them will have a ‘difficult’ day as they are still learning and adapting to the league. Today it was Jiminez’s turn. He really struggled today and before we know it, we are two down away at a CL team. We’ve been spoiled with Zab and Dean, but will have to accept that it is normal for younger players to have days like today.
I think the reality of where we are is that we are a mid-table level side, possibly anywhere between 10th and 14th. No shame in that. The key for us will be integrating enough of our young gems at the right times in order to develop them to reach their potential without jeopardising our league status in the process.
R1chardA
Very disappointed with the outcome, others have said it, but the scoreline really flattered them. It’s the result of our high-risk, high reward play. We fell on the wrong side of the risk. We were unsettled first with the head injuries, and then, when Eva was brought down for what many other teams would have been given a penalty, as it carried on into the box, we were given a free kick right on the edge of the area. One of those too close to get over a wall and under the crossbar. Alex Scott blasted it way over.
Straight away, it went down the other end, and they were awarded a free kick for what looked like a foul on our defender. This one was in the perfect position for going over the wall and under the bar, and that’s what they did. It was the same the whole game, every time we failed in something, it spurred them on, and we had no counter.
The same story was true in the second half; we came out all guns blazing and looked good to get back into the game, but then with Semenyo having his penalty saved by Martinez, it deflated us and galvanised them.
Games turn on these moments, and none of the moments were going our way.
Let’s hope the season doesn’t turn in the same way, and we can get back to winning ways against West Ham.
I said before the game that it’s unfortunate that these two away games came when they did; if either one of them had been at home, then I don’t think we would have fallen away as much as we have.
blandford_cherry
Just got back. Very disappointed. It felt like the injury to Smith set the tone for the game.
Looked all over the shop at the back, but decent going forwards.
Evanilson just doesn’t get the service but gets into some fantastic positions. Real shame.
There were positives in Kluivert, Jimenez, though Cook did ok at RB and Milo at CB, despite him being out of position a couple of times.
Thought between half time and the missed pen we looked a real threat going forwards, had the pen have gone in then it’s 2-1 and a different game, Martinez also makes a fantastic save from what looks like a certain goal going over his head.
Re-group and go again after the international break.
It’s certainly not the time to press the panic button.
dragonm8
It was very disjointed overall. At times, the young Serb defender looked very shaky with the ball at his feet.
Tav just seems to have lost his mojo over the last few seasons and is rarely the threat he used to be.
Adli hasn’t really shown a great deal yet either.
Senesi had a good game, Scott was ok.
Really need to just put this one behind us and start again after the break. – To join the conversation, please click here.