AFC Bournemouth travelled to Manchester City on Tuesday night, still harbouring outside hopes of European qualification and a club record highest finish in the top flight of English football.
To achieve either, they would have to beat Manchester City, who themselves needed a victory to chase qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.
The home side also came into the game following the disappointment of defeat in the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace.
Manchester City would run out comfortable winners in the end, with both sides finishing the game with 10 men, ending the Cherries hopes of an eighth place finish.
After the match, AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola told the Daily Echo…
“We wanted to carry all the chances [of eighth place finish] until the last game, It was really very small chances because you need a lot of results.
“But it would mean we still are fighting for Europe until the last game. But it was a difficult day.
“I think you could see straight away City didn’t want to make any mistakes. It was also very big for them and they won, especially first minute for me.
“They’ve started really, really strong.”
Man of the match against Man City?
Jebbison
Jebbison
Vote
Zabarnyi
Zabarnyi
Vote
Semenyo
Semenyo
Vote
Evanilson
Evanilson
Vote
Someone else
Someone else
Vote|
Green Cherry posted…
Positives:
Adams had his normal hard-working attitude and did a decent job
Brooks came off the bench and made a difference, battling hard when others didn’t.
Jebbison looked energetic when he came on and got his deserved goal. I like the look of him, hopefully, he will play more next season.
Good movement from Eva for their red card.
Kepa made some good saves. Had that one silly moment, though, but good game from him.
Araujo had his best performance I’ve seen. That’s not saying a lot, though
Negatives:
Semenyo, Huijsen and Kluivert may have had their worst games for us today, lazy performances from all of them.
Evanilson was isolated most of the game. Had that miss and then looked like he gave up for the rest of the game, no running or pressing to see.
Tavenier looked leggy and unsure of what to do most of the game, too many passes back and not enough running, like most of them today.
Finally, Cook’s red card. I personally think it’s soft, but why give the ref the opportunity just after going a man up? Ludicrous from a normally level-headed player.
No Europe now, but hopefully we go out and play like our normal selves for the last game and try to get that top half finish
Sao Paulo Cherry posted…
Actually thought Araujo did okay tonight.
Brooks was definitely an improvement on Kluivert when he came on.
Evanilson was always a threat, even with limited service. I have massive respect for this man staying as alert as he does. If I were him I think I’d struggle to stay awake, such is the rarity in which we get the ball to him.
Zabarnyi was decent. At least he fought for the cause.
The rest were just not at it.
Huijsen is already in Madrid. Can’t possibly play him on Sunday.
Adams and Cook are the most uninspiring midfield pairing in the league.
Semenyo doesn’t seem bothered anymore.
Kluivert hasn’t played well in weeks. Maybe months.
Jebbo is clearly the reincarnation of Pele, but he can’t do it all alone.
The most disappointing thing, though, is how disjointed we look as a team both with and without the ball. When we are in possession, there is such a lack of movement. Our only real game plan is to slowly work the ball out wide and swing in a cross. That’s it, really, unless we can catch a team over the top when their defensive line is high. It’s not been enjoyable to watch us for weeks now. Every game takes up pretty much the same pattern. Teams sit back on us and we have very little movement or patterns of play in the final third so we struggle to break them down.
Ice8cold added…
Always going to be a very tough game away against one of the best teams in the world, in which we showed glimpses of quality and was probably our best ever away performance against City in the EPL.
Araujo has looked poor in every game he has played for us, and with Smith ageing. We’ll need to look into getting a proper right-back this summer. I liked the look of James Hill, but Iraola clearly doesn’t.
Onto Leicester at home, we really should be winning our next game, to be honest, hopefully a nice sunny day and not too hungover from the Christchurch Food Fest.
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