AFC Bournemouth v Brentford - Last Home Game

billythekid

billythekid

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Last Home Game In What Has Been A Successful Season

As the 2023-24 Premier League season draws to a close with two games remaining, it has turned out to be our best season in the top league points/playing wise and various club records broken. Points wise, since the 2016-17 season under Eddie Howe when his side had 46 points. Andoni Iraola our new manager for this season saw his side struggle for points in his opening nine games in charge while his players adapted to his style of play. In those nine opening games our club took just 3 points from three drawn games. In 2016-17 in his opening nine games Eddie Howe’s side took 12 points. Andoni Iraola’s side broke the record after 35 games with 48 points against Brighton. So in their last 29 games AFCB had taken 45 points.

Our team could pass 50 points in our next two games, the first is our last home game of the season at Dean Court against Brentford at 3 pm. This will be Thomas Frank the Brentford manager’s third season in the Premier League and it will also be his worst points total and league position in his three seasons in the top league. In his first season (2021-22), Brentford finished in 13th place with 46 points. Last season his side had a good season and finished 9th with 59 points. This season with two games to go his side are 16th with 36 points.

The last time our two sides met was the away game back in September and it was our fourth game of the season which ended in a 2-2 draw, our second point and draw of the season. Since that game, the Bees on their travels, have beaten Chelsea and Wolves 0-2, Luton Town 1-5. They have drawn with Nottingham Forest 1-1 and Aston Villa 3-3. They have lost twelve games, against Newcastle United, Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Spurs, Manchester City, West Ham, Arsenal, Burnley and Everton. At home they have W 5, D 4, L 6.

The last time our two sides met at Dean Court was in October 2022, the game ended in a goalless draw.

In our league games at home against Brentford, AFCB have W 26, D 12, L 14.
All competitions, AFCB have W 39, D 34, L 42.

AFCB Team News
No news of any new injuries or illness in the camp. Milos Kerkez serves his last match suspension.

AFCB Player To Watch
This might be the last chance for the home fans to see one or two of our players wearing a Cherries shirt. Lloyd Kelly who has been an integral part of our team in his five years at Dean Court and possibly Dominic Solanke who in his seven years at our club is having his best season, breaking the club record for number of goals scored in a Premier League season.

Brentford Team News
On their injury list are Joshua Dasilva, Rico Henry, Ben Mee, Aaron Hickey, Mathias Jensen and Kristoffer Ajer who was substituted in the first half in their last game with a facial injury. Jensen and Ajer could be available on Saturday.

Brentford Player To Watch
Bryan Mbeumo strong all round player, scored 8 goals and leads with 5 assists. Also their leading scorer Yoane Wissa leading scorer with 10 goals. Has scored 3 goals in their last five games. Ivan Toney normally would be the player to watch and on his return in January he scored 4 goals in five games, the last against Liverpool in February. But in his last 10 appearances for his club he has failed to score, but must always be a threat.

The Referee
Matthew Donohue is the man in charge on Saturday, think this is his first game as a referee in the Premier League. He was in charge of our League Cup game at Swansea.
 
I’ve looked at the last 4 league games for Brentford. These were two home games (Shef U and Fulham) and away at Luton and Everton. Brentford gained 7 points, which appears fair, although if anything a little high. Brentford have scored 7 goals and conceded 2 with xG estimating 5.67 goals with 3.57 conceded suggesting they have slightly overperformed.

Goals xG.png

Brentford have had 5 scorers with Mbeumo having scored 2 and also having the highest number of assists with 2.

The average positions of the starting line-ups are below. Brentford generally prefer a tight band across the middle third of the pitch.

Av pos.png

The following graph compares summary stats of Brentford and AFCB over the last 4 games. Whilst Brentford appear to have the edge our run of fixtures (Man U and Brighton at home and Wolves and Arsenal away) have been tougher than Brentford’s.

Comparison.png

Brentford have had more percentage possession at around 50%. Brentford create a relatively large proportion of chances from set pieces, and concede a smaller proportion from these which appears to have been a feature of Frank’s side for some time.

Percentages.png
 
Hopefully Toney won't be quite so prone to a dive as he will be too concerned about getting an injury that spoils his big move away.

Ivan Toney is a Cheat
is a cheat
is a cheat
Ivan Toney is a Cheat
He hates Brentford
Aaaaaaahhhhhh
 
Not sure how they’re going to select the lucky 26, but if you’re reading this Jim, can I just say I think you’re a really nice guy, and I’d be honoured to buy you a drink any day.
 
Hoof_It said:
Hopefully Toney won't be quite so prone to a dive as he will be too concerned about getting an injury that spoils his big move away.

Ivan Toney is a Cheat
is a cheat
is a cheat
Ivan Toney is a Cheat
He hates Brentford
Aaaaaaahhhhhh
Click to expand...
seems his stock has fallen quite a bit recently. think we will win this 3-1
 
wellsworld said:
and remember there is a precedent for any americans visiting pubs for the first time, they have to put a couple of hundred quid behind the bar to avoid getting beaten up. or wee'd on. or farted at.
Click to expand...

I didn't know Rantie worked in the Firkin now.
 
Guardian piece today.

Bournemouth have options in goal
Brentford moved quickly to sign Mark Flekken as a replacement for the Arsenal-bound David Raya and the Bees’ next opponents, Bournemouth, will review their goalkeeping options this summer. Andoni Iraola dropped the 34-year-old club captain, Neto, last month in favour of Mark Travers, who spent the beginning of the season on loan at Stoke and has since kept his place. But keep an eye out for the 17-year-old Callan McKenna, signed from Queen’s Park this year, a deal that had shades of the signing of an 18-year-old Aaron Ramsdale from Sheffield United in 2017. McKenna, who was also pursued by Manchester United after only nine first-team appearances, was won over by Bournemouth after talks with the goalkeeping coach Neil Moss and Simon Francis, who will replace the outgoing Richard Hughes as technical director this summer. Ben Fisher
 
With Man Utd's random form, 8th-14th are all almost reasonably possible finishing positions. That's a difference of £18.7m in prize money... You might not like it, but that matters.

Plus, a win here gives us a chance to try and end the season with a bang rather than a whimper.

It's also a bit of a shootout for that third striker slot in the summer. Southgate clearly prefers Toney but he's been on a horrendous run lately. If he draws a blank yet again but Solanke notches, can Gareth really justify picking the Brentford man? I'd imagine that's playing on Toney's mind so expect him to absolutely bust a gut against us. He'll be backing himself to score in this one... figuratively I hope...
 
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