AFCB Bournemouth v Bristol City - 10 Games To Go

billythekid

billythekid

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The Countdown Begins

After the international break the battle for automatic promotion out of the Championship ‘hots up’ and our club have a strong hand going into these games, sitting in second place with a 6 point lead and with two/three games in hand over the other sides just below us in the top six. In our previous 10 games the Cherries won 6, drew 2 and lost 2, gaining 20 points out of a possible 30 points. So if we can continue winning 2 points a game, this will give our club a final total of 89 points which will be enough for automatic promotion back into the Premier League after a two season absence.

The first of the countdown of our final 10 games for the Cherries is at home at Dean Court on Saturday at 3 pm, when our visitors are Bristol City. City manager Nigel Pearson will be wanting to have a higher finish this season than last where City finished in 19th place with 51 points. After 39 games City are sitting in 18th position with 44 points.

In their away games since our visit and 0-2 victory at Ashton Gate, Bristol City beat Blackburn Rovers in March, that was their first away win in the league since October. They have drawn with Hull City, Preston and West Brom. Then City lost ten games, including against Midland sides, West Brom, Coventry City and Birmingham City. Followed by further defeats at Sheffield United, Fulham, Luton Town, Blackpool, Swansea City, Nottingham Forest and Barnsley. At home since our October game, City have W 7, D 2, L 5.

The last time the two sides met at Dean Court was in October 2020, a goal on 81 minutes from Arnaut Danjuma was enough for 3 points in a 1-0 Cherries win.

AFCB home league record against Bristol City, W 18, D 12, L 8.
In all competitions, AFCB W 29, D 24, L 37.

AFCB Team News
It was reported that Mark Travers returned early from international duty due to injury, just hope it’s not serious and he can continue in goal. No news of any other new injuries or on players who have been on international duty.

AFCB Player To Watch
Dominic Solanke with his consistency this season of finding the back of the net in every other or two games. His longest gap between not scoring in the league was a three game gap in January. Going into this game he has scored in his last three games. The other player is our goalkeeper Mark Travers who has been so consistent in games this season and has stopped the ball ending up in our net earning our side valuable points. These two players for me are key in our next ten games as our club look for automatic promotion.

Bristol City Team News
Joe Williams and Andy King out with a hamstring injuries, Callum O’Dowda and Tomas Kalas with knee injuries. Antoine Semenyo was substituted after 6 minutes against West Brom in their last match with a knee injury and wasn’t fit enough to join his country Ghana for the World Cup qualifiers and will not be available for Saturday.

Bristol City Player To Watch
Andreas Weimann has scored 18 goals this season and has 9 assists. He is the fourth highest scorer in the Championship this season, not bad for a side in 18th place.

The Referee
Stephen Martin is the man in charge of this game.
Was the referee for our home game earlier this season against Blackpool.
 
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At this stage of the season all about the results now. Doubt Bristol will be as obliging as Huddersfield last time out so this may be a tricky game. Quite a few interesting games on Saturday in the champ.
 
Good news on the injury front and those that have been on international duty, including Travers.

Kieffer Moore back training on the grass.


Following the latest round of international fixtures, Parker was pleased to report no fresh concerns and started by updating on Mark Travers, who pulled out of the Republic of Ireland squad at the start of the break.

“Mark seems okay at the moment,” Parker said.

“He’s come back into training and I think he'll be fine for the weekend. He pulled out of the Ireland squad with a slight quad problem, but he seems all good now.

https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/injury-news-parker-updates-on-a-good-ten-days/
 
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We know from the reverse game that if we keep our tempo high, Brizzle will struggle to keep with us. Just like Huddersfield couldn't live with it. We have to avoid the home game quagmire, as we do seem to be in a bit of a rut at home.
 
northstandmark said:
We know from the reverse game that if we keep our tempo high, Brizzle will struggle to keep with us. Just like Huddersfield couldn't live with it. We have to avoid the home game quagmire, as we do seem to be in a bit of a rut at home.
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Interesting that in our 18 home games we have taken 35 points and away in the 18 games 34 points.

In our last 8 games, 4 at home gained 8 points, away 9 points.
 
Sorry Roger said:
Easy victory, since we’ll be playing at home to a League Two team.

From COWS: “The Gas travel to Vitality Stadium for a 3pm kick-off on Saturday, the first action at Vitality Stadium for two-and-a-half weeks.”

:slap:
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If nothing else that is going to wind up their fans to go for it.
 
Huge test if City line up how I expect with three at the back. We’ve struggled against this formation frequently this season, with Solanke very often being hopelessly isolated. We need to find a way to trouble these sides more consistently throughout the game if we are to be successful in our aim. The nature of the performance on Saturday could give a big insight into how we will fare for the rest of the season, given that all of our remaining opponents (bar Fulham) are likely to adopt this formation.

I highly suspect we will struggle to trouble their goal consistently and will need to be clinical with relatively limited opportunities. I hope I am wrong though (which as we have established does happen very frequently!)
 
Mission Impossible may be an over-exaggeration for Saturday's trip to Bournemouth but not many will be expecting Bristol City to pull off an upset.

In a way, that could play into the hands of the Robins with the pressure off and as we know with the unpredictability of the Championship, a surprise result is never too far around the corner.

Bournemouth head into the contest having won six of their last 10 matches but have only won four of their last eight at home. The downside is that the Robins have only won one of their last 13 away from Ashton Gate.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-bournemouth-result-rhythm-6889953
 
Manager Nigel Pearson will be increasingly under pressure to improve his side’s form before the end of the season, though that’ll be difficult to start here given their recent away performances. That’s because on their travels, Bristol City have now lost ten of their last 13 league outings (W1, D2), conceding an eye-watering 2.54 goals per match on average during that period!
 
TCherry said:
I think we are dooomed...

Seriously though, we need to win / must win on Saturday to keep the door shut on the chasing pack.
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Not sure about "must win" but three points would be very helpful.

Some of the chasers have banana-peel games tomorrow ...

Luton home to Millwall
SUFC at Stoke
Blackburn at Coventry
Forest at Blackpool.

Bound to be some points dropped in that lot.

And. dare we consider Fulham at QPR?
 
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