Match report v Derby

kirsikka

UTC Legend
--- Bournemouth Slump To Toothless Defeat ---

The Cherries lined up away to Derby after a run of poor results and performances with Tindall bringing Danjuma back into the line up for King and Kelly in for Rico as the system reverted to the more commonly seen this season wing backs with one up front.

There was an early scare at each end, Begovic clawing away a header into the ground at the far post and Solanke failing to make decent contact on a low cross from Stacey for what would have been a tap in.

Then on 11 minutes Lerma leapt high for a loose ball near the Derby box and when the players landed the Derby player was gushing blood. For some reason replays were in short supply so we didn’t get to see properly what happened but presumably the ref felt he couldn’t send him off after Saturday. I genuinely can’t pass judgement as they didn’t show the incident although the commentary team seemed to think it was harmless.

Now I want you to picture a rabbit. A particularly fluffy one. With blunt teeth. On MDMA. That’s about how threatening we were for the rest of the half.

Danjuma ran offside with the regularity of a man with serious money on AFCB having the most offsides. Meanwhile we would actually have been better off if Brooks hadn’t been on the pitch as every time he got the ball he lost it, in the process showing the physical prowess and balance of a toddler.

There were repeated attempts to hit the ball long. They were mostly embarrassing.

The central midfield battle was a lost cause as Derby overran us time and again, L Cook and Lerma both looking like our central midfield often used to when we played two in the middle against a team like Man City. Except this time…

At times out playing from the back was comical. Carter-Vickers was looking around in confusion as he had nobody to pass to but three Derby players closing in on him meaning his only option was the put it out of play for a throw.

Begovic saved from a shot after the ball was played through the channel next to Stacey. Then S Cook put in a heroic block to stop a Derby shot that seemed destined for the net. From the resultant corner Kelly was in the perfect position to win the header but his effort was weak meaning it dropped behind him where the man he was marking reacted quickly to smash the ball home. 1-0 to Derby.

Half time couldn’t come quickly enough and this time JT was bold, changing the formation to four at the back with Smith and Carter-Vickers off with King and Mepham on for a form of 4-4-2, King partnering Solanke.

Derby were now sitting in closing out all the space in their half and hoping to hit us on the break. It was deja deja deja deja deja vu. With Tindall not seeming to have a Scooby Doo.

At one point I counted a line of eight defenders with four attackers trying to play their way through them. At the same time, we had four defenders sitting back on the halfway line and two central midfielders 15-20 yards deep of the attack. It was utter madness thinking we were going to break them down like that.

Mepham was presumably brought on for his ability to bring the ball out of defence but it was little in evidence although he did nearly twice lose the ball in dangerous areas with the Cherries lucky to escape punishment.

In matches like this you need a leader. Someone to step up and put in a performance over and above what you might expect of them. Credit to him, Steve Cook was nearly that man. Fed up with the inaction from the two central midfielders in front of him he resorted to dribbling the ball at and past the Derby midfielders and it nearly worked. They panicked when he did it, fouling him or chances almost being created.

This opening up space by stepping past men is what we needed to see from L Cook and Lerma but they contented themselves with trapping the ball. Take a deep and lengthy breath. Slowly turning around. Seeing a player make run which would require an incisive ball. Consider it. Decide it’s too risky. Turning away. Seeing another player make a run which would require an incisive ball. Decide it’s too risky. Pass to a defender. It put me in mind of this:


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Meanwhile, as well as providing the only attacking impetus, Steve Cook was a one man Cherry wall at the other end, making last ditch tackles and interceptions that deserved to be seen at a higher level.

In fact, Derby came closest to scoring next with an excellent goal line clearance from a corner by Lewis Cook, where he managed to cover both posts.

Tindall rang the changes desperately trying to get any sort of tune out of what he had on the pitch but the end result sounded like me with a recorder at primary school. Nobody wants to hear that, or see what we were unfortunate enough to witness.

The aimless long balls continued and carried on being just as embarrassing.

There’s nothing wrong with a long ball but our attempt at them looks like a team that doesn’t know how to play the long ball playing the long ball. Funny that. It’s also been the case in almost every match that we’ve tried them recently.

Wilshere came on but it felt like a desperate throw of the dice and so it proved since nothing changed.

After a set piece ran loose, Steve Cook and Mepham combined on our right wing for possibly the best piece of partnership wing play we saw from us in the match. There’s the story right there.

Shortly afterwards a corner came in and Steve Cook nodded it back across the six yard box and Kelly managed to then head at goal only for the Derby keeper to pull off a fabulous save.

For a short time I resorted to desperately hoping we might get a penalty but I gave up on that thought when I remembered you need to have possession of the ball in the opposition box to get one of those. Remember how many penalties we won in the Championship season? For the naysayers from other clubs who complained at the time, we pointed out how much we were in the box with the ball, taking on players and so on. This match would be the perfect counterpoint to that, to show why some teams don’t get many pens.

There was time for Stacey to flash a ball past the post but, in a way, I’m glad the team didn’t get off the hook tonight. I never want us to lose but maybe the loss will focus minds on the serious questions that need to be asked and answered. No excuses.
 
----- Conclusions -----

- It gives me no pleasure at all to eviscerate the players, the team or the management but a serious wake up call is needed. The season is seeping away unless the slide of the last month is arrested. Win their game in hand tomorrow and we’re eleven points behind Norwich. Win their games in hand and we’re eight points behind second place. These aren’t negligible gaps. Results are needed.

- My tactical nous is rudimentary but I think I could set up a team to get a draw or win against Tindall’s Bournemouth at the moment. He’s been found wanting as every team is doing the same thing and we haven’t managed to look dangerous against any team that sets up like this. It isn’t like we’re missing a plethora of chances, we have created next to zilch in almost all of these recent matches.

It’s time for a serious rethink. I said early on in the season I thought our most effective looking games were when we played three behind Solanke in a 4-2-3-1. It gave us another body in the gap between the opposition lines and created problems, allowing link ups out wide and in the middle and players to swap around.

If we’re going to see teams line up against us like this then I think we have to return to that. Junior may be out but Wilshere could be an ideal candidate to fill that central position.

- I’m starting to wonder about Brooks. How can his form be so bad? Dare I say it, it’s almost Fraser-esque at times and that isn’t something I say lightly. Tindall has to show strength in management and show the whole squad nobody is undroppable. That was half the problem last season, even if injuries contributed to it. I hope we give Anthony a start in that role on Saturday and, if he does well, that he gets to start the next league game as well.

- Hoary fans of a certain vintage will say I’m being ridiculous if I think this is bad. What about the team in this season or that. The difference is in those seasons the AFCB team had been built from waifs and strays on a limited budget. You expect shockers at times when that’s the make up of your team and you accept it as part of supporting a team like us.

This side has more quality and technical ability than almost any in our history and so they can do better. They should do better. However, the failings tonight were both from numerous individuals and on the touchline.

I’m not by any stretch saying that’s the worst I’ve ever seen a Bournemouth side play. However, I think it’s right up there as among the worst performances relative to ability. That’s the difference and that’s why it’s so disappointing.

At no point did I think we were going to score. That’s an incredibly depressing realisation when I look at the wealth of attacking talent we had available.

- Off-field questions are raising their heads. Oforborh and Billing have both made points on social media recently about team selections. Is everything really all sweetness and light in the squad?


--- Player Ratings ---

Begovic – 7
Can’t fault him. A couple of good stops and not a lot he could do about the goal.

Carter-Vickers (off on 45) – 7
Either he was injured or JT thinks he can’t play in a 4, otherwise I don’t understand the sub. He was the most promising of the CBs in the first half, even if left stranded at times by his team mates.

S Cook – 8 and Man of the Match
Brilliant tackling, blocking and intercepting. Tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck with forward dribbles when those in front wouldn’t. I felt sorry for him tonight.

Kelly – 5
Poor challenge cost us the goal. No sugar coating it, it’s a goal conceded that rests solely on his shoulders.

Stacey – 7
He did get forwards and get a few crosses in but too often was ignored for a safer ball.

Lerma – 5
Like a yeti, was never where you expected or wanted him to be. I don’t mean that in a good way.

L Cook – 6
Indecisive. Should have been doing what the other Cook had to take on but never did. Good clearance off the line saves his score a little.

A Smith (off on 45) – 5
Again we’re back to the problem of having him on the left. Sometimes he can make it work, sometimes he can’t. Tonight he couldn’t.

Brooks (off on 78) – 3
If this performance had been from a certain Scottish player the forum would be in meltdown. I’m interested to see what you all have to say after I post this since I isolate myself from the forum from kick off until after the match report is up.

Possibly the worst I’ve seen from a Bournemouth player since I had the misfortune to witness Marcos Painter play for us live. My cat could have muscled Brooks off the ball tonight.

Solanke – 6
Fluffed his only real chance. Worked hard but it’s difficult to judge a performance when you get better service in a self service restaurant.

Danjuma (off on 63) – 6
Someone sit him down and explain the offside rule. Very rusty but that’s hardly his fault.


--- Subs ---

Mepham (on from 45) – 5
Looked an accident waiting to happen at times, but again may be the coming back from injury thing. I’m unsure why he was brought on unless CCV had a knock.

King (on from 45) – 5
After the all action return at the weekend this was back to looking disinterested again.

Surridge (on from 63) – 5
After looking like a super sub that can change things earlier in the season he’s disappeared in his recent performances.

Wilshere (on from 78) – 6
I think he touched the ball and given how long he’s been without playing I’ll give him a pass.


Overall Grade: E
I think that’s the worst we’ve seen from a Tindall team. Steve Cook was a bright point and a couple of others individually weren’t too bad but overall it was an absolute stinker.

Derby set up a certain way and worked their socks off. We did nothing to discourage them from thinking it would succeed.

Time to start being brave and attacking teams decisively rather than always taking the safe ball. By that I don’t mean hoofing it over the top and hoping. I mean hitting some of those runs that players are making that keep getting ignored for the easy % pass. I mean stepping past players with the ball out of midfield to open up the pitch. I mean gambling and overlapping past your wide player more. And so on.

On to Saturday and hopefully the sight of some of the kids in the cup. I only hope they don’t succumb to the same level and give you know who a reason to go on about how he has exacted revenge on the club.
 
Fantastic write up but waaaay too lenient on the player ratings ;). Got no business seeing that many 6/10s if this is one of the worst performances you’ve seen relative to ability :grinning:

It's a fair point but I'd built myself up into a ranting head of steam whilst writing the report and then decided I had to calm down when it came to the marks.

It's easy to dismiss a report when all you see is 4s and 5s as an overreaction. I don't want that to happen. However, I don't think it's an overreaction to say it was utterly abysmal.

A number of those 6s could have been 5s and 5s could have been 4s.

I was probably overly generous to CCV but I guess I was confused by the sub.

Who knows. I'm all over the shop after that. If this was a period movie, I'd have to be taken to a room for a little lie down.
 
Comprehensive match report as always.
Can’t see how CCV was the pick of defenders 1st half and S Cook gets MOM. After all, we conceded the only goal in the 1st half.
 
Comprehensive match report as always.
Can’t see how CCV was the pick of defenders 1st half and S Cook gets MOM. After all, we conceded the only goal in the 1st half.

Second half S Cook was an absolute colossus at the back and he also started taking the ball forward. His second half performance was straight from the top drawer and took him head and shoulders above every other AFCB player on the pitch.

Without him we would have conceded more in the second, without a shadow of a doubt. We would also have looked even less threatening. Imagine that.
 
It’s time for a serious rethink. I said early on in the season I thought our most effective looking games were when we played three behind Solanke in a 4-2-3-1. It gave us another body in the gap between the opposition lines and created problems, allowing link ups out wide and in the middle and players to swap around
1000% agree 4-2-3-1 would suit us, easy swap around formation wise if we need to switch things up, it should protect the defence at the same time, and most importantly it should play to our strengths, but with this we would need over lapping full backs as at least 1 of the midfield 2 would help sit with the CB's.
I would like (when everyone fit)
bego
Stacey Cook ccv/mepham rico/Kelly
cook lerma/billing
danjuma Wiltshire stan
solanke
 
So Tindall is upset we concede from a set play,really he should be devastated that we produced one of the worst displays to date ,no pace ,no urgency,a bunch of individuals not a team with Brooks and King not interested and others in the squad moaning about selection etc. worrying that the wheels seem to be coming off.
 
That went well !. for Wing - Nut Rooney !

We didn't wanna do that..did us ? Not in the Script Batman!

So now we put the 'weakened team' on and exit the Cup....Crawley will be Up for it bigstyle... they removed a PL club.

.. 2 or 3 changes at the most..is the way to go.
Begovic.
Stacey..Cook. CCV...Alan Carr .....
Brooks.... Lerma....Sean from Corrie.
...Solanke..Surridge..David Walliams.....

sub's........D.Trump.....Tyson Fury.... And..The Wealdstone Raider( you want some ?) :taz:


That gives us a strong Left Flank to pull a few pants down at Reading and enough Fire on the Bench to raise it up a notch!
 
Not a pleasure to watch
You can forgive that if you win ugly but we don’t have that ability
We’re too slow and ponderous need more pace and energy
We have three centre backs but can’t defend set pieces
Wing backs not allowed past the half way line more than once a half
Dreadful and depressing for the quality is there if only
 
For his size Kelly should be better in the air . Kelly for me though has decent pace and that is a good strength of his . I will be honest playing 2 o3 centre backs, I don’t really mind what combination of the players they are .
The biggest issue is width and lack of width.
Without Stacey getting to the byline last night, no one on the left is capable of that .
You look at that left back at Brentford . Wow he’s the perfect candidate. Energetic and is up and down all the time .
 
1000% agree 4-2-3-1 would suit us, easy swap around formation wise if we need to switch things up, it should protect the defence at the same time, and most importantly it should play to our strengths, but with this we would need over lapping full backs as at least 1 of the midfield 2 would help sit with the CB's.
I would like (when everyone fit)
bego
Stacey Cook ccv/mepham rico/Kelly
cook lerma/billing
danjuma Wiltshire stan
solanke
2 cm doesnt work especially with 2 lightweight wide players in the 3.

Whatever the formation the playefs need to be playing 10 yards further forward.
 
Having stewed over this last night, not feeling any better.

Why was Smithy LB ? It didn't work. Stacey was much better down the right.
I felt our midfield was overrun. Shouldn't we play a 3 in midfield? I'm discounting Brooks, someone needs to sit down with him and find out whats wrong.

Midfield had no one to pass to. Nobody seemed to want the ball. Derby seemed to have more players where the ball was, everytime. 1-0 flattered us to be honest.

There seemed to be gaps between the defence, midfield and the forwards.
Teams have sussed us out.

Feel sorry for Steve Cook, he really tried hard.

This is basically the same group of players that let Eddie down.
I'm fed up of hearing about the team being one of the best in the league. Team spirit, tactics, determination and will to win count a lot too and we are way lacking.

Do the team really believe in JT and his methods? It doesn't look like it.

JT needs to sort it out quick. If it carries on like this for 2-3 more league matches then I'd be happy for him to go, sorry.
 

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