Eddie Howe has previously been criticised for an “apparent” lack of tactical accuteness because he’s been unable to make anything other than 4-4-2 work and lacks a plan b.
He changes his system to a 5-4-1 and limits the highest goal scorers in Europe to one goal. This despite two of the back three having started a total of 3 Premier League games between them.
The starting XI missed Francis, Cook, Lerma, L.Cook, Stanislas and Wilson all of which would have started if fit and on form.
With a bit more control in central midfield, better hold up play from Wilson and a bit more creativity. We may well have had that one chance to snatch something, be that from open play or a set piece like how we took surprise wins over “the big six” in previous years.
Tactically I thought we were excellent. I also enjoyed the commitment from the players who put an awful lot of effort into the first half in particular.
Add that bit of quality to that system and formation and I’d like to see it again.