Graham Pearcey

Date: 24 February 2024

We may have played well today, enjoyed a number of near-misses when it came to scoring goals, kept Manchester City from scoring more than a single goal, and prevented Erling Haaland from scoring at all (!); but the fact remains that it all boils down to yet another defeat – no goals scored, no points gained.

Bournemouth started well – playing a pressing game and keeping Manchester City in their own half until on 8 minutes (against the run of play) Haaland had a chance to score, and missed! Shortly after that, Kerkez was equally unsuccessful with a shot at the other end.

The single goal in the game came on 24 minutes. Neto parried away a Haaland shot but Foden was on hand to score. 0-1, and so it remained till half time.

There was no question that the second half was ours. We had all the best scoring chances including a couple from Tavernier and (late on) a free header from Unal. Most of our advances came down the right flank: Smith and Semenyo having a great game and teaming up well together.

Semenyo was surely our Man of the Match? And I guess Iraola agreed because, for once, he didn’t substitute him. But we still used our full complement of substitutions – Christie and Faivre temporarily taking the two holding midfield positions; Scott temporarily playing ‘number 10’; and Ouattara temporarily wide on the left; before they all moved around again!

With a 5:30 kick-off I expected a late night. So I was delighted that the roads around the stadium were (inexplicably) quiet as I pulled away after the game at 7:45, the weather conditions were favourable and there were no diversions nor hold-ups, so I was in the house at 9:33!

The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:

Neto;
Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez;
Cook, Christie;
Semenyo, Kluivert, Tavernier;
Solanke

By the end the line-up was:

Neto;
Smith, Cook, Zabarnyi, Ouattara;
Scott, Faivre;
Semenyo, Unal, Sinisterra;
Solanke

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