BOURNEMOUTH POST-MATCH REACTION

Put it here.....

(Sorry DCJ but)

Back in yer box, Cherries!

Very happy tonight already had a beer to celebrate the win!!

A very good all round performance by Saints and fully deserved the win today ,making Bournemouth look ordinary. So nearly could have gone behind in first minute as we messed about trying to clear the ball, Fonte and Seaborne bit indecisive and Bournemouth really missed a great chance with a shot wide of Davies post. Then we go straight up the other end and Barnard who again worked his socks off, managed to get himself free great save by their keeper and follow up also well saved. Saints played good open passing football in first 15 minutes and pen on 17 min was deserved and looked clear cut though ref who came in for grief from Bournemouth fans was going to give. Lino was flagging and well placed to see foul on Lambert. Penalty for Lambert, last year would have had no qualms whatsoever he would score but this season not so sure, Blasted it to right of goalie and from Northam end looked like just went under bar might not have been as close as it looked but great to take lead. Lallana was causing problems and held the ball so well and Barnard was a real pain for Bournemouth defenders winning a number of free kicks.

Was surprised at the size of the Bournemouth team, very big but mobile and they certainly were not taking any prisoners with plenty of fouls. Their no 5, cant remember name went in the book but he did enough fouls to see red. Saints should have gone two up before the break when Puncheon got clean through only for the ref to pull back for a Saints free kick, making point of booking Bournemouth no 5 to try and justify a very poor decision. Howe was moaning on Solent re late penalty claim for Bournemouth but if we had gone 2 up by half time would have been out of sight.

Seemed to be slow out of the blocks again in first few minutes but got going again with the passing game and thought Puncheon, who you know I am not a big fan of had a much better game in second half. Saints then had a series of chances with Bmouth goalie out of position, Barnard, Lambert all had shots then I thought it was Puncheon who picked up loose ball and was bundled over. Second pen and Lambert took much better one low and hard to keepers right and into back of net.

Lallana lasted 70 minutes before being replaced by Chamberlain and Saints seemed to lose some impetus without Lallana. Bournemouth had a late claim for a pen when Fonte appeared all over Fletcher but what had happened previous and whether ref ruled 6 of one and 6 of the other. Looked a pen from our end so could have been a tense finish but in the end saints played out comfortably with no other scares. Took off Barnard for Chaplow and then with few minutes left Lambert came of for Guly, playing last 5 min with no strikers not ideal but Adkins certainly knows what he is doing as we ran down the clock.

Bournemouth had Smith sent off for second yellow card when he brought down Puncheon but he should have been given straight red when he scythed down Harding earlier. Most notable event in last 5 minutes was Chaplow taking out Bournemouth no 5, not dirty just rock hard shoulder charge in the guys chest, pole axed him. He got a yellow card but showed a flash of the no nonsense style which will we will need away from home.

Excellent all round team performance, Lambert still seems way from last seasons form but if we win penalties he will put them away, Lallana such an influence and a style of football that players seemed comfortable with.

Davies 7 dealt well with whatever he had to
Harding 7 Good all round game and back overlapping
Seabourne 7 dodgy start but grew in confidence and real competition for CB place
Fonte 8 Great game though could have given away a pen
Butterfield 7 solid game, good distribution
Puncheon 7 not great to start with but did improve with game and had a decent second half.
Hammond 7 Better game than previous games
Schneiderlin 8 Really started to pull the strings in second half
Lallana 8 Makes such a difference and did well to last 70 minutes
Barnard 8 Worked so hard all day and was a real handful for their defenders deserved a goal
Lambert 6 Two goals from pen but still something missing, cant hold the ball up at the moment, just hoep will come good soon.

Subs

Chamberlain 6 didnt really get much chance to shine but some good close control
Chaplow 6 Great block on their CB!
Guly 6 little time had a shot at end at least went for goal

Bournemouth didn't play well but they look well organised and physical side who will be there around the top half at the end of season, think they will win more than they loose.

Thanks Matty!!

I had a nasty feeling we'd get turned over by Bournemouth, they were playing good football and flying (probably momentum from their automatic promotion), while we can't buy a goal from open play. So it was good that, apart from a dodgy opening few minutes when they hit the post, that we took control and bossed it. Our two goals were penalties but a goal's a goal and the Cherries were totally outclassed and put right back in their place.

It's a shame about the violence, why do (a minority of) people have to be total morons? I don't think local media helped, as they hyped it up into something it wasn't (local derby, etc, etc, when it was nothing of the sort) and Solent, especially, stirred it up a bit by reading out provocative texts for the past couple of weeks. I hasten to add that I'm not accusing Solent of wrongdoing, but hyping things up doesn't help when it's a sport with its fair share of dickheads.

Don't know how they arrive at League 1 Team of Week but I see Lambert was our sole representative this week!

You deserved your win. Good luck for the season.

Dean Court Jester wrote:You deserved your win. Good luck for the season.

and good luck to The Cherries. Howe is a good manager and he has built a young side so looks promising for you for the future. The return match in March could be interesting based on our positions then.