Pope John XXIII
Vital Football Legend
Here it is- a third season in the Premier League. The mere idea was unthinkable not long ago. I think we all assumed that one day we might fluke our way to a season in the Premier League. But to be fairly established there, albeit as relegation battlers, is remarkable.
This is our third consecutive Premier League season. In this era, we have never had a fourth.
We go into this with the best squad and the best players since the mid 90s. We go into it with questions about the defence, but a decent goalscoring record and promising midfield. Pre season has been ok.
The start of the season is fantastic. No one has been relegated. No game is do or die. Everyone is a proper, legitimate premier league team with no shadows over them (except Leicester). We can enjoy PL football without the consequences.
Bournemouth Style of Play
Bournemouth are a high pressing counter attacking side. It took them ages to adapt to what Ireola wants, but essentially they use very fast counter attacks and lay pressing traps, catching teams with the ball and then hitting goal extremely quickly. No other team won the ball in the final third more than Bournemouth.
They are never more dangerous than when you are trying to play it out from the back. They won most of their points against "the other 14" this way, but did pretty poorly against the top 6 who could play around it more effectively.
Bournemouth formation
This was last season's most used 11
To this they have added Sinisterra and the Turkish forward Unal, both of whom will feature against us.
Players
I say this every single time we play Bournemouth. The only thing you need to know about Bournemouth is "stop Solanke". But that is Leicester's problem this weekend, as they play Spurs. Solanke has scored four in the last 2 games at the City Ground.
They will buy someone new but unlikely for our game, so for this game we'll have to stop Justin Kluivert, their left winger who often plays central and their third top scorer with 7 last season. This is a player I fear as a great counter attacker and finisher.
Up front all they really have as of today is Enes Unal, a Turkish striker they had on loan to buy from Getafe last season. He is a one in four striker in La Liga and managed 2 in 16 in the PL last season. Not a bad player, but he isn't Solanke.
Another absolutely brilliant player to fear is Antoine Semenyo, the Ghanaian playmaker who can just do everything. He scored 8 and assisted 2 last season and really impressed me when I saw him.
Added to him is left winger Luis Sinisterra signed from Leeds. He can do everything. He is great at scoring long shots, at scoring set pieces, winning in the air, passing, dribbling etc. should be a real success in the PL again. Our defence needs to give real respect to these players.
Sinisterra will be relegating Marcus Taverner to the bench, along with Jaidon Anthony, both of whom are also excellent players (Anthony scored in the last minute at the CG in 22/23). That isn't even mentioning Django Outtara, another excellent winger. They are far more spoiled for choice than we are and their bench is far stronger, because they were buying these players while we were buying Dennis. They have spent a huge whack of money though.
On the plus side, the attacking midfielders we have in CHO, MGW, Elanga and Anderson are at the very least a match for their players. And they don't have anyone up front as I type this to match Wood or Awoniyi.
In midfield they have plenty of options too.
The one we all know is Phillip Billing, who is out of favour and only started 13 last season. He is an excellent DCM with great ball interception.and a cracking shot, as we have often found to our detriment.
Ryan Christie tends to play the pivot more. The 29 year old Scot hit five assists last season by winning the ball and quickly passing (how many of our DCMs managed 5 assists last year?).
American Tyler Adams was signed for more big money from Leeds last summer to play in this role. But he was injured almost all last season and is having further surgery meaning he won't play against us. So it may be Lewis Cook, another set piece specialist.
Far more likely is Alex Scott, signed for yet more big money from Bristol. Bournemouth fans really rate him, despite two long term injuries last season, and he apparently thinks he is one of their best players. He may be right.
I think we can beat them in midfield- but not with Sangilo. I think it needs to be Yangare as a pairing to add that competitiveness, or Sanginguez.
Defensively, I won't bother go into too much detail. Marcos Senesi is a good defender. Ilya Zabarnyi is ok. They have Max Aarons at RB, who is supposed to be decent.
Form
Bournemouth have been on excellent pre season form.
10th August they won 3-2 Vs Girona.
So strong form, although they don't seem to have played that many games.
Head to head
This is grim. Bournemouth are an absolute bogey team we haven't beaten in 8 matches, and have barely beaten at all, even in our league one days. We haven't even got a point at home since 2021.
The last three defeats at home I have felt were unjust. Even under Hughton I thought their win was harsh. In 22/23 it was a comeback, a collapse by us and a shocker of a mistake by McKenna. And then last season it was the most ludicrous sending off you'll ever see of Boly and then Solanke scoring two headers with our best aerial defender unjustly sent off.
Who's the ****** in the black?
Michael Oliver, who has an interesting record with us, having taken the all important second leg against Blades and a previous 2-3 home defeat to Bournemouth (where he actually gave us a penalty). Some crucial wins as well, including the superb win over Southampton.
Andy Madley is on VAR, who is best remembered for that absolutely insane performance at Derby back in 2008
Weather
It will be a warm and friendly 20°C on Trent side for our first home start to a season since 2019
This is our third consecutive Premier League season. In this era, we have never had a fourth.
We go into this with the best squad and the best players since the mid 90s. We go into it with questions about the defence, but a decent goalscoring record and promising midfield. Pre season has been ok.
The start of the season is fantastic. No one has been relegated. No game is do or die. Everyone is a proper, legitimate premier league team with no shadows over them (except Leicester). We can enjoy PL football without the consequences.
Bournemouth Style of Play
Bournemouth are a high pressing counter attacking side. It took them ages to adapt to what Ireola wants, but essentially they use very fast counter attacks and lay pressing traps, catching teams with the ball and then hitting goal extremely quickly. No other team won the ball in the final third more than Bournemouth.
They are never more dangerous than when you are trying to play it out from the back. They won most of their points against "the other 14" this way, but did pretty poorly against the top 6 who could play around it more effectively.
Bournemouth formation
This was last season's most used 11
To this they have added Sinisterra and the Turkish forward Unal, both of whom will feature against us.
Players
I say this every single time we play Bournemouth. The only thing you need to know about Bournemouth is "stop Solanke". But that is Leicester's problem this weekend, as they play Spurs. Solanke has scored four in the last 2 games at the City Ground.
They will buy someone new but unlikely for our game, so for this game we'll have to stop Justin Kluivert, their left winger who often plays central and their third top scorer with 7 last season. This is a player I fear as a great counter attacker and finisher.
Up front all they really have as of today is Enes Unal, a Turkish striker they had on loan to buy from Getafe last season. He is a one in four striker in La Liga and managed 2 in 16 in the PL last season. Not a bad player, but he isn't Solanke.
Another absolutely brilliant player to fear is Antoine Semenyo, the Ghanaian playmaker who can just do everything. He scored 8 and assisted 2 last season and really impressed me when I saw him.
Added to him is left winger Luis Sinisterra signed from Leeds. He can do everything. He is great at scoring long shots, at scoring set pieces, winning in the air, passing, dribbling etc. should be a real success in the PL again. Our defence needs to give real respect to these players.
Sinisterra will be relegating Marcus Taverner to the bench, along with Jaidon Anthony, both of whom are also excellent players (Anthony scored in the last minute at the CG in 22/23). That isn't even mentioning Django Outtara, another excellent winger. They are far more spoiled for choice than we are and their bench is far stronger, because they were buying these players while we were buying Dennis. They have spent a huge whack of money though.
On the plus side, the attacking midfielders we have in CHO, MGW, Elanga and Anderson are at the very least a match for their players. And they don't have anyone up front as I type this to match Wood or Awoniyi.
In midfield they have plenty of options too.
The one we all know is Phillip Billing, who is out of favour and only started 13 last season. He is an excellent DCM with great ball interception.and a cracking shot, as we have often found to our detriment.
Ryan Christie tends to play the pivot more. The 29 year old Scot hit five assists last season by winning the ball and quickly passing (how many of our DCMs managed 5 assists last year?).
American Tyler Adams was signed for more big money from Leeds last summer to play in this role. But he was injured almost all last season and is having further surgery meaning he won't play against us. So it may be Lewis Cook, another set piece specialist.
Far more likely is Alex Scott, signed for yet more big money from Bristol. Bournemouth fans really rate him, despite two long term injuries last season, and he apparently thinks he is one of their best players. He may be right.
I think we can beat them in midfield- but not with Sangilo. I think it needs to be Yangare as a pairing to add that competitiveness, or Sanginguez.
Defensively, I won't bother go into too much detail. Marcos Senesi is a good defender. Ilya Zabarnyi is ok. They have Max Aarons at RB, who is supposed to be decent.
Form
Bournemouth have been on excellent pre season form.
10th August they won 3-2 Vs Girona.
So strong form, although they don't seem to have played that many games.
Head to head
This is grim. Bournemouth are an absolute bogey team we haven't beaten in 8 matches, and have barely beaten at all, even in our league one days. We haven't even got a point at home since 2021.
The last three defeats at home I have felt were unjust. Even under Hughton I thought their win was harsh. In 22/23 it was a comeback, a collapse by us and a shocker of a mistake by McKenna. And then last season it was the most ludicrous sending off you'll ever see of Boly and then Solanke scoring two headers with our best aerial defender unjustly sent off.
Who's the ****** in the black?
Michael Oliver, who has an interesting record with us, having taken the all important second leg against Blades and a previous 2-3 home defeat to Bournemouth (where he actually gave us a penalty). Some crucial wins as well, including the superb win over Southampton.
Andy Madley is on VAR, who is best remembered for that absolutely insane performance at Derby back in 2008
Weather
It will be a warm and friendly 20°C on Trent side for our first home start to a season since 2019
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