Bournemouth v Aston Villa - 15:00 Sat 8th Aug

[AFCB_Mark]

So AFC Bournemouth make our Premier League debut at Dean Court this Saturday. There's something I never thought I'd say.

Looking forward to properly seeing the new tarted up and improved Dean Court, both stadium and training ground. The works continue right up to the last days and indeed will continue into the season.

I'd guess to start with we'll mostly be using our team selection and system from last season. They got us here, they earned a crack. Make the new signings work their way in from the training pitch.

Villa have changed quite a bit from last season, not sure what to expect from them. I gather Adebayor is still in limbo and hasn't yet signed, I certainly wouldn't like to see him against us.

It would be good to get something from this to get us off and running, if possible. But whatever happens, it'll be an eye-opener I'm sure.

 

[Dazza]

2-1 Bournemouth

 

[smat]

Really think Bournemouth will blow Villa away. 4-0.

 

[SALTIRE]

Think they'll win as well.

Bournemouth 2 - 0 Villa

 

[Jackinky]

I also think Bournemouth will start with a win, probably Bournemouths best possible opening game for them to have, 3-0.

 

[danbylfc]

Looks like I'm not the only who thinks the cherries start premier league life with a win! 3-2 in an exciting game.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Can see Bournemouth getting the points here. The feel good factor will be huge and the atmosphere will be incredible.

2-1 Bournemouth

 

[Blitzballer]

So everyone's going for a Bournemouth win. I'll stick my neck on the line and say 3-1 to Villa

 

[PDS]

Unbelievably excited for this, whatever happens it'll be a memorable season.

Have a good feeling about today, I think it will be tight and we can't expect to dominate the ball as much as in Championship, but I think we can take advantage of a pretty average defence. I'll go for 2-1

 

[Saddlerrad]

I think Bournemouth may have a season a bit like Blackpool, but possibly just about staying up. I expect them to start really well today and at home. I'm afraid to say I just look down the Villa line up and I can't see how they are going to A) Score enough to win games or B) Keep it tight enough at the back to win games with a cleansheet.

I can see big trouble at VP I'm afraid.

2-1 Bournemouth.

 

[JimJams]

Captain Micah with nappy hair!

 

[SALTIRE]

Not much happening so far. Eddie Howe is impressive though, really hope they have a good season and stay up.

 

[Libertadores FC]

What a miss!

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Dull first half. Bournemouth the better team so far mind you.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

Gabby Agbonlahor completed just one pass in the first half vs. Bournemouth.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

I'll take that! Welcome to the Premier League lads. First half was all Bournemouth, second we turned it up a bit, nabbed a goal then shut up shop. Gestede looks handy and our defence looks much improved. Guzan still looks shaky though. Good few saves but looked a little dodgy at times. Still think we need a new keeper, but we look much improved so far.

 

[Jamie_SFC]

I was quite impressed with that Gueye for Villa.

 

[Humongous Fungus]

I think Bournemouth may have a season a bit like Blackpool, but possibly just about staying up. I expect them to start really well today and at home. I'm afraid to say I just look down the Villa line up and I can't see how they are going to A) Score enough to win games or B) Keep it tight enough at the back to win games with a cleansheet.

I can see big trouble at VP I'm afraid.

2-1 Bournemouth.

XD

 

[AFCB_Mark]

That was very mixed, pleasing performance but hugely frustrating result. Villa really didn't look anything special for periods, and I'm not quite sure how we didn't take anything from the game. First half in particular I though we were excellent, after a nervy first 10 minutes we settled down and dictated the play. In that first half we restricted Villa to one shot that sailed over the bar after half an hour. And for our own part, we created FOUR good chances, and missed them all. There was a period in the last 10 minutes of the half when Villa seemed to be creaking. That's a situation we're very used to engineering, and last season when we saw that we went for the throat and banged two goals in. This time, whether it was nerves, or rustiness, we contrived to go into half time scoreless.

Villa improved a lot in the second half, a) became a bit more organised at the back, b) took every chance to break away and threatened us far better. Villa had a couple of near misses, those crosses that flash across your goal at speed and it would only take a slight touch to fly in the net.

Shortly after half time we brought Maxi Gradel on, which cranked the atmosphere up yet another notch, and he instantly went on two mazy runs that frightened Villa. Including one ingenious chip that was cleared off the line much to the North Stand's disbelief. Villa's very effective response was to pull their whole side across to Gradel's flank about 5 yards, totally crowding him out. The upside of this was to give Francis and Ritchie on our right acres of space, from which they created two more good chances, which again we contrived to miss.

Of course Villa smashed in that corner, a super header it was, and due to their improved organisation and ball retention as compared with the first half, added to having a lead to protect, it was going to be damn hard for us to get back in.

Villa's most impressive player for me - Sánchez with the afro, like the look of him. And he came off the bench for 25 minutes, yet won everything he went for. For our part, was hugely pleased with how we kept Sinclair and Agbonlahour mostly quiet. Agbonlahour really was poor, he did nothing in attack and yet allowed Daniels at left back to whiltz past him and go on the attack for us. I thought our central midfield of Surman and Gosling did really well at retaining possesion. Although they don't have Harry Arter's bite, they did better than I expected.

Hopefully we can take something and learn from that experience. Hard to know where abouts Villa fit in the scheme of things, but they weren't special - they just did well what they had to do. I suspect Liverpool will be more daunting.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

For me if I were a Bournemouth fan, I'd have been extremely disappointed with that performance personally. You had more than enough opportunities to bury us, but couldn't take them. When you're facing the worst team to stay in the league last season, that has to be disappointing for me. And I'm not fishing here, fair enough, that is nowhere near the side we finished last season with, but they also need time to gel. Encouraging signs for us in the second half. Worrying for Bournemouth right now, but then there are another 37 games to go!

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Can't be disappointed with the overall performance, at all. Sure specifically the finishing should have been better, not what you expect from players who scored nearly 100 goals last season. But we created those 5 or 6 clear chances throughout the game in the first place, would have been massively more worrying if we didn't.

Considering the first 10 mins we looked a bag of nerves, the improvement from that to our end of half attacking enjoyment showed a good learning curve.

Plenty to think about, for sure. But way too premature to worry! (As much as you can worry when you probably expect to be relegated eventually anyway).

 

[Humongous Fungus]

For me if I were a Bournemouth fan, I'd have been extremely disappointed with that performance personally. You had more than enough opportunities to bury us, but couldn't tale them. When you're facing the worst team to stay in the league last season, that has to be disappointing for me. And I'm not fishing here, fair enough, that is nowhere near the side we finished last season with, but they also need time to gel. Encouraging signs for us in the second half. Worrying for Bournemouth right now, but then there are another 37 games to go!

The thing is that wasn't the worst surviving team from last season, its a massively overhauled team that haven't had all that much time to gel, going up against a fresh team full of confidence pumped for their first ever prem match, that everyone thought we'd lose to easily. Was massively impressed with Amavi, Gueye and Veretout.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

The thing is that wasn't the worst surviving team from last season, its a massively overhauled team that haven't had all that much time to gel, going up against a fresh team full of confidence pumped for their first ever prem match, that everyone thought we'd lose to easily. Was massively impressed with Amavi, Gueye and Veretout.

I did mention the above. Amavi was brilliant, only newbie I was disappointed in was Ayew who was utterly crap...

 

[Humongous Fungus]

My point was that you said that we were the worst team to stay up so Bournemouth should be disappointed not to beat us. But we're a completely different squad from last season. 16 players out and 10 in.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

The thing is that wasn't the worst surviving team from last season, its a massively overhauled team that haven't had all that much time to gel, going up against a fresh team full of confidence pumped for their first ever prem match, that everyone thought we'd lose to easily. Was massively impressed with Amavi, Gueye and Veretout.

Probably being too pumped was part of our problem. Hence the initial first 10 mins when we struggled to put 3 passes together, and also not being cool or calm enough to slot away the simple chances we created.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

My point was that you said that we were the worst team to stay up so Bournemouth should be disappointed not to beat us. But we're a completely different squad from last season. 16 players out and 10 in.

I'm not denying that, but regardless, you'd have expected a win today as a Bournemouth fan.

Probably being too pumped was part of our problem. Hence the initial first 10 mins when we struggled to put 3 passes together, and also not being cool or calm enough to slot away the simple chances we created.

True indeed, the players will get over the initial excitement soon and get back to your normal style of football I'd say, doubt Howe will let them get too complacent or excitable.