Peter Neil Bell's Blog: Cherry Chimes, page 53

Rival Lines: "Now the top four is possible," says Chelsea Daft

Rival Lines
Match Preview: Chelsea v AFCB
Blogger Interview: Chelsea DaftTwitter @Chelseadaft.org

This week I chatted to Chelsea Daft after their successful Champions League match that took them into the last 16. But the league form had a shock last week when a rejuvenated Everton beat Chelsea comfortably. So, is there any chink in the Lampard reign or is he the best thing that has ever happened for Stamford Bridge fans?

CC: Has Frank Lampard changed what Chelsea fans thought might be possible before the start of the season?

CD: For me 100%. With the transfer ban and losing Eden Hazard, knowing that youngsters were going to be given a chance, I'd hoped that we could challenge for top six and identified that as a success. Now, the top four is possible.

CC: After the good start to the season with young players, do you think Frank Lampard would rather work with young players than buy in proven internationals at this moment in his career?

CD: I think Frank doesn't mind who he works with as long as they feel the club, knows what it means to be Chelsea and puts in the effort.

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CC: Ross Barkley has made a few mistakes off the pitch, but do you think having Lampard as a manager has been good for him?

CD: Yes I do. The perfect role model as Frank has been there and done it as far as being a success and has proven himself.

CC: Christian Pulisic has hit the ground running in the Premier League. What do you think his best qualities are?

CD: He reminds me of Eden Hazard when he first arrived. He is raw, hungry and believes in his ability. After a slow start he is now finding his feet and is growing in confidence every week.


Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!CC: Who has been Chelsea's best defender?

CD: I would have to say Fikayo Tomori as far as the defensive side of the game goes. There are still mistakes in his game but he has been the standout so far. Now Toni Rudiger is back that will change.

CC: Tammy Abrahams has a difficult first couple of weeks this season and then started scoring loads. Has he surprised you in the amount of goals he has been able to get and to keep Olivier Giroud out of the starting line-up?

CD: Being honest Yes, based on the fact he had played in the Premier League before. I thought that 15 goals would a great target for him for the season but he has been fantastic.

CC: Is Callum Hudson-Odoi getting enough game time at Chelsea or can you see reasons why he doesn't start every week?

CD: I don't buy into the Hudson-Odoi talk personally and feel that he needs to grow much more. Of course that comes with playing regularly but he has a long, long way to go. The form of Willian and Christian Pulisic has kept him out of the side.

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CC: Chelsea will probably be keen to make amends for the Everton defeat. But did you see an away defeat like that coming?

CD: No, I didn't. With Everton on the ropes, it was the ideal opportunity for us to take advantage and we blew it.

CC: Have Chelsea got any major injuries ahead of the Bournemouth match?

CD: Only Ruben Loftus-Cheek who has been out for the season.

CC: How do you expect Chelsea to line-up for the Bournemouth match?

CD: 4-2-3-1 - Kepa, James, Rudiger, Zouma, Azpi, Jorginho, Kovacic, Willian, Mount, Pulisic and Abraham.

CC: Which three teams do you think will be relegated this season?

CD: Southampton, Norwich and Watford.
CC: And which four teams will finish in the top four?

CD: Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester and Chelsea.

CC: Thanks to Chelsea Daft. The impact Frank Lampard has made is remarkable considering that he has not managed in the Premier League before. The Everton result was probably the first little bump in the road for him, but he'll want to bounce back quickly. Bournemouth go to Stamford Bridge with a stretched squad, but it is good to see that Chelsea Daft does not include the Cherries in their bottom three.

Who is going to score for Bournemouth?

With Callum Wilson out there is real worry about who is going to score the goals for Bournemouth. It's not that Callum was setting the word on fire, but he and Harry Wilson are the players that have been setting the standard.
Dominic Solanke is yet to score his fist AFCB goal in the Premier Legaue.The good news is that Josh King has not been rushed back, but has been training and does not seem to have suffered any problems with his hamstring. If Josh can lead the line then Bournemouth already look stronger than they were in the second half against Liverpool, when Callum Wilson pulled up. It is strange that Josh King was complaining at the start of the season that he wanted to play through the middle. Well now he is likely to get his chance.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!We have not really seen how well Solanke and King could work as a partnership and Eddie Howe may find himself surprised if they work better as a partnership than King and Callum Wilson or Callum and Solanke. Sometimes managers are forced into a team selection and this one could actually work in Bournemouth's favour. Howe doesn't like to try too many different things when things are working well, but now is the opportunity to experiment a little as a change is usually a wise move when the team has not been performing.


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The other good news is that Junior Stanislas is on his way back. He, like King and Lloyd Kelly, has been on the training pitch and if Junior can get back to being on the bench it at east gives Howe an option to bring on in games. AFCB could look very different in the next few games, but by freshening it up AFCB just mart start to pick up some points again.



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Does Eddie play King if he's 90% fit?

Josh King has not had any problems in returning to training from what we hear. Eddie Howe has lost Callum Wilson and only has Dominic Solanke as a striker, who he knows is fully fit. Josh King hasn't played matches, but if he is ready to go Eddie may just decide he has to start against Chelsea.
Could Josh be back this weekend?Rushing King back is the last thing Howe will want to do. King has had a series of hamstring problems over the years. If he breaks down in December, he'll miss games that are potentially more winnable in January. Yet, if Solanke plays on his own up front, are Bournemouth just throwing away any real potential of scoring against teams in December? There has been talk about Sam Surridge being recalled from Swansea, but Howe won't want to disrupt Surridge's time at Swansea City seeing that he is fitting in well there.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!If Harry Wilson or Junior Stanislas could be used as back-up strikers, Howe could lighten the load on Solanke and King. He probably has to, or use Ryan Fraser at some point as a number 10. The wing situation can be covered by Jordan Ibe, if Howe is willing to let him play again. At this point, Bournemouth will need every available player. Anyone who can do a job should be considered to play now as the numbers are not good and Bournemouth need to fill the bench with the best players they have.

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So, if King is anywhere near 90 per cent or so fit, I'd be surprised if Howe didn't play him. Just having King's name on the team sheet gives the players a boost and will make the opposition manager wary that Bournemouth can do something on the break. It may be risky to play King, but I don't see there is much choice. You can't protect players when the team is losing one or two players every game. Bournemouth have to hope their luck changes.
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The one thing that can be said for everyone having to find a way to make the team strong enough to cope with the December fixtures, the players will have to unite and fight for the cause. There hasn't been enough of that and seeing King come back will be part of the spark that Howe will hope can reignite the Cherries' season.

Looking for some positives for AFCB?

It has been a hard few weeks. We have all had a good moan about the team and nobody wants to see them do badly. So are there some positives about the situation for our beloved Cherries? I think there are quite a few and it is important that the players start to think that way to.
Callum might be out, but it's a chance to experiment up front.Despite the recent run of defeats, Bournemouth are still not in the bottom three. It may only be a point that separates the Cherries, but if they can avoid being in the bottom three at Christmas, they can take some belief that there are some teams not dong as well as them. The goal difference at Bournemouth is also better than it has been on most previous Premier League seasons. At -6 from 16 games, the Cherries are on course to concede 56 goals this season at 1.5 goals a game. That actually compares favourably to the 70 goals that went in last season against the Cherries.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -available now!There have also been lots of talk about managerial positions being linked to Eddie Howe. Well, at the moment Eddie finds it embarrassing to be even spoken to about other jobs when he sees the situation that AFCB are currently in. He's staying and wants to put things right this season. Some fans may want a change, but I am sure they are in the minority.



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Another positive is that a couple of players are coming back. Josh King, Junior Stanislas and Lloyd Kelly could soon swell available squad numbers. Bournemouth are usually a free-flowing and scoring team. When they do get back to their best they will start scoring and they are currently well below what they are capable of producing having only scored 18 goals from their first 16 games. So there is more to come in my mind.

December is traditionally a good month for the Cherries. It may have started disappointingly but there are more points to be had and a win now would make a big impression on the Cherries league position. 

Now we'll see the true value of Aké

Losing Nathan Aké for the Christmas period is just about the last thing AFCB needed. He has been the rock that the defence has been built upon and without his experience, Bournemouth will just have to make do. At the weekend Jack Simpson came in to plug the gap, but Eddie may try something else for the match away at Chelsea.
How do you replace Nathan Aké?Eddie Howe will be reflecting on the third goal that Chelsea scored and Jack Simpson's misdirected pass that went to Keita, before Salah received a pass from Keita to score Liverpool's third goal. Was Jack Simply unlucky? Could he have made a safe pass and is he still best placed to play next to Chris Mepham?

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The other straight choice Eddie has is to move Simon Francis over to centre-back. This 
would make more sense as Francis is now a better player at centre-back than at right-back and Jack Stacey is perfectly capable of tying down the right-back slot. Of course, Howe may decide it is better to even go with three at the back just to keep another defender on the bench. All of a sudden though, Bournemouth are not blessed with lots of centre-halves and players like Charlie Daniels who could slip in and do such a job just aren't available.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!Chris Mepham is also in the spotlight having misjudged the flight of the ball for Liverpool's first goal. Great centre-halves are invaluable and the loss of Nathan Aké is going to be seen in the coming games. Bournemouth really are down to the bare bones and Chris Mepham and Simon Francis have not played a game together as a centre-back pairing from my memory.
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Eddie has to work with what he has. The shape of the defence will be the first thing Howe has to get right against Chelsea. It's what the team has to work on this week as a priority, then work needs to be done on working out how Bournemouth can have a threat up front. The options are limited, but we do know Nathan Aké will certainly be missed at the back.

Meanwhile, SkySports reports that Chelsea have a £40m but-back clause in Aké's contract and want to exercise it this January.

Howe says the Cherries will regroup

Eddie Howe is never one to say the picture is brighter than it really is. He no doubt takes responsibility for where the team is in the league, and for recent performances, but he'll need to pick himself up before he can impart some confidence back into the team. If Howe can't get his own levels boosted quickly, then it will set the wrong tune for the week ahead.
Eddie Howe has to really earn is money this December with the position AFCB are in.Regroup they must. Howe to be more positive is the question. Bournemouth can look back at videos and ask why players were not doing their jobs better against Liverpool, but the real improvement will come on the training ground. The players need to be working how to defend balls over the top and how to create more chances in open play for their own team.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!This could well mean a different way of lining up and some players may have to fill different roles. Solanke hasn't been the main striker often, but he'll have to lead the line if King is not back next Saturday. But it is important to get players around him as well. Harry Wilson, Ryan Fraser and even Jordan Ibe could be in contention to play nearer to Solanke and if Howe floods the midfield, he'll need energy on the wings to get up and support the attacks.

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As long as Howe has a plan or two to get the players believing they have the weapons to hurt Chelsea, Bournemouth can go into their next game with a bit of confidence. They need something more than heir current form to dwell on. If the players can see a plan working then, they'll redouble their efforts and the AFCB fans will get right behind them. It's no good continually criticising the players now, We have to get behind them to help them dig themselves out of the losing run.

The next win seems a long time away for AFCB

The Cherries are on a five game losing streak and the mood in camp is probably as low as it has ever been in the top division. While they can be reassured that they are not the only Premier League team that is struggling, the injuries and lack of goals are starting to weigh heavily on the team, and they have to see a way of getting a win on the board or at least a point.
AFCb have the worst form record in the league with five defeats in a row.Playing Chelsea away will be as hard if not harder than the Liverpool match as Frank Lampard's side will be keen to get back to winning ways themselves. Eddie Howe will surely draw on the way the team has played against Chelsea before at Stamford Bridge, and it is a stadium that has find memories for the players and supporters.


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There will be a change in the line up for Bournemouth. The back four will have  a new look about it and Bournemouth could well be down to one striker in Dominic Solanke. But Bournemouth have to see this as a chance to do something new. Change the look of the team and get some passion back into the play.


Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!We know Harry Wilson is a goal scorer so let's play him in behind Solanke. Rejig the midfield with a fully fit Gosling ready to play more than 30 minutes. The senior players have a role to fill now. Simon Francis and Ryan Fraser have been in this situation before and must draw on their experience to get some positivity into the other players. Bournemouth don't give up and they have a history of beating the odds.
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This is just another season when they are being tested. Eddie Howe says 'bring it on'. Perhaps we shouldn't wish it Eddie! And as fans, we have to play our part in lifting the team and giving them belief that they are a great team that can beat the best teams on their day. A win does seem a long way away, but games turn in an instant. Bournemouth need a bit of good fortune and it could turn at any time.

Chimes to Camera: AFCB 0 v 3 Liverpool

Lerma the only player showing fight for AFCB

What is it with AFCB's players? Jefferson Lerma gave everything for the team on Saturday, but it is hard to say that the other players gave nearly as much fight in the tackle or aggression as Jefferson Lerma. The players know that it is going to be hard and when they conceded a goal after Aké went off. You need players to stand up and have pride in that they can hold on against Bournemouth even when one of the team's best player goes off. Instead it was Lerma and just Lerma that stepped up.
Lerma is leading the way for AFCBIt is a great credit to Lerma that his head did not go down all game. He has the warrior spirit that is so important. The other players need to look at Lerma's game and add some of that fight to their own performances. When things are going well, it's easy to hide behind others when the goals go in and the points come quickly. When things are not working though, you need big hearts and a determination to win every tackle. We are just not seeing that at AFCB.
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Eddie Howe has to get the players wanting the ball again and concentrating on stopping the opposition. If Bournemouth can snap at the heels of Chelsea then they can knock them off their stride. Lerma will be the main man to do that job, but the others have to follow his lead. It made me sad to see Lerma running his socks off, but not seeing others get close to their man and make it more difficult for Liverpool.

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There are players who are more than out of form. Some players are not putting much in at all. Now that they can see how damaging that is to the team, I hope for a change in mental attitude next game. The players can't go out thinking they have already lost and that it will be more of the same. They have to want results to change and that is only going to happen if they all unite and work hard for each other on the pitch.

Liverpool's first goal underlined why Bournemouth are struggling

The simple fact is that Bournemouth are not defending well when they are preparing to defend free kicks. It doesn't matter that the ball starts off in the other half. The Cherries have to be alert to movement and giving too much space to players. There were times before the first goal against Liverpool, where Liverpool's players were getting a good five yards of space before they received the ball. The Cherries are simply not switched on for 90 minutes.

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The first Liverpool goal was all the more sickening, as it was another ball launched from the opposition half. Whether it is Aké and Cook or in this case Simpson and Mepham, the centre-backs have to read the flight of the high ball and respond accordingly. But letting the ball bounce and land in the stride of the opposition is going to put the team in trouble. Once again, the long ball just wasn't defended and I can't believe that the team didn't practise how to defend against these tactics in the week.

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It was almost like the whole goal was in slow motion. As soon as Henderson hit the pass, Mepham realised he had got the wrong side, and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain had stolen in and jumped on the chance to give Liverpool the lead. It was simple route one, just like the goals that Spurs scored against Bournemouth and they have failed to deal with the high ball again.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!Some of the defending has to come from the front players too. If they don't close down the opposition defenders they'll have time to hit the long balls. Some will also look at Ramsdale's starting position and whether he could have been further advanced when the pass from Henderson was made. The whole problem with the goal was that Bournemouth were reacting and not anticipating, and if you are behind in your thought process to the European Champions' it won't be long before they undo you as Bournemouth found to their cost.

Chimes to Camera: Crystal Palace 1 v 0 AFCB - with a special appearance by Guy Fawkes behind me!

Beleaguered Bournemouth out played by league leaders

Match ReportAFCB 0 v 3 Liverpool7 December 2019Attendance: 10,832 Liverpool arrive at Dean Court
Bournemouth were no match for Liverpool. Even while they kept the league leaders in check for the first half hour, it was likely that Liverpool would find a way through. They took their chance when Nathan Aké hobbled off. A long ball over the top caught Bournemouth out again, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stole in behind Chris Mepham and stabbed the ball under Ramsdale for a goal lead. The Cherries then fell 0-2 down when Mo Salah turned in the box and back heeled the ball to Naby Keita, who stroked Liverpool further ahead on half-time. It could have been a humiliating second half, but Bournemouth rallied as best they could, and while Mo Salah got his goal after a mistake from Simpson, it was more worrying to see Callum Wilson pull a hamstring. Bournemouth need patching up but I'm not sure there is much medicine in the cabinet.
Liverpool fans make their presence knownEddie Howe made just one change with Simon Francis coming in for the injured Adam Smith. On the bench was Jordan Ibe.
All set for the teams to come out
The crowd saw steady and patient build ups from Liverpool. Keita was running the show. As soon as Bournemouth break Wilson is caught offside. Milner is loitering in the gap between Bournemouth's defence and midfield.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream is on sale now!Lerma wins a free kick. Van Dijk gets away with holding Wilsons arms when on half way. Gomez crosses to Salah and Ramsdale saves brilliantly on seven minutes from Salah's curling shot that was heading for the top left corner of Bournemouth's goal.

Bournemouth press well, win the ball but then head back to their own keeper. Mepham gets a good tackle in on Firmino. Franno blocks.

Oxlade-Chamberlain overruns it in the box. A let off for Bournemouth. Lerma does well to knick the ball off Keita but Wilson runs it out of play.

Robertson has a flash at goal but hits it skyward on 20 minutes. Solanke has a run down the left and hits a shot. It's deflected and hits the side netting. Bournemouth corner.

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Salah through the middle, but he is held up. Milner has a shot just wide of the right post. Fraser gets down the left and crosses early. Danjuma shoots first time but its inches wide.

Gomez crosses and a near post header from, Salah is saved by Ramsdale. Lerma wins a free kick.

Fraser us in for Solanke but can Dijk gets back with a big tackle on 28 minutes.

Lerma is winning the battle in midfield. Aké gets back to stop Salah but his hamstring is a problem.

Aké is off, replaced by Simpson on 35 minutes. Long ball and Mepham has let Oxlade-Chamberlain go its 0-1 to Liverpool on 36 minutes.

Firmino's shot is saved by Ramsdale. Solanke is brought down by Gomez who is yellow carded.

Lovren is replaced by Trent Alexander-Arnold on 39 minutes.


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Firmino's shot is deflected for a goal kick after a good build up on the right. Billing concedes a corner. Salah with three players around him some how finds Keita and its 2-0 on half time.

Three minutes of added time. Salah handball in the box. Firmino shoots wide. Corner for Liverpool and Salah misses.
The Cherries are two down at half-time an have lost Nathan AkéSecond half
Trent Alexander-Arnold is blocked by Rico. Fraser puts in a cross that is blocked and the follow up is caught by Allison.

Keita shoots and Ramsdale gets down well. Milner drills a cross across the box. Simpson gives the ball away and Salah makes it 3-0 on 54 minutes.

Rico plays a hood ball up and Wilson is away until Milner comes across. Trent Alexander-Arnold drifts in but shoots wide. Lewis Cook replaces. Billing on 57 minutes.

Wilson pulls up. Gosling comes on for Wilson on 64 minutes. Liverpool corner is defended. Free kick to Bournemouth.
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Solanke does well. Rico crosses but is offside and Danjuma's finish is ruled out. Danjuma's shot is blocked. Salah's shot is palmed away. Danjuma is muscled off the ball by van Dijk.

Total dominance from Liverpool now. Robertson is subbed for Curtis Jones on 76 minutes.
Milner crosses and Oxlade-Chamberlain comes in and Ramsdale and a defender just keep it out.

Gosling clears and Trent Alexander-Arnold screws his shot. Ramsdale messes a kick up but gets away with it.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is subbed for  Shaqiri on 87 minutes. Shaqiri crossed and Jones volleys over.

Henderson free kick is saved by Ramsdale.

Summary
Bournemouth knew this was going to be tough. What Eddie Howe didn't need was two more injuries to key players. The injuries to Aké and Callum Wilson are devastating at this time of the season. The players managed well until Aké went off and Mepham again was not alert to the long ball over the top. It's a weakness that has to be worked on as it is giving teams starts in games against Bournemouth, and it was all Liverpool needed to go on and start playing their football with more confidence and extend the lead. The game was gone by half-time and the second goal was of Salah's making - just sublime. There was a reward for Salah when he scored Liverpool's third, but it was hard for Bournemouth even to get hold of the ball in the second half. A week is not gong to be enough to repair the damage that Bournemouth are in, and they could be a lot lower in the table by Monday night when all the other games have been completed in this round of fixtures.

AFCB line up AFCB Subs: Boruc, Stacey, Simpson, Gosling, Surman, Ibe, L CookAFCB Ratings
Ramsdale 5, Francis 4, Mepham 3, Ake 5 (Simpson 3), Rico 6, Danjuma 6, Lerma 7
Billing 4 (L Cook 4), Fraser 5, Solanke 3, Wilson 3 (Gosling 5)

Cherry Chimes MoM: Jefferson Lerma

Ref Watch: Chris Kavanagh 6/10 little to cause him any problems.

Liverpool
1 Alisson, 12 Gomez, 6 LovrenAlexander-Arnold, 4 van Dijk, 26 Robertson (Jones)
8 Keita, 14 Henderson, 7 Milner, 11 Salah, 9 Firmino, 15 Oxlade-Chamberlain (Shaqiri)


Liverpool Subs
13Adrián, 23 Shaqiri, 27 Origi, 48 Jones, 66 Alexander-Arnold, 67 Elliott, 10 Mané,