How does the club with the smallest pitch in the Premier League beat Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Newcastle in the same three months?
Bournemouth have learned the art of the opposition all season. They run harder and further than most opponents. They press more aggressively. And most importantly, they all work together.
It’s a side that thrives on synchronicity, with a perfect understanding of risk and reward on the football pitch. There are no gimmicks, no ridiculously paid celebrities in the limelight, just a team full of workhorses.
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FREE TO WATCH. Highlights of Newcastle’s game against Bournemouth in EPL.
And that is in no way intended to sound reductive, quite the opposite. Bournemouth are not blessed with riches, nor a particularly large squad, but they are led by a manager who knows how to maximize every inch of his team’s strengths and a refreshing appreciation. has with football. and: without statistics.
Andoni Iraola knows only one way. His passing style, which has consistently hunted high turnovers, is fascinating to watch when it clicks, and Saturday’s destruction of Newcastle was just the latest in a long line of mesmerizing examples.
Bournemouth did what very few teams have or will do to Eddie Howe’s side at St James’ Park: To have the courage to go toe-to-toe with a team that has won nine in a row in all competitions is either brave or foolish.
In recent weeks, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal (in the Carabao Cup) have proven to be the latter, but not Bournemouth : Iraola road.
“If we’re going to lose, let’s lose doing what we’ve been doing all season,” the manager told reporters after the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago. “Be more aggressive in the press , more vertical, more rhythm,” he added, as if one point less than Chelsea was enough.
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From Chelsea’s Premier League game against Bournemouth
Most recently, in the game against Newcastle, the Spaniard congratulated his players for a beautiful “complete” game. They made their hosts look ordinary.
The man-marking was all over the pitch, with the regularly unmarked Ryan Christie defining the approach, bagging a weekend-high nine tackles (the most of any midfielder in the Premier League this season) as he pressed Bournemouth’s ability to win the ball back quickly.
They also forced Newcastle into a season-high 38 failed passes in their own half.
Jamie Carragher explored Bournemouth’s success Monday night football“You’re coming up against a Newcastle midfield that I think is the best in the Premier League in recent months with Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.
“Bournemouth like to press 4-4-2 and they matched Newcastle, they were combative, but it’s not just about energy, it’s about precise timing and organization.
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Jamie Carragher broke Ryan Christie’s influence in Bournemouth’s 4-1 win over Newcastle.
Bournemouth are moving like puppets on a string. one player jumps to press and block, which triggers a move by the next player to fall in line, which signals the next, and it ripples through the team.
And they were progressive on the ball, too, completing 80 passes beyond the offside line, more than any other team through 22 games, and making 16 dribbles, also a league-high.
All this from a team plagued by far too many midseason injuries.
For perspective, Iraola is out of the starting line-up with nine players out. But that doesn’t change his demand for high-tempo aggression, which has been a feature of each of their 10 Premier League victories, regardless of the combination of players. is playing.
Here’s the real revealer: While Mikel Arteta and Ange Postecoglou (and they’re not the only ones to blame) complain about their injury-hit squads sending out doom signals in most press conferences, Iraola just gets on with it.
If anything, Bournemouth look more energetic than ever. in the last six games they have been outscored only once (against Everton) and only by a fractional distance (0.6k).
In 16 of their 22 league matches this season, Bournemouth have exceeded their opponent’s expected goals (xG) total, including against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea leaders and press masters cannot compare Liverpool.
The impact of the substitutions also made a difference, with Bournemouth scoring 17 points thanks to a goal contribution (13) from the bench, and perhaps due to the growing buzz around Iraola’s position in the elite managerial group, which reportedly attracts struggling Tottenham. ” and the attention of others.
Bournemouth’s rise to prominence will, to many, be one of the improbable underdog tales of recent months, but there’s no denying their authenticity.Work hard, work smart, and punching above your weight becomes less demanding.
The hype is definitely trending upwards and will continue to do so if Iraola can orchestrate more of the same in this sensational pursuit of European football.
