A.F.C. BOURNEMOUTH - NOT ON THE BEACH
Well, here we are my friends. A new home for Le Grove that you can access in all the usual ways you access the content.
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Okay, enough about that...
Big Ange over at Spurs is feeling the pressure as things start to unravel. He's talking about non-negotiables, doing things his way, and rumors are swirling that he'll be conducting a major overhaul over the summer. To me, this rhetoric sounds like what you hear when a manager knows they're under intense scrutiny. All Spurs care about is finishing above Arsenal and securing Champions League qualification. Ange has missed both targets and failed to do better than Conte. At this point, his biggest achievements have been:
Good press conference vibes
Owning the word ‘mate’
Affirming that if you’re an ambitious players, Spurs ain’t for you
Not good enough.
As I mentioned a few months ago, xG always catches up, and I believe next season will be very different for Ange. His kamikaze football is already being figured out, his ideas aren’t resonating with players, and his outdated tactics are highlighted when he refuses to address issues like set-pieces, despite his poor track record with them throughout his career.
'I'm not interested,'
'Never have been. Not in the least.
'It's not the first time I've been questioned about set-pieces in my coaching career. There is an underlying reason for that which I'm very, very comfortable with.
Ange said that before the Chelsea game and conceded from two setpieces. Imagine giving that response when you see the success Nik Jover has brought to Arsenal. Jover meticulously studies set-piece strategies from clubs worldwide to bring fresh thinking, he does oppo research for attack and defence, and he’s been wildly successful at both. We’ve scored 16 goals from setpieces and conceded very few. Big Ange? He's at a stage where new ideas seem off the table.
The clock is ticking.
The game against Bournemouth today is a bit of a nightmare, to be honest. You have a team in 10th place performing at the level of a 5th-placed team. This Bournemouth side is unequivocally better than Manchester United. How so? They have a clearly defined identity, understand Andoni Iraola's principles, and execute them excellently.
Their approach is simple. They don't prioritize possession; instead, they excel at creating turnovers and quickly releasing balls into the channels for their speedy forwards. This modern take on long-ball football has been particularly fruitful for Solanke, who has scored 20 goals this season. Additionally, Bournemouth ranks 7th in the league for shots, just one behind Manchester United.
I know what you're thinking... won't they have their minds on the beach? Typically, I'd say yes. But this is a young coach in his debut season with a young squad, all at Bournemouth to showcase their talents to the next-step club. Their players are aware that the world will be watching for a potential upset. There's no way they're taking this game lightly. This match could make someone famous... or very wealthy this summer.
Arteta will have his team prepared, and the players will be focused. This is the kind of team we've been defeating comfortably all season. The main concern is that we might try to force the game, as we did against Villa, and end up getting punished.
Arsenal have had a week off, so the players will be the freshest they've been all month. We just need to be patient and trust that the result will come.
In other news, Max Dowman trained with the first team. He's literally a child, only 14 years old, born in 2009. Just imagine the level he must be at to train with one of the best squads in the world. We also have Chido Obi, who is scoring goals for fun at the U18 level despite being only 16. Per Mertesacker and Edu seem to have something special brewing at the Academy level. Imagine what it will be like when they have a transfer budget for these kids this summer?
Jurrien Timber is also in contention for the Bournemouth game. Starting him against a blisteringly fast front three would be risky, but putting him on the bench and giving him 15 minutes if the game is under control could provide a significant boost for the squad, and especially the fans in the stadium. I can't wait to see what he brings to the team next year. You may have noticed that I've been highlighting his leadership qualities, and today the manager echoed that sentiment in his press conference.
I don't anticipate too many surprises in the team selection. The squad that played against Spurs is more than capable of getting the job done tomorrow. But who knows? This is our second-to-last home game of the season. Hopefully, it's a memorable one. As for the game after that, I'll be in town because a member of the LG community has hooked me up. I'm still looking for Johnny, so if you have a spare ticket and would like to sit next to JC, then hit me up. Just a heads up, he's taller than you might expect.
Okay, I'm done for now... see you On The Whistle. Or in the comments. Or in the DMs. You'll see me everywhere.
Big love. x