It is all very well having a lot of the ball but if this is in midfield and even worse your own half and there is not a lot of movement due to the rigid formation being played then you are unlikely to score. You can say that we had the same number of attempts as Tranmere but it is the quality of those attempts that matters. A number of these were typical Fletcher headers without power....at least they weren't his loopy variety...and long range shots (at least we are having a go for a change which is a positive). Our shots from freekicks either hit the wall or missed the target.
We started off quite brightly moving the ball around nicely enough but it was pedestrian and rigid. The fullbacks appear not to be allowed forward much, which does not suit the style of Purches or Cummins, and the midfield sit far too deep and so the forwards are isolated. In particular the defensive full backs goes against the Bournemouth tradition of rampaging players in this position (Machin, Morrell and in his younger days Young to name but a few). No doubt Bond is concerned by the goals that we are conceding but you also have to give yourself a chance to score and attack is often the best form of defence. It is true that we have our usual injury problems, especially in defence, which means that the centre back pairing is not the first choice but the midfield is as much the problem. Until the other players can get onto the same wavelength as Anderton the potential will remain hidden. It is obvious that Anderton is already becoming frustrated by the inability of his team mates to see, what to him, is the obvious pass into space and start their run after the pass has been made rather than anticipate it.
Whilst Kevin Bond has talked a good attacking game several times it still has not appeared on the pitch. Yes we have to have a solid defensive foundation but the previously mentioned lack of adventure from the fullbacks and midfield means that we do not get enough men forward to cause the opposition real constant problems. I still have no idea what the attacking style is that Bond is trying to get the team to play. Fletcher no longer has any spring (not sure that this was ever the right word) in his legs due the his knee problems and Best, for all his endeavour, does not have a football brain. Hayter is become noicably disillusioned by the lack of service that he is receiving and the quality of some of those around him. For his sake if a reasonable bid comes in during the transfer window he needs to be off.
There were few interesting incidents during the match. Tranmere's Shuker managed to get himself booked as early as the second minute for reentering the field of play without the ref's permission after going off after treatment for an injury. Mr Ilderton managed to book 5 others, including Cummings and Maher, in a not dirty game and several of these could justifiably feel disappointed. For Tranmere's goal it could be considered that Taylor fouled Maher as he beat him in the air to head the ball back across goal for Ellison to score but if we had had a goal disallowed because of it we would have been unhappy so the view that Maher should have done better must be taken.
For those of you who like a match report to be a blow by blow description of the play I'm sorry but there is far too much else that needed to be said. I do not envy Bond's task of resolving the problems but he needs to come up with some answers soon or relegation here we come.
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AFCB: Stewart, Purches, Maher, Gowling, Cummings, Songo'o, Hollands, Anderton, Foley, Fletcher, Hayter
Subs: Moss, Hart, Best (on for Foley, HT), Cooke (for Songo'o, 63), Ainsworth (for Hollands, 87)
Phil Nesbitt, Acocks Green