Two mad minutes wreck Hughes’ recovery plans
IMAGINE how many hours Mark Hughes spent on the training ground last week, hoping that his words and actions would help exorcise the memories of last week’s 7-2 thrashing by Manchester City.
Then imagine what was going through the Stoke manager’s mind as two minutes of madness effectively dismantled his best-laid plans and dumped his side into the relegation zone instead.
Blow No 1 came from Andy Surman, a tidy midfielder with a tidy finish, after a ball from Junior Stanislas.
From the restart Bournemouth bombed forward again and Benik Afobe crashed to the turf under the challenge of Ryan Shawcross, who had just returned from injury.
The Stoke skipper did not do much complaining as referee Lee Probert pointed to the spot. Up stepped Stanislas to convert.
A second-half revival sparked brief hope thanks to Mame Diouf, and there was also an unsuccessful penalty appeal, but the boos at the final whistle told the story.
‘It was a big game for us today and we wanted to show a response,’ Hughes admitted. ‘First half we didn’t, second half we did.
‘It is a situation now where we have to get back on the horse. We fell off it last week and it’s time to show our mettle. There is no point feeling sorry for ourselves.
‘Up to this point last week, our start to the Premier League season, which we usually get criticised for, was our third best so we have done OK but this week has damaged that view.’
Bournemouth are not exactly world beaters. In fact, defeat at the bet365 Stadium would have confirmed their worst start to a league campaign. Yet Stoke contrived to let them score twice in the blink of an eye. It is one thing to be played off the park by the team favourite to win the Premier League, quite another when meeting fellow strugglers.
The wind whistled, the rain swirled and Bournemouth, often criticised for having a soft underbelly, proved that they can actually handle a sodden Saturday in Stoke.
There was a let-off when Adam Smith appeared to tug Jese but boss Eddie Howe was just happy to be looking on the bright side after taking a barrage of criticism in recent weeks.
‘I’ve never doubted the players’ character or desire to play for the club,’ Howe said. ‘We have just not quite been ourselves early in the season and it’s just knocked confidence levels.
‘Hopefully results like today will return us to our very best.’
Hughes will be saying exactly the same thing. STOKE CITY (5-4-1): Butland 6.5; Johnson 5 (Crouch 58min, 6), Cameron 6.5, Shawcross 6.5, Zouma 7, Pieters 6.5; Fletcher 6.5 Allen 6, Choupo-Moting 7, Jese 6.5 (Berahino, 80); Diouf 7. Subs (not used): Grant, Wimmer, Afellay, Adam, Ramadan. BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-1-1): Begovic 6.5; Smith 7, Francis 7, Ake 7, Daniels 6.5; Ibe 6.5 (Pugh, 86), Surman 7.5, L Cook 7 (Arter, 76), Stanislas 8; Mousset 7 (S Cook, 61); Afobe 7. Subs (not used): Boruc, Gosling, Wilson, Fraser. Referee: L Probert 7.