Bournemouth the masters of invention
THE last two weeks have transformed Bournemouth’s campaign and their win over Manchester United was secured thanks to a Goal of the Season contender. Joshua King may have fired in his shot from only eight yards or so but the amount of movement and the delivery of the corner that presented the opportunity showed how much work had been done on the training ground. It was brilliantly executed. I have watched it a few times since Saturday night and the reason we are all so excited about it is because it was different. It has made me wonder why other teams, particularly those down at the bottom, don’t try to be more innovative? It’s been on my mind since last month. When I went away to observe England’s Under 17s last month, they beat Germany 2-1 at Rotherham thanks to a goal from Niall Ennis, who plays for Wolves, with a short-corner routine that the coaches devised on the training ground. Set-pieces in football are the ultimate leveller. It is the only moment in a game when it is 50/50 who wins the particular battle. It doesn’t matter whether you are playing Manchester United or a team from League Two, one good ball or sharp movement can completely undo you. When a team cannot match the technical level of their opponents, a clever corner or free-kick can give them a significant edge and for Eddie Howe, Bournemouth’s manager, they have been invaluable in the past fortnight. For as well as they played against Chelsea and Manchester United, they won both games because of two set pieces — and how crucial those points might be at the end of the season.