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By Josh Gans

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Bournemouth play their home games in the smallest stadium in the Premier League, the Vitality Stadium, which seats just over 11,000. To put this into perspective, it is the 67th largest stadium in English football with fewer seats than 61 professional clubs and three non-league clubs. Their promotion in 2015 marked their top flight debut, and upon their return in 2022 they were favorites with every bookmaker to be relegated again. This is not a traditionally wealthy club with a track record, but they have managed to redefine themselves with limited resources into a stable Premier League side that won’t tip over for anyone.

The Spanish coach has once again transformed Bournemouth using his high-pressing tactics. His players shaped the game from the start, set the standard for the game and posed a particular danger to possession-oriented opponents. If used effectively, the high pressing affects the usual ball comfort of these clubs and causes panic among the players. Their victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and most recently Tottenham are the epitome of this.

These outstanding statistics

Per game this season, the Cherries have the most possessions in the final third (6.6), the most tackles in the middle third of the pitch (8.7), the second-most interceptions (9.6) and the most fouls committed (13.7). ) won.

They have the fourth highest xG at 30.9 despite only scoring 23 goals. Their attackers are underperforming in front of goal, so they should be balanced more more successful than ever before. They also rank in the top six or seven in almost every attacking statistic except Possession, where they rank 16th (44.8%).

Three of the top four players with the most possession wins in the final third are Cherries: Alex Scott is first despite his meniscus injury (2.4 per 90), while David Brooks (1.9) and Luis Sinisterra (1.8) are third and four lie.

Key players

Even after Scott’s injury, Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook maintained their energy and formed a cohesive, ball-winning partnership in midfield. Tyler Adams also comes back into the game, adding leadership and intensity to the mix.

In this system, the attack complements the midfield. Sinisterra and Antoine Semenyo are both among the best wingers in the league when it comes to winning the ball in the final third. Dango Ouattara has made 2.4 successful tackles per 90 (93.3% success rate), more than any other attacker. Evanilson, the club’s record player, fits seamlessly into this system and offers a high press that has already led to this five Punish. None of these players are household names, but each of them provides a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Deanery

There is also something unique about Dean Court (also called Vitalit Stadium for sponsorship reasons) that makes it so difficult for teams to visit. Not only is it geographically one of the furthest distances you can travel in England, the personal atmosphere also plays an important role here. Because of its size, there is an echo that reverberates on the ground. A team that thrives on making opponents uncomfortable through energetic, high pressing works well in a small, compact arena, especially when the home crowd gets behind their team and takes advantage of every misstep the opponent makes. This creates a less familiar environment for these large clubs.

Current results set standards

The 2-0 win against Arsenal provided a prime example of Iraola’s effectiveness. When the immense pressure forced the Gunners into a dangerous back pass, William Saliba was forced to make a rash decision and bring down Evanilson, whose chaotic influence saw him sent off. Their second goal came from a penalty, caused by another stray ball backwards, forcing David Raya to bring down the Brazilian striker. Bournemouth lost the possession battle despite superiority 51-49%, but dominated in all other categories. Iraola didn’t change the system much after the red card, they still conceded possession and it paid off.

The Cherries almost scored a minute into their 2-1 win over Manchester City after Semenyo won in midfield and launched a spirited counter-attack. This set the tone for the game and City never recovered. Again, Bournemouth lost the possession battle 64-36%, but had a higher xG and missed four big chances, so they could have had a bigger margin of victory.

In their recent 1-0 win against Spurs, they lost the possession battle 66-34%, but won the xG battle 3.71-0.87, missing six big chances and scoring several offside goals immediately after winning the ball. If anything, the 1-0 result was a flattering result for the visitors.

Bournemouth’s success against the Premier League’s elite is no coincidence. Not only do they win, but they outperform these teams. By embracing their limitations and turning them into advantages – through tireless energy, fearlessness and personnel – the Cherries have become a side no one wants to face.

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(Cover image from IMAGO)

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