Written by kirsikka
Christie and Evanilson came in for Brooks and Kroupi as AI shuffled his starting hand in a game against a team who have somehow become our Premier League hoodoo.
I’m going to say something unexpected to start, about which those in attendance won’t know. We’re used to the media narrative about us. In fact, the usually disparaging narrative from other fans about our club.
Partway through the second half, the commentator made a comment with which I couldn’t agree more. He talked about “the long and storied history of both clubs”.
Nail? Meet head.
Man of the Match against Brentford
Hill
Vote
Jimenez
Vote
Senesi
Vote
Tavernier
Vote
Scott
Vote
Petrovic
Vote
Someone else
Vote
For the wider football world, who aren’t reading this, I’m shouting at you. Football history isn’t success. It’s history. And a storied history isn’t only about winning majors honours. It’s about the adventures that happen in exceptional seasons, which can take place anywhere in a table and in any division.
There’s a reason why books, movies and tv series aren’t only about people who are winning everything in life. There’s drama in all sorts of situations, and from that you get memorable stories.
So yeah… shout out to the commentator who, for the first time I can remember in a PL match, recognised the history of both clubs is full of excitement and tales. And not only for the period we’ve been in the top tier.
The match? Four words sum it up:
The Brentford hex continued.
For 25 minutes it back and forth with not a lot created but then, for the final 20 minutes for the first half we were in control and creating chances.
James Hill should have scored from a free header in the six yard box but sent it over. Some intricate linkup play between Evanilson and Christie sent the Scot through on the keeper but he tried to be too cute and ended up running it out. Tavs was set up by a delicious pass from Scott but his shot from the angle was saved.
No goals at the break but a lot to like.
Second half they tweaked things tactically to counter our dominance and it did make the general play a lot more even, even if all the best chances were still AFCB.
The first big opening is one that needs a little extra attention. A ball was sent in low on the diagonal to meet a run of Tavernier, who had timed it perfectly. He stumbled but still managed to get a foot to it, only to see it bounce back off the post.
Frustrating, right? Yeah… prepared to be apoplectic.
The replay showed absolutely clearly and without an ambiguity at all that the defender fouled Tavs before the ball reached him. Remember that stumble? Completely and wholly as a result of the defender fouling him.
The ball stayed in play for an inordinate amount of time during which the pundit was saying “It’s a stonewall penalty”, only for VAR to inexplicably clear it. Then we saw the replay and the commentary team were utterly stumped.
I have no possible explanation as to why that penalty wasn’t given.
Before we got VAR, the thing people wanted to see corrected was the howler. The one you could see in 10 seconds. Nobody was calling for five minute delays to check for microscopic infractions or nano-level offsides.
This. This incident. This is why it was brought into the game. For all it’s faults, this was the kind of thing it was there to correct. You could understand why the ref couldn’t see it in real time, but the replay was conclusive beyond any doubt.
This was the moment for VAR to stand up, and proudly say “This is why I exist”.
Instead, it appears to be some kind of anti-Descartes. It doesn’t think, but it still is.
Genuinely, what is the point of it when it lets that one go?
If we were playing a Sky Six team I would assume it was the big team bias. Against Brentford? I have no explanation.
Baffled.
So yeah. Here we are.
The match carried on and we continued to somehow not score. Evanilson played a clever reverse pass to Tavs and his shot from an angle hit the post. Again. The same one, although no blatant fouling was involved this time.
Into injury time and one last chance. One moment to seize the three points. A single opening. Clever play from Tavs in the area saw him beat his man and then cut it back for Kroupi. He clipped the ball goalwards…
The keeper is nowhere.
It’s on target.
It’s going in.
It flicks against the inside leg of Unal and deflects agonisingly wide.
**************** off Brentford. **************** off with your ridiculous curse. I’m looking forward to stuffing them 5-0 next season, because they’ve had so much good luck go their way against us across our last 10 games that one day soon their whole will collapse against us as the deity of good fortune finally tilts things back the other way.
Selected Player Watch
—– Tavernier —–
Hit the post twice, should have had a penalty, had shots saved, should have got an assist… Time to change that pre-match walking under a ladder routine. Maybe an Elphick style post headbutt could be worth a try instead?
—– Scott —–
Has become one of those players AI never wants to take off because he’s influencing games more and more. Some development this season!
—– Christie —–
Good to see him back properly. Tried really hard to make things happen, but sometimes did too much, which allowed potential chances to get away from him. Not least of which was the time he was through on goal.
—– Hill —–
Solid as a rock back there. At this moment in time, he looks born for the Premier League.
—– Rayan —–
Another quiet night. He might have thought the PL was easy after three matches, but I think he’s realising there’s more to it now. He needs game time, and he’s getting it. That’s why he came here and didn’t move to a bigger club.
—– Jiminez —–
Has a directness and positivity to his game that makes a huge difference.
AI and Tactics Watch
It was a close tactical battle but, like the match against Sunderland, we shaded the match and should have won. As I said after that, you have to take your opportunities as they won’t come in every game but we’ve ended up with two points in place of six.
I’m not sure there’s too much AI could have done differently. We actually kept them incredibly quiet. Petrovic had one save to make all night. That and a miscued volley from Dango were about their only openings of note. Meanwhile, we had a litany of decent chances that went begging.
Sometimes the manager can make all the right moves, the team execute the tactical plan well and you win the battle of the match but don’t get what you deserve. This was one of those.
I do wonder about Rayan a little and whether we might see him come off the bench in the next couple of games. I did see him drifting inside more to receive the ball, which is a good sign that he’s adapting, but compared to Tavs on the other side, he was almost anonymous.
As I’ve said above, he’s learning and it’s to be expected. Offering something different by giving him a run at tired legs might help him be more influential before starting him again.
A point is still something. However, it does feel somewhat like inflation has impacted the certainties of life from just death and taxes to now also include AFCB not beating Brentford in the PL. The Kroupi goalbound shot steered just wide by the inside of Unal’s thigh is our recent record against them summed up in a single incident.
We have to put it behind us and keep approaching games like this as the wins will come. Tonight may have left us without the three points but there’s still plenty about which to be positive.
Burnley next is a game where we really have to get the three points if we want to stay right in the thick of the hunt for European places. The pressure is on. That’s to be expected in situations like this, and hopefully we can respond.
Your say…
Garbo said…
We deserved to take the points…thought Brentford created very little until the end when the game got a bit more stretched.
At least one of the Hill, Christie and Tavs chances should have been put away.
Rayan looked to be lost a bit in this game?
Senesi was poor with his passing, having set himself high standards,
Scott was our best player tonight, he battled hard all game and showed some true class.
Tavernier energetic and busy unlucky to connect with the post twice.
Evanilson gave a good display of hold up play and linking others into the attack around him.
Jimenez pacey and defended really well he is still learning but we have a proper player here!
Adams looked back to his pre-injury form which is a big plus.
Christie spurned a great chance, and I’m not sure why he didn’t just try to ‘dink’ it over the keeper instead of thinking he he could just round him and tap it home? Good minutes in his legs though tonight.
We didn’t get the penalty but after Saturday and being lucky not to have VAR award a stonewall one to Sunderland…maybe it was some sort of divine justice?
Other notes thought Unal looked okay in the few minutes that he had, unfortunately blocking Kroupi’s attempt on goal.
40 points with another two and a bit months to go is very satisfying given our precarious position back in November. – To join the conversation, please click here.
DJ
I have been a writer and website administrator on the largest AFC Bournemouth fan website for almost 25 years. Previously on a now defunct fan network and since 2005 on vitalfootball.co.uk We have been nominated for various fan website awards down the years, however we have always been the bridesmaid…