However, “Arsenal” is the best team of the new season on the whole continent, according to the head coach of “Atletico” Diego Simeone. And this “Bournemouth”, which has never grabbed stars from the sky before, is, if not on the same foot with the “Gunners”, at least not much behind them. How can this happen at all, if it is not supposed to happen?
In order to realize the tragedy/beauty of the moment, I will allow myself to recall, or rather, taste the transfer activity of the “cherries” this summer.
So, the main center back Dean Geisen moved to Real Madrid for 62.5 million euros. Another key central defender, Ilya Zabarny, moved to Paris Saint-Germain for 63 million euros. Wing defender Milos Kerkez became a Liverpool player. The “Reds” paid the “Red-Black” almost 47 million for the Hungarian defender. Last season’s main goalkeeper of “Bournemouth” Kepa Arrizabalaga moved to “Arsenal”. The Cherries earned little on this transfer – “only” five million pounds. And, in addition, one more wing defender – Adam Smith – although he remains in the team at the moment, is no longer the main one.
Getty Images/Global Images Ukraine. Andoni Iraola That is, the head coach of “Bournemouth” Andoni Iraola had to completely, I emphasize once again, completely change the back line. “Well, they will be teetering on the brink of relegation” – that’s how I assessed the prospects of our Ilya Zabarny’s former team before the start of the new season. And how I failed to point my finger at the sky. And I do not blush at all, but I am ready to apologize to the brilliant coach Iraola, and to the no less brilliant selection department of “Bournemouth”.
But these are not all the changes in the composition of the “red and black”, if we draw parallels with the last season. In the current season, Iraola completely redid the support zone. Alex Scott and Tyler Adams are now playing, or rather, I’m not afraid of this word, shining.
What, I have too many brilliant epithets about this club and this team? Yes, there is such a thing. Well, how can you refrain from praising them? The team, which changed at least seven players of the starting line-up, very good players, as their price tags in one way or another say, not only did not ask, did not bend, did not slouch, but also frankly became even better.
Of course, it is necessary to once again pay tribute to Iraola’s skill. The Spaniard is amazingly able to reveal talents, find the shortest way to the heart of a football player, and never leave there. And at the same time, Iraola remains an apologist for pressing. High pressure. Well, what Jurgen Klopp called “hegenpressing”.
The current “Bournemouth” is pressing no worse than the famous “Liverpool”, which was managed by Herr Jurgen, and at the same time, Iraola has at his disposal not such a stellar team, which was at his German colleague’s disposal.
The football practiced by Iraola in Bournemouth cannot be called brilliant, especially when compared to the same football played by Klopp in Liverpool, especially in prime Liverpool. “Bournemouth” can be safely called one of the most “vertical” teams of the Premier League.
Maybe someone can see an element of some old-schoolism in this, but this kind of football gives results. Despite neither the crazy staff turnover nor the high status of the opponents in the league. By the way, last season “Bournemouth” was only on the approach to the top four. And now, that is, after nine rounds, the team is in second place. Probably, many fans of the same “Liverpool” do not mind that their team demonstrates the same “old-school” football, which allows to be at the top, regardless of any personnel disturbances.
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Well, now it is necessary to praise the selection department of “Bournemouth” for the ability to quickly find a replacement for the stars who went for promotion. Pay attention – there was not even a hint of panic in the Cherries camp, when they lost one by one the core players there. How, for example, “Newcastle” behaved, which tried to hold on with all its might and means for Isaac, and how “Bournemouth” behaved. After all, these are not two, but even three big differences.
George Petrovich replaced Kepa, and the “last redoubt” of the team became even more reliable. The veteran Smith on the right wing of the defense was replaced by the young Alex Jimenez, on loan from Milan, and at least the Spaniard is doing no worse. Marcos Senesi is now playing in Heisen’s place. This football player is not a rookie. He was in the Iraola team before. Moreover, he was the main one, but then he got injured, and he played Geisen instead. Moreover, he played in such a way that even though Senesi had recovered from his injury, he was unable to displace yesterday’s backup from the base.
Regarding Zabarny: Bafode Diakite, bought from Lille for 35 million euros, is currently playing in his place. With all due respect to the Ukrainian centre-back, the French defender is hardly worse. Perhaps he is not so convincing when playing on the second floor, but in terms of speed and plasticity, he can give a head start.
Well, Adrien Truffer is now playing in the place of the left defender. And he is hardly inferior to Kerkez. That’s it.
For the sake of fairness, it must be noted that Bournemouth did not sell its main attacking asset in the summer transfer window. Although the interest was very specific. We are talking, of course, about Justin Kluivert, who can play both forward and point guard, and Antoine Semenho, who plays as a left winger.
Getty Images/Global Images Ukraine. Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenho These two are now tearing up the English Premier League. Especially the Briton, who is by far the best player of the “cherries” today. And there is no doubt that in the next summer transfer window, this guy will go to Manchester United, not Liverpool, for crazy money.
And all this is because “Bournemouth” builds its club policy very competently. If earlier this club picked up what was bad for the British giants, and at the same time sometimes managed to turn around cool deals, such as the stories with Solanke, Ake or Ramsdale, now such “operations” are set in motion. They became regular. And they became regular primarily because “Bournemouth” went in search of talents that can then be resold profitably on the international market. And not only came out, but also succeeded.
The ability not only to plan correctly, but also to take risks is another distinguishing feature of this “Bournemouth”. “Tottenham” was also interested in Zabarny, but “Spurs” were afraid to pay “Dynamo” more than 20 million. But “Bournemouth” was not afraid to pay almost 23 million. What was the result – it was said above. Kerkez was taken in AZ for 18 million, sold for two and a half times more. Heisen was taken from Juve for 15 million, sold for four times more. And there can be no doubt that next summer, and maybe even in the winter off-season, Semenyo and company will go under the hammer for very low sums.
But to replace the leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow, “Bournemouth” will definitely find a worthy replacement in the “bars”. Because this club is friends with its head, and does not sway from side to side.
Source: sport.ua