Bournemouth

Sam Davis
Fan writer

Bournemouth are winless in the league so far this year. After a very prolific December, when Andoni Iraola was unlucky not to earn the manager-of-the-month award, it is natural Cherries fans are feeling a little bit reflective - perhaps pondering whether our incredible festive run was just a blip.

There is context to the 'bad run', if you can call it that. Throughout January at least, we had numerous key players injured, two important team members were playing at the Africa Cup of Nations, we had a key a suspension, plus throughout most of the month a cloud of uncertainty was hovering over the future of some vital squad members.

February's start though has been underwhelming, with two draws and a disappointing loss. The most recent match against Fulham produced echoes of performances earlier in the season, where individual errors seemed to prompt a confidence crisis.

This time though our saving grace is that we have muscle memory of knowing how to create chances. We had 25 shots at Craven Cottage, more than three times that of the hosts. The worrying part is that the total shots on target was somewhat meagre (six).

Despite the loan departures of Kieffer Moore and David Brooks, the strengthening that we have done in other areas, with Turkish striker Enes Unal joining from Getafe and Romain Faivre returning from sister club Lorient, will hopefully provide some much needed "oven-ready" quality to the side.

Sam Davis can be found at Back of the Net, external

Chelsea are tracking Bournemouth and Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 20. (Football Transfers)

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We asked you for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League match between Fulham and Bournemouth.

Here are some of your comments:

Fulham fans

Maz: Finally we have got a result we fully deserved after the last two games where we dominated but only came away with one point from each. It’s nice to see Muniz getting a brace at home and a big shoutout to Tim [Ream] who was so solid in defence. As a team, we were immense. Bring on Villa.

Alex: A much better performance from Fulham and a great response from conceding. Muniz with two good goals, which is great for his confidence. An all-round good game from Fulham.

Luke: Fair play to Bournemouth - they came and attacked but we were far more ruthless. Muniz barely lost anything and Willian was a different class. No Tosin, Bassey or Iwobi either - shame we are too far off seventh to mount a challenge.

Chris: We totally deserved the victory. We’ve been playing well, without reward,.In this one, we got the reward

Bournemouth fans

Charl: Bournemouth look like they have reverted to last season’s debacle. There's no leadership on the field, poor passing, no ideas in front of goal and we are playing the ball backwards instead of building pressure. Tavernier, Christie, Faivre were poor, and why was Scott taken off? Enes Unal looks a great addition. Iraola, sort it out, you’re better than this!

Paul: I don’t really know what to say other than that was abysmal really. There was no cohesion and there were too many mistakes. It makes it worse that it was in front of the worst set of home fans I’ve ever witnessed. They barely sang a song and won 3-1!

Barry: Solanke needs to up his game. He gets lots of opportunities but he doesn't put many away. Look at his stats.

Tom: As ever, inadequate. Sorry, but we have got to win these ‘close’ matches. Five points dropped in the last two games.

Mark Chapman introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

Liverpool 3-1 Burnley

Nottingham Forest 2-3 Newcastle

Newcastle are contemplating signing Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly, 25, this summer. (Mail), external

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Image source, Getty Images

Matthew Howarth, BBC Sport

Bournemouth registered 25 shots and 14 corners at Craven Cottage on Saturday, but the Cherries paid dearly for their slow start in west London.

They were behind on five minutes and would have trailed 2-0 after 10 had Neto not managed to get a strong hand to Willian's goal-bound shot.

Dominic Solanke, who had scored in five straight appearances against Fulham, blazed over the crossbar from close range on the half-hour mark - and it proved a costly miss as Fulham doubled their advantage just five minutes later.

Luis Sinisterra and Alex Scott also went close for Andoni Iraola's team in the first half before Marcos Senesi's magnificent turn and finish gave the Cherries hope early in the second - only for the home side to double their advantage moments later.

Bournemouth kept pushing late in the second half but Fulham held on relatively comfortably in the end, given the number of attempts at Bernd Leno's goal.

The Cherries remain without a win in the league since defeating Fulham 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Boxing Day.

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday's game between Fulham and Bournemouth in the Premier League.

• Fulham have won five of their past seven home Premier League games (D1 L1), while their seven league wins at Craven Cottage this season is just one fewer than they managed in the entirety of 2022-23 (8).

• Bournemouth are without a win in their past five Premier League games (D2 L3), having won six of their previous seven matches before this run (D1).

• Bobby De Cordova-Reid has scored more Premier League goals against Bournemouth than he has against any other side (3). In addition, he scored and assisted in a single Premier League game for just the second time, with the previous instance coming back in October 2018 for Cardiff v his current club Fulham.

• Dominic Solanke has been directly involved in 48% of Bournemouth’s Premier League goals this season (15 out of 31), the highest share of any player for a side in 2023-24.

• There were just 111 seconds between Marcos Senesi’s strike for Bournemouth to make it 2-1 and Rodrigo Muniz’s second goal of the afternoon to make it 3-1 to Fulham.

Rodrigo Muniz scored twice as Fulham claimed their first Premier League win of 2024 to move above Bournemouth in the table.

The Cottagers dominated in the early stages and opened the scoring when Bobby de Cordova-Reid capitalised on a Lewis Cook slip and side-footed into the bottom corner.

Neto produced a brilliant one-handed save to deny the lively Willian soon afterwards, but the Cherries goalkeeper was powerless to stop Muniz doubling Fulham's lead from De Cordova-Reid's downward header.

Marcos Senesi's sublime turn and finish halved the deficit early in the second half, only for Fulham to restore their two-goal advantage when Muniz met Willian's far-post delivery two minutes later.

Dominic Solanke wasted the best of several good Bournemouth opportunities before half-time, side-footing over the bar when unmarked before Fulham's second of the game.

Marco Silva's side climb above Bournemouth into 12th, dropping the Cherries to 13th.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from home?

Fulham fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Bournemouth fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

There are seven games being played in the Premier League on Saturday and we will bring you every moment.

Follow all of the action and reaction here

All times are GMT

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Liverpool v Burnley

• Nottingham Forest v Newcastle

Chris Sutton is taking on Sexy Beast star Stephen Moyer for the latest round of Premier League predictions.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Fulham should have beaten Burnley last week but let a two-goal lead slip late on. Bournemouth also had to settle for a point, and I was a bit surprised that they were held by Nottingham Forest.

This is going to be close but while Fulham have been poor on the road all season, their home form has been decent and I can see that continuing.

I have been impressed by Bournemouth in the past few weeks and it looks like they are going to stay up pretty comfortably, so I don't know why I am going against them - it is just a gut feeling.

Stephen's prediction: 1-2

This is almost like a mid-table six-pointer. These sides are 12th and 13th in the table and both of them have taken five points from their past five league games, so they are in similar form. There is something about Bournemouth, though, that makes me think they are putting something together, so I am going with them here. Dominic Solanke is doing so well and he can help them edge this.

See the full list of predictions

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth signed Turkey striker Enes Unal on loan from Getafe on deadline day, with an obligation to make the move permanent if certain conditions are met.

He spoke to Radio Solent on making the move to the South Coast: "It's been perfect. It's been a lovely few days. When you come to a new place you have some doubts, you don't know if it's going to take some time, how they are going to receive you but it was just lovely. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and I'm really happy."

Asked about his game and what Cherries fans can expect to see for him, he said: "I just want to show what I am capable of. I can score goals, it was my thing from a young age, I learned and worked on it. I can score some goals that some people would say are difficult but to me it is a natural because I work a lot on it."

Unal, 26, has scored 36 goals in 109 appearances for La Liga's Getafe since joining from Villarreal in 2020.

"I want to give a lot of work to [the] team, be a part of the group," he added.

"I really believe in being a family and a strong unit. This is one of the things I love about football and sport generally. I've always been a physical player.

"I'm not the biggest or the strongest but I have that Turkish blood in me. I just like to push myself and be hungry and push the defenders. It can be difficult at the beginning because there are some big and strong guys but I don't mind it. When I'm on the pitch, I'm not scared and I will give 100% and I will try to create problems. That's what I like to do.

"My only objective for the next three months is just to get going and adapt as much as possible."

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Bournemouth face Fulham on Saturday.

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• He is pleased that Luis Sinisterra has signed permanently from Leeds United: "It's good news for everyone. He's happy here and performing well. It's good to have a new addition. We already had him in for this season but also looking at the future. He hasn't had it easy because he plays in a position where we have plenty of different options and I think he has been performing really well, fighting for the minutes - which he knows he has to continue to do. He gives everything that we demand from the position and he is improving also. He knows he has to continue at a good level otherwise someone will come and take his minutes."

• On new signing Enes Unal fitting in with the squad: "He has come with a good spirit, trying to adapt as quickly as possible. I think it will be quite easy in his case - he also speaks some languages, his English is better than mine. He will have no issue on that side. Also physically he is good and he will be ready to be part of the squad tomorrow. He's willing to adapt as quickly as possible."

• On injuries: "Apart from the full-backs and Tyler Adams, everyone else is fit and available."

• On Fulham: "I think they have very good players, especially on the ball The wingers, the full-backs attack a lot. They cross a lot. Now with the addition of Armando Broja, [they are] even more dangerous in the box [and have] very good quality in the middle. They are a very complete team and they are doing really well."

• He added: "We have to be ready sometimes to suffer when we don't have the ball because it's not easy to make them make mistakes, but I'm sure also that we can have our chances and find our spaces. We'll go for it."

• Iraola has a selection headache in the number 10 position but is happy to have plenty of options: "We've tried with Justin [Kluivert], with Philip [Billing] especially at the beginning, with Ryan [Christie] there and now we have the option with Romain [Faivre]. We could even go with someone like Sini [Luis Sinisterra] in this number 10 position. I think we have quite good options there. It's a matter of the match up, the moment, how I see them training - but I think we are in a good spot there."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth have agreed a £20m fee with Leeds United to turn Luis Sinisterra’s loan move into a permanent deal.

Sinisterra, 24, has made 17 appearances for the Cherries after joining them in September, scoring three goals.

On signing permanently for Andoni Iraola's side, the Colombian said: "I’m really happy to make this move. I’m excited to play for Bournemouth for the long term.

"I feel really comfortable here and the fans are really nice. When I meet them in the streets, they show the love.

"I’m really happy here and I’ve settled really well; I’m looking forward to the rest of the season."

Bournemouth are 12th in the Premier League and face Fulham on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone, BBC Sport

Bournemouth have agreed a £20m fee with Leeds United to turn Luis Sinisterra’s loan move into a permanent deal.

It is understood the fee is less than the one initially in place when the loan was done, but this allows an announcement to be confirmed in the next 48 hours.

Sinisterra, 24, has made 17 appearances for the Cherries after joining them in September, scoring three goals.

The Colombian joined Leeds from Dutch side Feyenoord in 2022 on a five-year deal.

Image source, Getty Images

New loan signing Enes Unal won't replace Dominic Solanke as Bournemouth's first-choice striker, but is still "a coup" signing, says Cherries reporter Kris Temple.

"It's been great this week to see Unal at the training ground," Temple said on the Cherries: Unpicked podcast.

"He's not going to displace Solanke in the team. He has played as a 10 before, but he's more of a focal point of attack and I think they're looking at him as cover.

"It will be interesting to see how they use him because they rarely take Solanke off, so will they play two strikers? Or will Dom drop back into a 10?"

Unal, 26, has scored 36 goals in 109 appearances for Getafe and has also made 32 appearances for Turkey.

Temple added: "Maybe we should know more about him - more fool us!

"England haven't played Turkey too much recently either so international wise we haven't seen him.

"But I think Bournemouth have pulled off a bit of a coup."

Listen to the Cherries: Unpicked podcast on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Frank asked: Teams like Wolves who play without a number nine are doing very well. Are old fashioned strikers needed anymore? Has the game changed?

Michael replied: The game has changed. I think we've seen a different type of striker.

But look at Liverpool and Arsenal for example, people mention they still need a number nine, so people are saying it, but we're not necessarily seeing those old-fashioned nines.

Manchester City did so well with the false nine, but then Erling Haaland came in and scored 50 goals. They still needed him and they still wanted a number nine, but it depends on your playing style.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

The transfer window threw up plenty of challenges at Bournemouth and BBC Radio Solent's latest podcast runs through them.

Get the latest episode of Cherries: Unpicked here

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Russell asked: The January transfer window was very quiet compared to recent years, probably due to Financial Fair Play and points deduction worries. Do you think the days of teams spending hundreds of millions each window are over? And if so, what long-term effects might that have on the Premier League?

Michael replied: I think we are going to see different spreads of spending. We're not going to see hundreds of millions in the January window because people will be more conscious of spreading those payments and their budget will already be in place.

They will probably do a lot more of it before the season, so I think we are going to see less of the the excitement of the January window because of quite obvious reasons.

The business will be done in the summer and clubs will say ‘this is what we've got'. They might have to send others on the way out first, rather than just spending that money and getting rid of players later.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

• Fulham have won just one of their past seven Premier League games, with both of their past two matches finishing in draws. However, each of their past six league victories have been at home.

• After a run which saw the Cherries win six of seven games in November and December 2023, they are now without a win in each of their past four games.

• Fulham have failed to score in 10 different Premier League games this season, a league high. However, each of the past six times they have found the net, they have done so at least twice, netting in 20 goals in total across those six games.

• Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has scored in each of his past five league appearances against Fulham. He has only netted more goals against Huddersfield (six) in his career in English league football.

• Fulham's Andreas Pereira has taken more corners this season where the first involvement was a shot than any other player (21).

Mark Mitchener, BBC Sport

Bournemouth can be relatively content with their business in January, having remained in mid-table without the need to rush out and panic-buy during the winter transfer window.

Half a dozen first-team squad players (mostly those on the fringes) and several youngsters left on loan, but as I wrote here last week, fans had no need to lose any sleep over Dominic Solanke leaving mid-season, no matter what unsubstantiated 'paper talk' suggested to the contrary.

However, if the striker enjoys a similar run of form in the second half of 2023-24 to that of the first half – he is currently the Premier League's top scorer if penalties are excluded – then there is no doubt the bigger teams will come sniffing around in the summer. Especially so if Solanke were to make a late bolt for England's European Championship squad, where he may be battling Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney for a back-up striker role.

Solanke remains contracted until 2027, the club having protected his value by handing him a new contract in the autumn. But while Cherries owner Bill Foley was quick to rule out a January sale, an eye-watering summer bid for a player close to the peak of his resale value might be reluctantly accepted.

Thinking ahead to such a scenario, there may be an element of 'succession planning' with the loan signing of Turkey striker Enes Unal - Bournemouth's only major January acquisition.

While he appears to be an immediate upgrade on Kieffer Moore, Unal's move from Getafe will be made permanent in the summer if certain conditions are met.

Having made his name in Spain in the number nine role, Unal had an impressive goal record in La Liga before a knee injury meant he missed the first half of the current season.

At time of writing, Unal is still awaiting a UK visa before he can join his new team-mates, but as he acclimatises to the English game, it will be interesting to see whether his long-term future is as Solanke's partner, his alternative, or his long-term replacement.