Leeds 2-2 Bournemouth - the fans' verdictpublished at 08:19 BST 29 September
08:19 BST 29 September
Media caption,
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Leeds and Bournemouth.
Here are some of your comments:
Leeds fans
Alison: I thought we played really well and with confidence. We need to be a little more clinical with our chances on goal. Gutted that the equaliser came in in the last minutes of the game. Think we can build on this and do even better.
Eric: Good overall performance but once again we are undone in final minutes of the game. Could have been 3-0 up in first 20 minutes but again, lack of clinical finishing means we need to find a quality striker who will put those kind of chances away. Couldn't understand why Farke replaces Calvert-Lewin with Nmecha when it was obvious we needed fresh legs to bolster the defence. We managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and that was three vital points dropped not one point gained.
Omar: The fact that this feels like two points lost rather than a point gained is testament to how well Leeds have performed. Well done lads. Great performance against a very, very good Bournemouth side.
Andrew: Leeds were the better team. We were not hanging on. The timing of the equaliser was disappointing as it was so late but a lot of positives. If DCL stays fit Leeds will stay up.
Bournemouth fans
Matt: An important point against a good, physical Leeds team. Resilience will be important as the season goes on - good signs for hopefully a successful season ahead.
TFTSE: Poor performance, lacked cohesion and simply couldn't retain the ball. But, once again managed to sneak in a late goal to grab a point. Can't complain, not playing well and still in the top six. When it clicks we will be even better.
Michael: Lucky to get a point but in previous seasons we would have lost.
'Smart substitutions and sheer perseverance' published at 13:07 BST 28 September
13:07 BST 28 September
Adam Cottier Final Score reporter at Elland Road
Image source, Getty Images
Bournemouth could count themselves fortunate, but then they also could point to smart substitutions and sheer perseverance as to reasons why they emerged from Elland Road with a point.
They had Djordje Petrovic to thank for making some fine saves and he looks right at home after his summer move, but Bournemouth just do not look like a team that will lose many games this season.
Andoni Iraola knew his side were finding Leeds a real problem and made changes to freshen his attack.
He looks to have more options and greater depth now, and Eli Kroupi's stylish volley indicated Bournemouth may have found another gem in their treasure trove of good recent recruitment as well.
Leeds 2-2 Bournemouth: What Iraola saidpublished at 18:47 BST 27 September
18:47 BST 27 September
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Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola spoke to the media after his side's draw with Leeds United: "It's a good feeling when you score in stoppage time. It was a physical game because they have [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin and [Sean] Longstaff, players that can punish us in every set piece. All of their goals came from set-plays.
"It was a game with big fights, it was quite physical and not too clean. There weren't many clear chances."
On 19-year-old goalscorer Eli Kroupi: "He is a very good finisher. He has to adapt because he is coming from Ligue 2 and it is a big jump. He is very good with both feet."
On what the Cherries can improve: "For me, I would say the physicality, the aerial balls, the physical balls. They were winning the first contacts every time with [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin. They also had players who were good in the second balls.
"We aren't the tallest team, but we have to improve aerial duels and our defending of set-plays."
Did you know?
Bournemouth have won just two of their past nine Premier League away games (D4 L3), having won five of their seven games on the road beforehand (D2).
Antoine Semenyo has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last 13 Premier League appearances for Bournemouth, scoring eight and assisting a further three goals.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Crystal Palace v Liverpool" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Nottingham Forest v Sunderland", for instance.
Sutton's predictions: Leeds v Bournemouthpublished at 11:12 BST 27 September
11:12 BST 27 September
I've been told I absolutely cannot go for 10 draws this week, which is shame because this game has got draw written all over it.
Being serious, I was very impressed by Leeds' win over Wolves last time out - it really surprised me, but it was a brilliant result that showed what they have got to offer under Daniel Farke, and that they are going to give it a real go this season.
Even so, I am backing Bournemouth here. The Cherries were a bit flat against Newcastle last week but they usually create loads of chances and that's what I am expecting them to do at Elland Road.
Leeds v Bournemouth: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 18:58 BST 26 September
18:58 BST 26 September
Tom McCoy BBC Sport journalist
Leeds United, who have yet to concede a goal at home this season, take on a Bournemouth side vying for back-to-back clean sheets. BBC Sport takes a look at some of the key themes before Saturday's match.
Leeds were buoyed by last weekend's 3-1 win at Wolves, with a second victory of the season giving them plenty of momentum heading into a potentially important stretch of autumn fixtures. This is the first of three home games in their next four, with Tottenham and West Ham also visiting Elland Road.
Daniel Farke's side have not lost at home in the league for 12 months, a run of 22 matches, and have an opportunity to put some more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. They already have seven points on the board, which equals the combined total of last season's promoted sides after five games.
Summer signings Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor were on target in the win at Molineux, when Leeds took their opportunities clinically, attempting just six shots but scoring with three. Chances have been at a premium for the Whites this term, with their overall expected goals total of 4.29 the third lowest in the Premier League.
Bournemouth's new-look defence excelling
Leeds may also need to be ruthless with their finishing when they take on in-form Bournemouth, who have only conceded once in their past four league matches.
The Cherries' defensive resilience is all the more impressive given they lost three of their first-choice back four over the summer, with defenders Dean Huijsen, Ilya Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez sold for a combined total of £144.5m.
It is testament to the work of head coach Andoni Iraola that Bournemouth have nonetheless started strongly and conceded just five goals, which is their lowest total at this stage of a Premier League season.
And despite struggling to break down Newcastle in Sunday's goalless draw at Vitality Stadium, Iraola's team have claimed 10 points from their opening five fixtures, equalling their best start to a top-flight campaign.
Iraola on Cook, kick-offs and missing chancespublished at 12:43 BST 26 September
12:43 BST 26 September
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland Road (kick-off 15:00).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
When asked about team news Iraola said: "Enes [Ünal] and Adam Smith are out, then we have the situation with Lewis Cook. He is still in some pain in the shoulder."
Whether Cook will play tomorrow is yet to be decided: "He is training with us but we have to take a decision. We will have to see how he trains and see if he can travel with us, or if it's better we leave it until next week. It's a decision we have to take today after training."
On facing newly-promoted Leeds: "I think we have a very difficult game tomorrow, I trust our chances because I see my team are playing very well. We cannot make mistakes. It's going to be demanding mentally and physically because they are a very honest team. Their work rate is is very high. They've been defensively very solid, which is unusual for teams that get promoted."
When asked about his process with kick-offs he said: "We always prepare something that's different. We still haven't scored a goal, so it's not working very well, but we use it at least to create some momentum."
On Bournemouth's run at the start of the season: "Defensively we are being solid and we always have this offensive threat, but it's one thing to be offensive and be proactive but you have to be very good at the back because if you want to take risks your defenders will get exposed and I think we are getting this balance quite right."
When asked if he thinks Bournemouth should be scoring more goals at the moment: "We should have scored more goals, but I always say I want my number nine to miss chances. If you have the chances, if you have the offensive volume, it's a matter of time because I trust the quality of the forwards we have and that's our aim."
Past perspective makes Bournemouth's present 'even brighter'published at 14:48 BST 24 September
14:48 BST 24 September
Mark Mitchener BBC Sport Senior Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Football fans are sometimes accused of living in the past, particularly when the present is less than palatable. What about those league titles, that cup run, those legendary players of yesteryear?
But there are times in life when you cannot see where you are going, without the perspective of where you have been. That even applies to a team like Bournemouth when - by most metrics - the club is riding the crest of a wave in the most successful period in its history.
Older supporters may reference the bucket collections and the on-field "Great Escapes" from the days when the club was living from hand to mouth. Now they are into their ninth season as a top-flight club, with a new training ground and plans in place to expand Vitality Stadium from next summer, there is precious little to gripe about.
So if fans were tempted to moan after drawing a blank in Saturday's goalless draw with Newcastle United, it may be time for another reminder of perspective.
Eddie Howe was lauded, while managing Bournemouth, for "having a go" when they came up against the big clubs - opponents against which Howe's Cherries were given no chance whatsoever, yet occasionally upset the status quo.
It was rare indeed for Howe to set up ultra-defensively with damage limitation the name of the game. A five-man defence was occasionally adopted against Manchester City, usually to no avail.
Yet Howe arrived at his old club on Saturday with a five-man defence, leaving the Cherries seemingly in the land of the giants against towering centre-back triumvirate Dan Burn, Sven Botman and Malik Thiaw.
With the two teams mustering only three shots on target between them in the entire game, Newcastle left far happier with their point than Bournemouth.
It may not have been pretty, but it can be seen as a measure of progress for the hosts.
Opta's statisticians, external ranked Bournemouth's opening five fixtures as the second hardest in the Premier League but, despite selling three key defenders, they sit fourth in the early table.
So with a little perspective from the past, the Cherries' present and future looks even brighter.
'Pivotal' defender and 'unsung hero' key in Cherries' progressionpublished at 11:36 BST 23 September
11:36 BST 23 September
Sam Davis Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
It was another clean sheet for Bournemouth at the weekend, this time locking out a Newcastle side that has already put goals past giants Liverpool and Barcelona this season.
That makes it three clean sheets in the opening five games for the Cherries, having played three opponents who play in the Champions League - very impressive stuff.
So why have Andoni Iraola's men been such a tough nut to crack? After all, the club lost four of their main back five in the summer, and the one that remains in Adam Smith is currently out injured.
Under Iraola, Bournemouth play on the offensive and defend from the front.
The relentless pressing is evident in every game, but the defensive solidity has been a pleasant surprise.
Djordje Petrovic is the new man between the sticks and he has been a breath of fresh air, commanding his box and looking like a top keeper already.
Both Bafode Diakite and Veljko Milosavljevic look like really good additions in the centre-back positions, and Adrien Truffert at left-back has been excellent.
Similarly, centre-back Marcos Senesi deserves a lot of credit too. He has been at the club since the summer of 2022 and has seen plenty of his defensive partners depart, but he has remained pivotal and showed real leadership qualities.
Also, props to Tyler Adams who sits in front of the defence as a deep-lying midfielder and anchors them excellently - a true unsung hero of the side.
Will Andoni's Bournemouth continue to play on the front foot? Yes. Will they concede goals? Absolutely. But the continued progression of the side is clear for all to see, and adding some defensive nous will only help the side going forward.
World records body praise Kluivertpublished at 11:45 BST 22 September
11:45 BST 22 September
Image source, Getty Images
Guinness World Records have posted a tribute, external to Justin Kluivert after he recently received his official certificate.
The Bournemouth midfielder earned the award for the most penalties scored by a football player in an English Premier League match, and was given the frame before the 2-1 win over Brighton a week last Saturday.
Kluivert's hat-trick of spotkicks came in the Cherries' win over Wolves on Saturday, 30 November 2024, in a 4-2 win at Molineux.
Until then, there had been 69 instances of a player scoring twice from the spot in a single Premier League match, but never three times.
The 26-year-old was the fifth player to have taken three penalties in a Premier League match but is the first to successfully convert all three.
Mick: The fact that a team like Newcastle comes to Vitality Stadium with a defensive setup and is determined not to lose shows the respect now being shown to Iraola's team. Not our best display, but we never gave up trying to break down their low block. Impressive that our 'short' team held their own against Newcastle's giants! Brilliant start to the season by the Cherries.
Martin: Land of the Giants with this Newcastle team. Cherries needed more guile to unlock the defence but couldn't find it. Had 0-0 written all over it.
Jim: Solid performance. With all the changes this season, little old Bournemouth are playing so well!
Rob Been to every Cherries game this season, and the start has been immense, but here they were lacking intent. No crisp, sharp passes or real dynamism. Newcastle had made seven changes but there was no penetration or ability to cause consistent danger. Fourth as it stands though!
Newcastle fans
Smudge: Abject performance going forward again. Nowhere near good enough. But another fantastic effort for the defence and four clean sheets in five games is absolutely brilliant. Poor team selection again has cost us three points but given then struggles at Bournemouth over the past few seasons, that could prove to be a good point at the end of the season.
Bryan: Let's hope Yoane Wissa is available sooner rather than later as we possibly won't score before Christmas otherwise. Blunt force trauma.
Duncan: Boring! We went for the draw and I would have taken that before kick-off, but not in that manner. Big Nick Woltermade is finding out the difference between the Bundesliga and the Premier League. It's a lot faster and more physical. He will get there but it will take time. I think the point was bigger with the two Brazilian midfielders rested, which they needed. They were both tired in the midweek game. Sandro Tonali was doing his best to get things moving, but he was flogging a dead horse really. It was an uninspiring performance and a boring game.
John: A very hard-earned point. The time is coming when Newcastle will actually win three points at Bournemouth. It's a very hard place to go to and come back with the points - as we well know!
Analysis: Hosts shown ultimate respectpublished at 19:41 BST 21 September
19:41 BST 21 September
Ciaran Kelly Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Few sides cope after losing one key player - let alone three crucial defenders in a single transfer window.
But Bournemouth have not just muddled through after selling Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi - the Cherries have lost just one top-flight fixture in the opening weeks of the campaign and that was away at Liverpool.
New centre-back Bafode Diakite and full-back Adrien Truffert have slotted in and, going forward, this side caught Wolves, Spurs and Brighton cold with early goals on the way to victory.
There was no repeat against Newcastle but it was a mark of Eddie Howe's respect for his former side that he, tellingly, moved from his favoured 4-3-3 formation and played three central defenders.
Bournemouth still had their chances, though, through Tyler Adams and Justin Kluivert, and it was the Cherries who were pushing for a winner in stoppage time.
That will give manager Andoni Iraola encouragement with his side riding high in third place.