Bournemouth news: Opinion – It could be a special season

A break from the league campaign didn’t stop Bournemouth’s impressive run of form, with a comfortable victory and clean sheet on what was our final trip to Goodison Park.

A lot has been made of gaffer Andoni Iraola’s aggressive and offensive approach, and rightly so, however it’s equally pertinent to discuss the club’s improvement in defence. While pundits openly laud the Cherries’ tendency to play on the front foot, where we can be seen creating a host of chances in all but every fixture, this often overshadows our prowess at the other end of the pitch, where there has been a clear improvement in defence.

Despite key injuries to the backline, Bournemouth look just as hard to score against as they do hard to prevent scoring. Having lost their longest servant and skipper Adam Smith, as well as central defender Marcos Senesi for large parts of the campaign, it was a fear that the club would give up too many chances and goals, particularly with their brave and attacking approach to all games.

However, Lewis Cook has filled in at an unfamiliar full back position admirably, plus, young defender Dean Huijsen has been nothing short of a revelation.

In keeping with that, the loan signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea between the sticks has seemingly increased confidence and has calmed those in front of him.

As a defensive unit, the lads have been exceptional, and it certainly helps that those higher up the pitch are constantly breaking up the play and relieving pressure with their remarkable press and energy.

In all, both aspects of Bournemouth’s game are at a high level at present. It could well mean a special season for the Cherries.

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net