Bournemouth 0 - 1 Aston VillaAston Villa’s Rudy Gestede brings Bournemouth down to earth with header Rudy Gestede scores for Aston Villa against Bournemouth in the Premier League at Dean Court
There have been times in Bournemouth’s up and mostly down existence when the threat of extinction has stalked them at every turn and they have wondered whether the locks would be thrown over the gates of Dean Court for good, so it was not difficult for them to keep this defeat to Aston Villa in perspective. When you have waited 126 years for your first taste of the English football’s top division, you can afford to be patient in the search for your first point.
It was deflating rather than devastating and Bournemouth’s supporters applauded their players off the pitch. Eddie Howe’s side did not disgrace themselves and the difference between the sides was Villa’s greater cutting edge and superior nous in the cutthroat world of the Premier League.
The satisfaction for Villa’s manager, Tim Sherwood, was immense. His side has been tipped to go down after losing Fabian Delph to Manchester City and Christian Benteke to Liverpool. However Rudy Gestede, Villa’s £6m signing from Blackburn Rovers, proved that there is life after Benteke by coming off the bench to score the only goal. Signing Gestede already looks like a masterstroke judging by the way that Villa’s travelling fans serenaded their giant new striker after the final whistle.
Villa took their cue from Sherwood’s touchline attire, rolling their sleeves up and fighting hard, and their new captain, Micah Richards, was outstanding in central defence.
The day began with such hope for Bournemouth. The din when the teams emerged made it hard to believe that this tiny ground did not hold more people. This date had been circled in red and black ink ever since Bournemouth sealed promotion back in April and the pot was rattling and clattering so furiously that it came as a minor relief when Mark Clattenburg lifted the lid on some of that bubbling nervous energy with his opening whistle. The club who began the 2008-09 season on minus 17 points in League Two were determined to enjoy every last minute of their day in the sun.
This was the first test of Bournemouth’s savviness. Their greatest weakness over the course of the season could be their lack of experience.
Villa’s initial plan was to frustrate the home side and hit them. This is a new era for Villa. The sales of Benteke and Delph created an air of unease and there have been significant changes to the side that finished 17th last season. Sherwood gave starts to five of his new signings, Richards, Jordan Amavi, Jordan Veretout, Jordan Ayew and Idrissa Gueye.
But where were the goals going to come from without Benteke? Villa were set up in what looked like a progressive 4-3-3 system on paper, but the quality was sorely lacking on the pitch in the first half and Boruc was not extended once in the Bournemouth goal. Agbonlahor fed off scraps up front, Ayew saw little of the ball on the right and the game was passing Gueye by in midfield.
Bournemouth dominated with the brisk, snappy football that has become their trademark under Howe, although they were restricted to hopeful efforts from long range at first.
Gaps began to appear towards the end of the first half. Gosling scooped over from eight yards out. Callum Wilson escaped the clutches of Richards and Ciaran Clark for the first time and drilled a shot against Brad Guzan’s feet, before the Villa goalkeeper beat away a sharp shot from Marc Pugh.
Those near misses forced Villa to come out of their shell and they had the first chance of the second half, Agbonlahor wriggling clear on the right and cutting the ball back to Gueye, whose shot was scrambled away by Boruc. Villa were in the ascendancy for the first time. They were first to loose balls and Howe reacted by replacing Joshua King, whose end product behind Wilson was disappointing on his debut, with one of Bournemouth’s heroes of last season, Yann Kermogant.
Sherwood recognised that Villa were on top and brought on a partner for Agbonlahor, Gestede replacing the anonymous Ayew. Gestede scored 22 goals for Blackburn in the Championship last season and his introduction was a positive move. It almost worked a treat, only for Gestede’s volley to bounce just wide in the 68th minute.
Bournemouth needed a spark. Max Gradel came on for his debut. He twisted and turned on the left and chipped a cross to the far post. Wilson’s header was cleared.
Yet just when it looked like Bournemouth were regaining their control, Villa scored in the 72nd minute. Ashley Westwood drove a corner into the Bournemouth area from the right and it would have taken a brave man to stop Gestede from barrelling a header past Boruc. The Premier League is an unforgiving place.
Guardian