Bournemouth return to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday looking to turn the considerable encouragement of their opening-day performance at Manchester City into their first Premier League points of the season when they welcome David Moyes’ Everton to the south coast.
The 2-1 defeat at the Etihad was a particularly difficult one for Marco Rose and his players to accept. Marcus Tavernier had given Bournemouth the lead and for much of the afternoon they appeared capable of producing one of the results of the opening weekend, only for Manchester City to turn the game around dramatically during the closing stages.
For Rose, however, there was plenty within the performance to suggest that the transition from Andoni Iraola’s successful reign to a new manager does not necessarily have to become a painful one.
Bournemouth finished sixth last season after an outstanding campaign and Rose has inherited a group of players already accustomed to the physical and tactical demands of playing aggressive Premier League football. The challenge for the German is to preserve those qualities while gradually introducing his own methods rather than attempting to reinvent a team which was already functioning extremely well.
The early signs at Manchester City were certainly encouraging.
Bournemouth were brave enough to play rather than simply retreat towards their own penalty area, and Tavernier’s goal was reward for a performance in which the visitors demonstrated that they remain capable of causing problems for the strongest teams in the division.
The disappointment was that they were unable to see it through.
There are few environments in football where concentration is punished as ruthlessly as the Etihad and, having come within touching distance of a superb victory, Bournemouth were left with nothing. It was a harsh reminder that impressive performances in the Premier League still have to be converted into points.
Saturday therefore represents an important afternoon for Rose, not because there should be any pressure on a manager after one league game, but because it will be the first opportunity for Bournemouth supporters to see his team competitively at the Vitality Stadium.
There should be a tremendous atmosphere surrounding the occasion.
Rose has spoken about his excitement at finally managing Bournemouth in front of their own supporters and the home crowd will be equally interested to see how the new manager intends to develop a team which raised expectations considerably last season.
One of the most encouraging aspects of Rose’s pre-match update was the return of Ryan Christie.
Christie is available again following injury and suspension and his presence gives Bournemouth another experienced midfield option against an Everton team which has suddenly acquired considerable energy of its own.
The Scotland international has become an important player for Bournemouth because of the amount of work he gets through and his ability to influence matches both with and without possession. Against an Everton midfield containing several players prepared to run beyond the ball, Christie’s experience and positional discipline could become particularly valuable.
Rose also reported no fresh injury concerns following the trip to Manchester, while Tyler Adams, Juanlu Sanchez and Julio Soler have benefited from another week of first-team training.
There are still players unavailable. Amine Adli remains sidelined by a calf problem, with Julian Araujo, Veljko Milosavljevic and Eli Junior Kroupi also among those missing, but Rose nevertheless believes his squad is in a good position going into the weekend.
Alvaro Rodriguez is another player gradually working his way towards a more prominent role.
The summer arrival was not selected from the start at Manchester City as he continues adjusting to the demands of English football, but Rose has been positive about his progress and believes the forward is becoming increasingly accustomed to the speed and physicality of the Premier League.
That adaptation should not be underestimated. Bournemouth’s football asks a great deal from its attacking players and newcomers have to understand not only where they need to be in possession but what is expected immediately when the ball is lost.
Rodriguez will undoubtedly get his opportunities and Rose’s comments this week suggest the manager has been pleased with what he has seen on the training ground.
There is also considerable competition elsewhere in the Bournemouth squad, including in goal following the arrival of Michele Di Gregorio. Djordje Petrovic has established himself as a strong Premier League goalkeeper and Rose now has the sort of competition that managers generally welcome, particularly with European football adding to Bournemouth’s workload this season.
Perhaps the most reassuring message from Rose’s press conference, however, concerned Alex Scott.
The midfielder’s development has inevitably attracted attention elsewhere, but Rose was emphatic when asked whether he expected Scott to remain at Bournemouth beyond the transfer deadline.
“I’m not just confident, I’m sure,” Rose said, before describing himself as “120 per cent” certain.
Bournemouth supporters will hope that proves to be the final word on the subject.
Scott is precisely the type of footballer Bournemouth should be looking to build around. Still only 22, he combines technical quality with the mobility required to play in an energetic Premier League midfield and has continued to mature since arriving from Bristol City.
Against Everton, his ability to receive possession under pressure and move Bournemouth through midfield could be particularly important.
The visitors have started the season impressively.
Everton beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in their opening Premier League fixture before recording a 4-0 Carabao Cup victory at Preston in midweek, with Thierno Barry scoring a hat-trick to take his tally to four goals from the opening two competitive games.
Moyes has also been speaking about making Everton more expansive with the ball, and there has been evidence of that already.
Harrison Armstrong has brought tremendous youthful energy into midfield, Hayden Hackney looks extremely comfortable progressing possession and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall provides the sort of running power that has always appealed to Moyes.
Merlin Röhl has also impressed while filling in at right-back, while Brennan Johnson produced his most encouraging Everton performance so far in the midweek victory at Preston.
There is therefore considerably more movement in this Everton team than Bournemouth may have encountered from the visitors in previous seasons.
That should make Saturday’s midfield contest particularly interesting.
Bournemouth were one of the Premier League’s most effective sides at forcing opponents into uncomfortable situations last season and Everton’s attempts to become more adventurous in possession could create opportunities for the home side.
Moyes admitted on Friday that while he has been pleased with the improvement in Everton’s football, he becomes frustrated when his players surrender possession cheaply.
Bournemouth will have taken note.
Tavernier demonstrated his threat at Manchester City and remains capable of arriving dangerously from midfield, while Justin Kluivert can find space between an opponent’s midfield and defence. Evanilson gives Bournemouth a focal point further forward and Scott has the ability to accelerate attacks before opponents have time to recover their defensive shape.
The return of Christie potentially gives Rose another player capable of helping Bournemouth control what could become a very busy central area.
Everton will nevertheless arrive with confidence and Moyes’ record away from home since returning to the club has been particularly impressive. For a significant period following his appointment, only Arsenal collected more Premier League away points, illustrating just how difficult Everton have become to beat on their travels.
That provides an important warning for Bournemouth.
Everton under Moyes are rarely naive away from home. Even with the manager now encouraging a more expansive approach, they retain the organisational qualities that have been a feature of his teams throughout his career.
The interesting question is whether Bournemouth can drag Everton into the type of match they prefer.
If the home side can force mistakes in midfield and create opportunities before Everton reorganise themselves, Tavernier, Kluivert and the Bournemouth forwards have the ability to cause serious problems. If Everton negotiate that pressure successfully, however, their own midfield runners could find significant spaces to attack.
It is one reason Rose will have spent considerable time this week working on Bournemouth’s balance.
There is little point pressing aggressively if Everton can repeatedly escape that pressure and run directly at the Bournemouth defence. Equally, Bournemouth cannot become overly cautious simply because Everton have begun the season well.
The performance at Manchester City demonstrated what this group can do when it trusts its football.
There will also be individual battles throughout the pitch.
Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye remains one of their biggest attacking threats despite considerable transfer speculation during the closing stages of the window, and Bournemouth will have to prevent him receiving possession in the areas where he can turn and attack defenders.
Barry’s sudden burst of goals provides another concern.
The striker will arrive full of confidence after his hat-trick at Preston and Bournemouth will be determined not to give him the type of opportunities he enjoyed in midweek.
At the opposite end, Everton’s defence will have its own problems to solve.
Tavernier’s performance at Manchester City provided an early reminder of his ability to hurt teams, while Evanilson’s movement should ensure Everton’s centre-backs are occupied throughout the afternoon.
Bournemouth will also want greater reward from the attacking positions they create.
Last weekend showed that playing well against elite opposition is not always enough. The difference between leaving Manchester with three points and leaving with none ultimately came down to a handful of moments.
Rose will want his team to become more ruthless when those moments arrive.
There is another reason why Saturday feels important for Bournemouth.
Last season changed perceptions of the club.
Finishing sixth and qualifying for Europe was not simply a good campaign; it demonstrated that Bournemouth are capable of competing much further up the Premier League than their resources or traditional standing might suggest.
The consequence of success is that expectations change.
Bournemouth will no longer surprise opponents in quite the same way. Teams understand how dangerous they can be and will prepare accordingly.
That places a different responsibility on Rose.
He has inherited a successful side rather than a broken one, and that presents its own managerial challenge. The temptation whenever a new coach arrives is to look immediately for visible change, but sometimes good management is recognising what does not need changing.
Bournemouth already possess athleticism, technical quality and a group of players comfortable playing at Premier League speed. Rose’s task is to refine that rather than remove it.
The evidence from Manchester suggests he understands that.
Now comes the first opportunity to demonstrate it at home.
Everton will be difficult opponents and their opening performances suggest Moyes may have assembled a younger, quicker and more progressive side than the one Bournemouth faced previously.
But there should be confidence rather than apprehension around the Vitality Stadium.
Bournemouth went to the Etihad and came within minutes of beating Manchester City.
They competed with them, caused them problems and showed enough to suggest that last season’s success need not disappear simply because the man in the dugout has changed.
Saturday is the next stage of that transition.
For Marco Rose, it is also the afternoon when his relationship with the Vitality Stadium truly begins.
