Will AFC Bournemouth suffer from second season syndrome?
Whilst AFC Bournemouth are heading towards their third season in the Premier League following promotion from the Championship in 2022, the Cherries during the last campaign were very much a different animal to the season before.
The difference in playing style and personnel is quite stark between the team guided in the main by Gary O’Neil for the 2022/23 season and the one led by Andoni Iraola for the 2023/24 campaign.
This side now plays with its own identity, playing with high intensity, with a lot of emphasis on the press, sometimes even man-marking across the whole pitch. It is unique in a way, but the more other sides play against this style, the more familiar they become and they learn different ways to play against it.
This can be said for many sides who win promotion from the Championship, their unfamiliarity gives them an advantage until the opposition susses them out and whilst they often survive one season in the Premier League, they struggle during the second season and are relegated.
Could this in theory happen to AFC Bournemouth next season, with such a distinct style of play?
Speaking to the Daily Echo and asked if the upcoming season could be harder for the Cherries, AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola said…
“Yes, obviously.
“The opposition will know our main idea and what to expect from us, but I don’t think that is a bad thing.
“I think it is good to have an identity, a clear idea of how you want to do things.
“But from there, there are a lot of small changes we can make to have more options, also player dependent we can have different approaches.
“But I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have a clear idea.”AFC Bournemouth have been handed an opening.
