Eddie Howe's Bournemouth picked up a vital win as they picked up an impressive 4-0 win over David Wagner's unpredictable Huddersfield side at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening in the Premier League.
The Cherries started with a flat back four, with Simon Francis at right-back and the duo of Nathan Ake and Steve Cook at centre-back. Marc Pugh and and Jordon Ibe started in the 4-4-1-1 shape, with Callum Wilson up front.
Huddersfield too started with a flat back four, but in a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Tom Ince and Laurent Depoitre up front. Rajiv van la Parra and Elias Kachunga started in the wide areas.
Cherries dominate first half
The first attempt on goal came in the fifth minute. After being allowed space to work things around the final third, van la Parra cracked a long shot at goal, but Asmir Begovic found it easy to catch it. Three minutes later, Begovic was at it again to parry van la Parra's effort from close range after Bournemouth had failed to clear the ball from the final third.
Scott Malone came even close after his solo effort down the left had a finish found wanting in the ninth minute. This capped an impressive start for Huddersfield. A minute later, van la Parra's effort on goal, that was going on target was blocked by Cook. It was after this that Bournemouth began growing into the game and taking control of midfield.
It was in the 26th minute that it paid off. After the referee hadn't given a free-kick around the half-way line, Bournemouth won a corner. Marc Pugh's corner was met well by Wilson, who easily put it past Jonas Lossl, handing the Cherries the lead. Five minutes later, Wilson got his second. A wonderfully weighted Charlie Daniels free-kick found Wilson, who headed it in. The referee allowed the goal, despite suspicions of offside.
The 41st minute saw the Cherries miss a glorious chance to make it three. A counter-attack led by Pugh saw Daniels pick out Andy Surman, whose shot from the edge of the box blazed over the bar. In the third minute of stoppage time, the Terriers were handed a way back into the game as Simon Francis was handed a second yellow card for a foul on van la Parra.
Same story in the second half
Bournemouth's plan in the second half was clear: sit deep and make blocks of four. It was set to be a half involving an attack having a go at the defense.
Huddersfield kept on coming forward. Their first chance of the half saw van la Parra's shot blaze over Begovic's bar in the 51st minute. Another chance fell van la Parra's way ten minutes later, but Begovic was upto the task and blocked the effort with the leg.
As the Terriers kept coming forward, Adam Smith made a tremendous block to prevent the shot from going in. And as Bournemouth kept on relying on the break repeatedly, it was Harry Arter who got their third. After having chested down the ball near the edge of the box, the Irishman fired the ball into the bottom of the corner to seal the deal for the Cherries.
Despite going three down, David Wagner's men kept going forward, but Bournemouth kept piling men at the back. The only remarkable chance for them chance came in the 84th minute when a Mounie shot was hit straight at Begovic. And on the break, Eddie Howe's men got their fourth. Joshua King did well to go past the Terriers backline to set Wilson up for his hat-trick.