After a late equaliser against Leeds United, courtesy of Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth stretched their unbeaten run to five ahead of the Friday night fixture against Fulham.
It was a game that did not inspire the best out of a Bournemouth side that has impressed so far, but it was a credit to their character to dig in and still collect a point from the game despite a disappointing performance.
For the visitors, the start of the season has been exactly average, sitting in tenth place.
They come into the game on the back of a lacklustre defeat to Aston Villa, despite back-to-back wins against Brentford and Leeds.
Looking to the evening fixture, fans have plenty to be excited about and will be hopeful that the Cherries can continue their fantastic start to the season against an opponent they have a favourable record over.
Here is what VAVEL will be looking at when the Cherries meet the West London side this week…
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Cherries to continue strong defensive show?
Despite losing plenty of top talent in the summer, particularly in defence, the Cherries seem to have come out stronger for it, investing it cleverly into some excellent signings.
Four out of the five players who made up last season’s defence left, meaning there would be some significant change coming into the season.
But it does not seem to have thrown the players, team, or coaching staff alike, with the team recording a brilliant defensive record so far.
In six games, the Cherries have managed to shut out the opposition three times against Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United impressively, the joint-second best record in the league.
Moreover, in the other three matches, they have conceded seven goals, four of which came against Liverpool in the Premier League opener, with their xG conceded figure being slightly lower than this at 5.5 expected goals conceded; only Arsenal and Newcastle with better numbers.
To add to this that Fulham may well be without their two main strikers, Rodrigo Muniz and Raúl Jiménez, after Jiménez was forced off through injury against Aston Villa on Sunday.
The Cottagers already sit low in 14th place for total shots (61) and 15th for total shots on target (19), suggesting that even with their preferred forwards, they have struggled to produce the quality up front.
But Bournemouth fans should not rest on their laurels despite the data, with the Premier League capable of throwing up surprises and coupon busters aplenty.
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Semenyo with the Midas touch
Antoine Semenyo’s form this season has been nothing short of phenomenal and crucial to the success the Cherries have experienced so far.
Of the eight goals Bournemouth have scored, six have had the involvement of Semenyo, with four of the goal involvements being goals themselves.
Despite overperforming his xG, Semenyo’s importance in the squad is clear, having made the joint most shots and shots on target within the team, so the threat is clear for Fulham upon kick-off on Friday evening.
Moreover, Bournemouth’s opposition have not had the luck when it comes to penalties, having already given away three penalties and committed the most fouls per 90 minutes, with just under 15.
Pair this with Cherries’ forwards Evanilson and Semenyo sitting 9th and 11th respectively for touches in the opposition penalty area, and Marco Silva’s men could be facing set-piece problems throughout the night.
For Fulham to have any chance of getting something from the game, they must minimise the threat from the Ghanaian as much as they can and be alert to his intelligent play.
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Fulham’s unwanted record vs Bournemouth
Bournemouth have become a bogey team for the Cottagers in recent years; the club having only managed victory on two occasions this century.
The last ten games have seen two Fulham wins, four Bournemouth wins, and four draws, with the fixture usually producing an entertaining display and a decent Bournemouth performance.
In those ten, the Cherries have been able to score in nine of the fixtures, with Bournemouth having an aggregate score of 13-11.
Last season, fans endured a flat encounter at the Vitality but a narrow win courtesy of a Semenyo goal after just 53 seconds.
For the away game, it was a far more entertaining 2-2 draw; a late Dango Ouattara goal rescuing a deserved point for his side.
Given the performances and results so far, partnered with their record against Fulham, Bournemouth will be confident that their fantastic start to the season can continue come the final whistle on Friday night.
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Has Iraola found his permanent right-back?
For Iraola, the right-back position has been somewhat of a headache over the last few seasons, and this season is proving to be no less of one.
Adam Smith, James Hill, Julian Araujo, and even midfielder Lewis Cook, have had their turns at right back in the last few months, mainly due to the wavering fitness of said players.
During the Tottenham game, club captain Smith picked up an injury, ruling him out until late October.
Needing more support in the position, the club looked to the market and found Alex Jimenez from AC Milan, who joined the Cherries on a season-long loan.
At just 20 years old, he may not have the experience of veteran defender Smith, but he certainly has the quality.
Jimenez has started the last two games in the league against Newcastle and Leeds, having a decent showing in both against tough opposition.
In the recent 2-2 draw against Leeds, the Spaniard recorded the joint-third most tackles in the game, five recoveries, and a block for good measure.
When it came to duels, Jimenez stood up well on the right side, winning 63% of his duels during the game.
An hour ahead of kick-off, fans will expect to see Jimenez once again be named for the third game in a row, with the position open to the 20-year-old to make it his own in what could be another exciting season for the club.
