AFC Bournemouth may have “only” drawn with Aston Villa on the scoreboard, but on the pitch this felt like a performance that said far more.
In this match review, we break down a dominant display from the Cherries as Andoni Iraola’s side controlled large spells of the game, pressed relentlessly, and limited a strong Villa team to very little. From the structure out of possession to the confidence in build-up, this was another example of Bournemouth looking well-drilled, fearless, and tactically mature.
With rumours and discussions growing around Iraola’s future, performances like this only strengthen the argument that the club should be moving quickly to secure his long-term commitment. This wasn’t a smash-and-grab point — it was a statement showing how far this team has come.
We’ll analyse:
▪️ Why Bournemouth looked the sharper side throughout
▪️ How Iraola’s tactics nullified Villa’s threat
▪️ Key individual performances, including Rayan (obviously!)
▪️ What this result says about the manager’s future and the direction of the club
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