3 Things To Learn From Manchester City 2-1 AFC Bournemouth

Despite losing in such a heartbreaking fashion, one of the best things to do when reflecting on the game is to look at the positives, and there were plenty of encouraging signs in the final third from Cherries today, especially in the first half of the game.

Bournemouth looked incredibly smooth when in transition in the opening 45 minutes if the game, with Marcus Tavernier capitalising on AFCB stretching out the Manchester City defense following a devastating counter attack. The 27 year old was unlucky to not have scored a second goal, as Tavernier's curling effort from range narrowly missed Donnarumma's right hand post.

As well as that, Evanilson and Justin Kluivert combined well as a front 2 and looked like they will be able to compliment one another very nicely next season. Evanilson's link up play was the most impressive, with the Brazilian capping it off with a great assist across the face of goal for the opening goal of the game. 

Despite the positives in the attacking areas of the pitch, there was a glaring negative that was ever-present throughout the 90 minutes, and that was Bournemouth's quality when both attacking and defending set pieces. 

Even though he scored the equaliser, England International Marc Guehi should have notched a brace of headed goals from Manchester City set pieces, as he somehow missed an open goal from 6 yards out following an inch perfect delivery from a corner.

The unironic cherry on top was midway through the second half, when there was over 2 minutes of delays as AFCB were about to take a corner due to several players pushing and shoving each other before the ball was crossed in to the box. Typically, when the corner was taken, it didn't get past the first man on the front post, and resulted in a Manchester City counter attack.

Finally, eyebrows have also been raised across Social Media by Marco Rose's tactical decision to sit back for large portions of the second half in order to protect the 1-0 lead that Cherries had at the interval.

The Citizens had a majority of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, but Bournemouth posed a huge threat on the counter attack, but in the 2nd half, barring a short 5 minute spell of intensity after Guehi's equaliser, AFCB looked toothless in attack. 

Rose will need to learn from this, as sitting on a 1 goal lead is a complete change from the philosophy that Andoni Iraola had, as he believed that the best form of defense is to attack more and try to score a second.