A decade ago to this day, Bournemouth were locked in an incredibly intense Championship title race which they would go on to win by just one point. With that, they sealed their first-ever promotion to the English top flight. Of course, they have had their ups and downs since, but they are now on course to seal their continental debut with what would be their best-ever Premier League finish.

By Neel Shelat

A good few eyebrows were raised when Bournemouth sacked Gary O’Neil in the summer of 2023 despite his efforts in leading them to a great escape. As a result, his successor Andoni Iraola was always under some pressure to prove himself. A 12th-placed finish with top-half-level underlying numbers in his first season was not bad at all, but the Spanish tactician is really showing his full potential this term.

Bournemouth are currently up in seventh place with 37 points from 22 games. With that, they are well on course to register over 50 points in the top flight for the very first time in their history. At their current rate, the Cherries will also qualify for their first-ever continental tournament, so they certainly merit closer inspection.

Debilitating press

Iraola’s Bournemouth are arguably the best high pressers not just in the English Premier League but all around the world of football. They have not only generated the most high turnovers in the league but also lead the way in terms of midfield turnovers.

Their relatively low possession average of about 45% is one factor, but Iraola’s exceptionally well-planned and well-drilled press is undoubtedly the biggest reason. His Rayo Vallecano side were just as good in LaLiga a couple of years ago, so this should come as no surprise to those who have been closely following the 42-year-old tactician’s work.

The key to the Cherries’ success is their meticulous coordination. Pure intensity is no longer enough for a successful high press, as the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have learned the hard way in recent years. So, Bournemouth have a very clear trigger-based pressing approach which analysts call a hybrid press.

The basic idea behind hybrid pressing is to get the best of both worlds of the two dominant out-of-possession approaches – zonal and player-oriented. A fully player-oriented system is almost bound to fail at the elite level today as the opponent can easily utilise their numerical advantage in the build-up (created by the presence of the goalkeeper). A zonal approach ensures the pressing team is not dragged out of shape, but it can be beaten through overloads.

A hybrid pressing system tends to start more zonally, ensuring that all areas of the pitch are covered. Then, a pressing trigger (often a specific type of pass by the opponent or a movement by a key player) leads to the team switching to player orientation as they clamp down on all potential passing options and apply pressure on the ball. When executed spotlessly, such a press is incredibly difficult to play out against.

Bournemouth, of course, have executed their hybrid press brilliantly so far. They tend to start in something of a 4-4-2 or 4-1-3-2 shape, with one midfielder often stepping up to trigger the press. Ryan Christie has been that player for the overwhelming majority of Bournemouth’s matches so far, and he has done an exemplary job.

Recoveries are defined by Opta as “when a player recovers the ball in a situation where neither team has possession or where the ball has been played directly to him by an opponent, thus securing possession for their team.” Teams that press successfully do not necessarily win the ball through tackles as their opponents do manage to boot it away, so they tend to generate a lot more recoveries by picking up loose second balls. Clearly, it is no coincidence that Christie and Bournemouth are the league leaders this season for recoveries among players and teams respectively.

Besides generating a lot of high turnovers, the Cherris’ measured pressing approach has ensured that their back line has not been breached too often. The fact that they have maintained one of the better defensive records while defending quite high up the pitch is another testament to their excellent out-of-possession work.

Dangerous direct attack

Bournemouth fans will surely not begrudge us for saying that their squad is far from the best in the league, when it comes to player quality on paper. By market value, for example, their squad ranks 15th in the division. Their cohesiveness is the key to their success far more than any players, so their attacking approach mostly stems from their out-of-possession work rather than looking to platform any individuals.

For one, Iraola’s side obviously utilise their high turnovers by looking to get at their opponent’s unstructured defence as quickly as possible. They also try to create somewhat similar chaos when building out from the back, mostly playing a long ball forward for their attackers to contest instead of trying to play through a press.

The hard work of their willing attackers has enabled the Cherries to register the third-highest xG tally in the league, but their lack of clinicality has held them back a little. They have scored about seven goals fewer than their xG tally, so they could go even higher up the table with better chance conversion.

Should Iraola take up a big job?

Bournemouth’s success combined with the struggles of some big-hitters like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur this season have naturally led to Iraola’s name being brought up as a potential candidate for those jobs. The Spanish head coach would certainly be unwise (and extremely unlikely) to jump ship mid-season, but he should carefully consider his options even if presented with an offer in the summer.

Both at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth, Iraola has put together teams greater than the sum of their parts by making the most of total commitment from his players. His tactics have remained quite similar, creating chaos to beat stronger teams by making them uncomfortable. His sides certainly did not control matches to a great extent as most elite teams like to do, so this kind of job might well be best suited to his style of play. 

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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