After disappointing domestic results last weekend for them both, AFC Bournemouth entertain Tottenham at Vitality Stadium on Saturday (3pm). Will either team regain the winning thread? Read on for our AFCB vs THFC preview with betting tips.
It looked as though Bournemouth had turned a corner a few weeks ago. Under the stewardship of interim gaffer Gary O’Neil, the Cherries had gone six games unbeaten, a run that put some distance between themselves and the bottom three. They won just two of those six, but such a run, from a newly promoted team, is impressive, nonetheless.
However, things have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks, and it is now three games without a win for Saturday’s hosts, who have lost each of their last two without scoring. Facing Tottenham is not exactly what the doctor would usually prescribe in such form, but this may be the perfect time to play the Lilywhites, who have been struggling themselves.
For Spurs, it has all gone a little bit sour in recent weeks. Their early season promise has started to fade, as their pragmatic approach fails to yield results. Last time out, for the second Premier League game running, Antonio Conte’s men were beaten without really landing a glove on the opposition.
Can’t create enough chances
For a while, the Cherries did make themselves hard to beat, though they may struggle to sustain that. Not because they look overly weak at the back, in fact, they have done OK defensively, conceding a modest seven goals in their last six games, conceding more than once in just five of those seven.
No, their real problem is at the other end of the pitch. In the final third, the Cherries lack both creativity and end-product. Even at home, the Bournemouth boys find it very difficult to make their presence felt. They have scored just four goals in six games at the Vitality Stadium. Only Wolves have scored fewer home goals in the Premier League this season.
In addition to their lack of goals, the Cherries have created very little on home soil. They have produced 3.6 xG, averaging just 0.6 per game. That tells us that they have not exactly heaped the pressure on those who have visited the south coast.
Not packing a punch on the road
A lack of creativity is also a rather sizable problem for Tottenham, who come into this match without a win in three after losing to Manchester United and Newcastle, before drawing in somewhat agonising fashion against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League just a few days ago.
The main reason for their slump has been a lack of forward penetration, which has been particularly evident away from home in the Premier League this term. Antonio Conte’s pragmatic approach may sometimes make Spurs hard to break down, but it does little for their offensive output.
Spurs have failed to score in three of their last five away games, netting a total of just two goals. During that spell, they have averaged 1.08 expected goals for, producing 0.9 or less on three occasions. Such numbers aren’t exactly going to strike fear into the hearts of Saturday’s hosts.
Tottenham usually triumph
Recent history suggests that this fixture presents Spurs with few problems. Saturday’s visitors have won eight of the previous ten competitive renewals of this fixture. That said, when the pair last met back in 2020, they drew 0-0 at this venue, while a year before that, the Cherries won here by a goal to nil. In fact, Spurs have won just one of their last four at the Vitality Stadium.
Go for a low-scoring game
In the betting, ‘Under 2.5 Goals’ stands out at a shade under even money. Both teams have shown a severe lack of creativity of late, especially in their respective home and away games.
It is no coincidence that Bournemouth have been involved in their fair share of low-scoring games at home. O’Neill clearly does not want them to be a side that easy to get at, and offensively, they seemingly have little to offer. Four of their six home games have ended with less than three goals being scored, including three of their last four.
Tottenham’s lack of creativity has been glaringly obvious of late. If Harry Kane isn’t dropping deep and getting on the ball, which he is not always allowed to, then they create little. Even if Kane does drop deep and provide, with Heung-min Son not firing like he did last season and with Dejan Kulusevski out injured, there seems to be little in the way of end-product for the Lilywhites. This is perhaps why they have scored more than once in only one of their last five league games. It might also be why less than three goals have been scored in three of their last four in the Premier League.
With both teams showing a lack of creativity, coupled with the fact that the way both have set up of late has lent itself to games containing a lack of goals, ‘Under 2.5 Goals’ may just be generously priced. So for the betting tips selections for this preview, it is just the one:
- Under 2.5 goals @ 10/11 with Bet365 or William Hill.
Bradley Gibbs is an experienced football writer. He is an expert analyst on Premier League, and all global football leagues & tournaments, for Just Bookies. Bradley has been published by many respected outlets, including USA Betting and the Racing & Football Outlook. He has also written betting strategy guides.