How Intensity Can Win You Games: Match Analysis of Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth
On 25th January 2025, Bournemouth produced a statement win against Nottingham Forest, battering them 5-0. While both teams have performed at levels higher than expected, Forest have been the underdogs of the season, thriving under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo.
Bournemouth, despite injuries, have had a good run of games and look like a new club under Andoni Iraola. While fans speculated this match to be a nerve-racking back-and-forth game, the Cherries ran over Nottingham Forest and showed tactical superiority.
Initial Tactical Setup of Bournemouth
Bournemouth started the game in a 4-2-3-1 shape. The first few minutes of the game were scrappy. Forest started with a 4-5-1 mid-block, which resulted in Bournemouth defenders getting more time and space to carry the ball into the midfield. This resulted in the relatively advanced positions taken up by the Cherries’ backline.
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The forwards and fullbacks pushed up the pitch. Huijsen and Zabarnyi took up wider positions, making it difficult for Chris Wood, as the lone striker, to win the ball high up. While Zabarnyi usually stuck to his position and was great at playing direct passes from the back, Huijsen often exploited the mid-block by driving with the ball into dangerous areas of the final third, acting like an extra man in Iraola’s attack.
Tyler Adams usually stayed deeper to provide defensive stability and played a vital role in stepping out and winning the ball back with aggression. Ryan Christie was the more attack-minded midfielder in the pivot, linking up play by stringing simple but effective passes through the Forest midfield.
On the right, Lewis Cook played a stabilizing role at fullback, showing great awareness and discipline. David Brooks was a creative figure on the right wing, using his pace and skill to exploit opponents. The Cherries had a solid left-wing pairing of Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo, who were very dangerous in the final third. Unlike Cook, Kerkez was given the freedom to move into advanced positions to create an advantage on the left.
Justin Kluivert played as the No. 10, dropping deep and using his vision and skill to break down the Forest defense. With all their conventional strikers injured, Iraola put his trust in Dango Ouattara to fill in as the No. 9. The Burkina Faso international had a great eye for goal and was rapid.
Build-Up Analysis
The build-up started from the back, with one of the two center-backs receiving the ball from Kepa Arrizabalaga. The center-backs were wide apart, making it difficult for Wood to press them. They often bypassed the midfield by playing balls directly into the wings or over the top, charging through the Forest midfield.
This quick transition meant that players like Kluivert, Semenyo, and Brooks had more time and space to use their skill to influence the game, especially when the Forest defense wasn’t keen on pressing them. The direct build-up took most of the Forest midfield out of the equation.
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The fluidity and skill set of the Bournemouth attack made defending them a mammoth task, especially when there was no numerical advantage. In attacking scenarios, the Cherries committed most of their players to the final third to gain a numerical advantage and win the ball back early if lost.
Defensive Strategy
Due to the mid-block setup, Forest often won the ball back in their own half but were at an immediate disadvantage after doing so. Bournemouth players were already in advanced positions in the Forest half when they regained possession. This triggered a high-intensity press, resulting in errors from the opponents or recoveries before Forest could even reach the final third. Bournemouth would then recycle play from the back.
In cases where Forest made it past the press, Tyler Adams was waiting to pounce and win the ball back. If Forest reached the vicinity of the box, Bournemouth players would settle into a low block and defend with high intensity. The idea was to increase the pace of the game with intensity, forcing more errors from the opponents before launching a counterattack.
Goals and the Game
The opening goal came from a well-structured Bournemouth attack. A throw-in from Forest was quickly won back, and with two quick passes, the ball was played into Kluivert, who found space in midfield. While he initially slowed the attack, he then unleashed a stunning shot from outside the box, giving Bournemouth the lead.
Forest’s defensive approach played into Bournemouth’s hands—where Bournemouth might have cut out a similar attacking move in midfield, Forest’s players retreated instead of pressing, allowing Kluivert the room to capitalize.
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Despite the setback, Forest grew into the game towards the end of the first half. They improved their passing sequences, dropping deeper to maintain possession within their own half. However, their struggles to break through Bournemouth’s midfield became evident. Every time they played a through ball, Bournemouth regained possession and disrupted any momentum.
Forest made a key tactical adjustment in the second half, pushing players higher to cover Bournemouth’s two center-backs and Tyler Adams. This forced Kepa to go long rather than building from the back. However, Forest’s pressing lacked intensity, leading to gaps in midfield that Bournemouth exploited efficiently.
In the 54th minute, Bournemouth doubled their lead through an intelligent passage of play. A Kluivert corner was cleared, and as Forest moved forward to press, Bournemouth’s attackers maintained their advanced positions. A long ball from Kerkez found Kluivert on the right, who, despite being closed down by two defenders, stalled cleverly before shifting the ball and delivering a floating cross. Ouattara met it with a looping header into the far corner, making it 2-0.
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Forest responded by pushing forward and pressing harder. However, this aggressive approach left them even more vulnerable to counterattacks. After a long ball from Matz Sels was recovered by Bournemouth, Brooks played a simple one-two that bypassed half of Forest’s defense.
The ball found its way to Semenyo, initiating a sequence of rapid shots on target. Kluivert then danced through the Forest defense, setting up Ouattara, who laid the ball back for a Kluivert tap-in—though the goal was ruled offside, it was a warning sign of Bournemouth’s attacking dominance.
Just minutes later, Adams won the ball in midfield and played in Ouattara, who had already made his run. Moving into the box, he cut onto his right foot and slotted home Bournemouth’s third goal in the 60th minute. With a 3-0 lead, Bournemouth lowered their intensity, allowing Forest to create more chances. However, the visitors still struggled to break down the Cherries’ low defensive block.
In the 86th minute, a long-range shot from Marcus Tavernier was parried by Sels, but the rebound fell straight to Ouattara, who tapped it in for Bournemouth’s fourth goal. Then, in the 90th minute, another long ball from Sels was won in midfield by Christie. He played it to Tavernier, who found Semenyo on the right wing. Semenyo capped off the victory with a brilliant strike into the far post, sealing a dominant 5-0 win.
Intensity as the game changer
When analysing Forest and Bournemouth, it is clear that the Cherries have an inferior squad and haven’t been the better team of the two but intensity made them look superior to Nottingham Forest who sit third on the Premier League table. Particularly in this match, the high intensity used throughout the game helped Bournemouth control the game as their players are suitable to those conditions.
On the other hand, Forest couldn’t build any kind of rhythm or periods of meaningful possession. The intensity also increased the pace of the game which played into the strengths of players like Tyler Adams, Semenyo, Brooks and Ouattara. Without a high press, players like Gibbs-White in the Forest setup would’ve been hard to handle and Forest would have an advantage having players who are better when they have time on the ball.
Playing at a high intensity gives Iraola the edge and helps Bournemouth get ahead. At some phases, they reduce the intensity but defend very well and at the latter stages, the pace obviously comes down but in most cases by then, the Cherries have already caused sufficient damage.
After 25 games in the league, Bournemouth sit fifth in the table and the majority of the credit goes to the high-intensity system. This could turn into a go to tactic for clubs who aren’t at the top of their leagues and could also be adopted by some big clubs who have the players to fit the system.
By: Sriram Sindar
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / David Horton – CameraSport