This summer, eleven Premier League clubs spent more than Bournemouth, and the club also lost almost its entire defence to European giants. Yet after nine matches, Justin Kluivert’s team boldly sits second in the Premier League, just behind leaders Arsenal. A look at one of the surprises of the season.
Bournemouth are currently second, but for one day Sunderland could call themselves England’s number two as well, a huge upset in its own right.
The match finished AFC Bournemouth 2-0 Nottingham Forest, played yesterday at 15:00. Bournemouth have collected eighteen points from nine matches. With sixteen goals scored, Bournemouth can measure themselves against the Premier League heavyweights, while the eleven conceded is a little higher than at Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City.
That standing becomes easier to understand when you look at the club’s transfer summer. With spending of 138 million euros, Bournemouth ranked only twelfth for outlay among Premier League teams, yet they still overhauled key areas of the squad. In terms of income, only Chelsea posted higher figures. Bournemouth sold players for nearly 239 million euros, and doing that while maintaining upward momentum makes the current run even more impressive. The club balanced the sheet without losing its edge on the pitch.
Against Nottingham Forest, the performance was a snapshot of why this team is trending upward. Bournemouth controlled the middle third, refused to be rushed in possession, and repeatedly found ways to create high quality entries into the box. The first hour set the tone. They circulated the ball with patience, drew Forest into pressing traps, then broke through the lines with sharp movement from the front three and well-timed overlaps from full backs. When Forest tried to compress the central lanes, Bournemouth switched play quickly, forcing the visitors to chase and reshuffle. The opening goal arrived from exactly that territory shift, a move that began on one flank, pulled defenders across, and finished with a precise cut-back and a confident finish.
What stands out in this Bournemouth side is the clarity of roles. The holding midfielder screens aggressively and keeps distances compact, which allows the centre backs to defend forward rather than retreat. When they do step back, the box defending is organized, with the near-post space protected and the penalty spot guarded by a spare man ready to attack clearances. On the front foot, the wingers stretch play and the striker is constantly on the shoulder, which creates room for late runs from midfield. Set plays have also been a rich source of chances. Corners and wide free kicks are executed with variation, sometimes flat to the near post for flick-ons, sometimes deeper to invite the second ball. The second goal against Forest owed much to that variety and to repetition on the training ground.
Numbers help explain the balance. Sixteen scored in nine is strong, but it is the distribution of those goals that offers encouragement. Bournemouth are not relying on a single talisman. When wide players chip in, midfielders arrive late, and defenders threaten at set pieces, opponents struggle to concentrate their marking plans. The conceded column shows room for improvement, yet even there, context matters. A team that pushes full backs high and commits bodies to attacks will concede transitions. The difference this season is how quickly Bournemouth extinguish those counters with recovery runs and clever fouls in non-dangerous zones.
The recruitment strategy underpins everything. Spending that ranks only mid-table while replacing key departures suggests a data-led approach and confident scouting. Bournemouth targeted profiles that fit their tactical model rather than chasing big names. They invested in pace at the back to allow a higher line. They added ball security in midfield to survive pressure. In the final third they looked for versatility, players comfortable both hugging the touchline and underlapping into the half spaces. The result is a squad that can pivot between pressing high and dropping into a compact mid-block without losing fluency.
Psychology and game management have stepped forward too. Bournemouth no longer panic when a match stalls at 0-0. They squeeze the field, force throw-ins and corners, and keep the tempo where they want it. When leading, they rotate possession through the back, slow the rhythm, and pick moments to surge. Substitutions have been well-timed, adding legs in wide areas to maintain the threat in transition while protecting central zones. You could see it against Forest once the second goal went in. Bournemouth refused to open the game into a track meet. They kept control, limited risk, and saw out the result with minimal alarms.
The league picture makes their start even more notable. Competing with clubs that eclipse them in spending power requires precision in the margins. Bournemouth have found those margins in set pieces, rest defense, and squad cohesion. Fitness levels look high, which sustains the intensity required to press and recover. Discipline has helped as well. Cheap bookings have been cut down, and the team shape rarely breaks even when individuals are beaten. Small steps, big cumulative effect.
There is also a broader narrative. For years, the Premier League’s hierarchy has seemed fixed by revenue, wage bills, and historical pull. Bournemouth’s surge does not overturn that reality, but it does show how planning and execution can bend it. Mid-table budgets can produce top-table results when the pieces align. A clear structure on the pitch, shrewd trades off it, and a group of players pulling in the same direction can carry a club higher than expected.
Looking ahead, sustainability becomes the challenge. Opponents will adjust to Bournemouth’s patterns, closing crossing lanes and crowding the second ball zones where they have been so effective. The response will need to include fresh movements in the final third, perhaps more combinations through central corridors and quicker rotations between striker and attacking midfield. Managing minutes will matter too. A compact squad can run hot through autumn, but depth gets tested as winter fixtures pile up. The encouraging sign is that Bournemouth’s success has been collective rather than dependent on a single star. That kind of foundation tends to travel well across a long season.
For now, the numbers and the eye test agree. Bournemouth are efficient, organized, and confident. They have collected points through consistent performances rather than streaky finishing. The win over Nottingham Forest confirmed that trajectory and kept them in the slipstream of the leaders. Whether they remain in the top two is a question for the months ahead, but the framework looks robust. With a measured transfer plan, a clear identity, and growing belief, Bournemouth have earned their place near the summit and, for the moment, look ready to defend it.
