I wasn't there the day Wayne Henderson got in a horrible tangle at Dean Court.

But I was listening to Andrew Hawes’ commentary on BBC local radio so got some idea of what was going on.

Even if Hawesy himself seemed barely able to believe his own eyes.

The Irish goalkeeper tripped over the ball in front of his own goal seconds from the end and cost Albion what would have been a hard-earned New Year’s Day point in hard-up times.

That mishap probably summed up, albeit to an extreme, some of the Seagulls’ experiences at Bournemouth over the last few years.

As has been pointed out in recent days, it has not been an easy place to win.

Why is that? It wasn’t the biggest crowd they played in front of back in the Championship.

Even League One had more imposing venues to attend. And now they are in the Premier League.

 

But, a bit like Luton, a small crowd within tight confines can make for a difficult atmosphere when they get going.

It is certainly a different challenge of technique and composure to playing before 40,000 or more in bigger stadia.

Albion have sometimes seen an initial air of assurance eroded on previous visits to this stadium.

And a cool, clear head is a key element in the way Fabian Hurzeler’s side like to play.

They have come up against some shrewd coaches, too, from the tactical point of view.

Eddie Howe and his assistant, Andoni Iraola and, on one occasion in League One, Lee Bradbury, whose side downed Gus Poyet’s table-toppers.

So what do we expect this time?

Hurzeler has been keen to set the tone going into this trip to a venue were Arsenal and Manchester City have both been beaten of late.

His best stage to do that on a public level is via his Thursday morning press conference.

Hürzeler on that bingo night. #bhafc www.theargus.co.uk/sport/247425...

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— Brian Owen (@brianowenargus.bsky.social) 22 November 2024 at 21:27

So he initially spoke about players who have been away getting their heads back into the club game as quickly as they can.

He said of his internationals: “I think they experience different philosophies, different things. We need to immediately stick back to our principles, to our identity and how we want to play.”

Then he stressed that Bournemouth away can be an even tougher test than Manchester City at home.

The Cherries are good on set-pieces.

“Game-changers and match-winners – this is how you can describe set-pieces and that’s why it’s a very, very important part of the game,” Hurzeler said.

They have won games in different ways. In the 3-1 thumping of Southampton, they had 40% of possession and played 401 passes to the visitors’ 597.

Against City, they played 352 passes to 635 by the champions and had just 35% of the ball.

But both those counts were even against an Arsenal side who were reduced to ten men on the half-hour.

“I love derbies, but I didn’t hear that this is a derby, so it’s something new for me,” Hurzeler said when the D word was mentioned by a national reporter.

Of course it isn’t a derby and he said it wasn’t. But it does feel like there is a little bit of a rivalry between the clubs.

Maybe that is because of their trajectories coming through the divisions. Hurzeler stepped through eggshells as he said: “If it’s a derby, I’m really looking forward to it, yes. But I’m also looking forward to it if it’s not a derby!”

The head coach talks about the process and it feels like we have seen the best of Albion in parts of games.

Strangely, the matches where they seemed to start well away from home have ended in disappointment, at Chelsea and Liverpool.

They have had to fasten their seatbelts early at Everton, Arsenal and Newcastle to withstand turbulence – before emerging with seven points from a possible nine.

So do not be too alarmed if they have to dig in early at the Vitality.

Bournemouth has not always been bad news.

There have been a few tasty morsels served our way - and that’s not just referring to photographer Simon Dack’s favourite café in the adjoining park.

Yves Bissouma’s first goal in England during an FA Cup win which sent the Seagulls on course to Wembley, for example.

Florin Andone’s close-range effort in the second half in front of an old-fashioned looking covered away end.

Breakthrough goals by Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso a couple of seasons ago.

And an outrageously angled equaliser by Ashley Barnes which defied the logics of geometry as it flew into the far top corner.

But it has been a tough place to go. A test of poise with a crowd on top of you, begging you to make a mistake.

Keep a clear head, don’t trip up and the Seagulls should be a threat today.