How does the Premier League’s smallest club beat Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle in three months? It’s simple: Get a firm grasp on the basics.

Bournemouth have spent all season teaching fundamental skills to rival teams. They run harder and further than most of their opponents. They chase and press more aggressively. Best of all, they all work together.

This is a team that thrives on synchronicity, held together by a perfect understanding of how risk and reward work on the football field. No gimmicks, no big-name stars with outrageous salaries stealing the show, just a motivated team.

This is in no way meant to be simplistic, quite the opposite. Bournemouth are not rich, nor do they have a particularly large squad, but their coach knows how to maximize every inch of his squad and has a refreshing appreciation for football. and There are no statistics.

Andoni Iraola knows only one way. His transitional style, constantly chasing high turnovers, is mesmerizing when it clicks, and Saturday’s win over Newcastle was just the latest in a long line of mesmerizing examples.

Bournemouth did something that few teams have done or are willing to do against Eddie Howe’s side at St James’ Park. Having the courage to go head-to-head with a team with nine consecutive wins in all competitions is either bold or foolish.

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal (in the Carabao Cup) have proven to be the latter in recent weeks. Not Bournemouth, though. The Cherries know themselves too well and commit to the same “vertical” game plan every week. Elora’s way.

“If we’re going to lose, let’s lose what we’ve been doing all season,” the manager told reporters after the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago. “Be more aggressive in pressing, more vertical, more rhythmic,” he added, as if a point away from Chelsea was less than satisfying.

The Spaniard congratulated his players for a fantastic “complete” performance during their recent game against Newcastle. They make their owners look ordinary.

There was man-to-man situations everywhere on the pitch. The often unsung Ryan Christie epitomized this approach, making a weekend-high nine tackles (the joint-most by any Premier League midfielder this season) in his quick win against Bournemouth The ability to keep possession of the ball is crucial.

They also forced Newcastle to fail 38 passes in their own half, a season high.

Jamie Carragher looks at Bournemouth’s success monday night football: “You’re up against a Newcastle midfield that I believe has been the best in the Premier League in recent months with Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

“Bournemouth like to play a 4-4-2 and they played against Newcastle and they were very fighting, but it’s not just about energy, it’s about precise timing and organization.”

Bournemouth move like a puppet on a string – one player jumps up to press and close in, triggering the next player’s movement, who signals the next player, which is reflected throughout the team. There are ripples in it.

They also improved in possession, completing 80 passes beyond the offside line, more than any other team in Game 22, and completing 16 dribbles, also a league-high.

All of this comes against a team plagued by frequent midseason injuries.

To put things in perspective, Illaura is down to just nine first-team players out. But that doesn’t change his need for a high-tempo offense. The identity is consistent every game and has been the hallmark of their 10 Premier League wins, regardless of the combination of players.

This is the real exposer. While Mikel Arteta and Anjen Postkoglu (who are not the only culprits) complained about their injury-plagued squad and sent out distress signals at most press conferences, Ilao La just got on with things.

If anything, Bournemouth look more dynamic than ever – they’ve only been overtaken once in their past six games (against Everton), and only by a slim margin (0.6 k).

Bournemouth have exceeded their opponents in expected goals (xG) in 16 of 22 league games this season, including games against Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. Their 45 missed shots were a number not even matched by Premier League leaders and media guru Liverpool.

Substitutions during the game also had an impact, with Bournemouth winning 17 points through goal contributions from substitutes (13). This may be why Illaura is rising in the elite coaching ranks, reportedly attracting attention from struggling Tottenham Hotspur and other teams.

For many, Bournemouth’s boom will be one of the most unlikely failure stories of recent months, but there is no denying their authenticity. Work hard, work smart, and punching above your weight becomes less demanding.

The hype is certainly on the rise and will continue if Illaura can engineer more of the same in this sensational battle for European football.