Do we need a second Marc Pugh?

I was looking at the amount of games that Marc Pugh has played in this season as our mainstay left winger at AFCB. I counted 39 starting appearances, including our last home game against Notts County. It is also interesting to see that the games he missed included the 4-0 defeat at Swindon and the following defeats at Walsall and Crawley, although he did return when we also lost narrowly in the next fixture in October at Coventry.

Otherwise, Pugh has pretty much been ever-present along with a few substitute selections in early season games against Yeovil, Hartlepool and the Wigan third round FA Cup replay. His services have virtually been indispensable on the left wing and I just wonder if he has not surprisingly been running out of steam a bit of late. Don't get me wrong, I think he is one of our very best players, but can we get more out of him if he can rest now and again for the odd game?

In his last game against Notts County his performance picked up in the second half although many of the more dangerous crosses were fired in by Charlie Daniels. Perhaps this is something that Eddie has specified, but in the Scunthorpe home match, Pugh's performance was certainly down on his usual high standards. It's no good beating a player several times and then failing to get a cross in and this is maybe what Daniel's more direct play is designed to offer in the way of variety. It definitely worked for Ritchie's first goal against Notts County.

While there is no doubting the link up play between Daniels and Pugh is superb I just wonder if next season we could do with another Pugh, with a good left foot, to share some of his high work load. We have seen Lewis Grabban try and play there and Josh McQuoid, but neither of them have been as effective as Pugh in that position. Is it time for Eddie Howe to scour the Championship in the summer for a left winger that has qualities that could be a good back up for Pugh when he needs a breather?

We seem to have lots of cover on the right side but not so much on the left. We all hope that Stephen Purches can make a full come back next season as cover for Charlie Daniels, but I feel that another left sided player would only make the team stronger. Have you any thoughts or names of players you'd like to see AFCB look at?

I hate to say it but Gareth Bale might just be out of our budget!