Injury worries are mounting

AFCB really is picking up a lot of injuries ahead of the start of the new season. It must be playing on Eddie Howe's mind, as he tries to work out if the players he wants to play in the first fixture against Charlton will actually be fit for the game.

Only on Sunday in the car park at Dean Court I saw Wes Fogden getting out of the car on crutches. He hopes to be back in action soon, but he was felled a couple of times at Woking and it didn't look good to me. Then most home supporters at the Real Madrid game will have seen Brett Pitman go down in a heap clutching his hamstring. I do hope it is only a strain and not a pull or a tear. I can't imagine what the front line will look like without Brett.

Then we have the long term injury list of players we have hardly seen during pre-season if at all. Ryan Allsop is top contender for the goal keepers shirt, but he hasn't played of late. Josh McQuoid will be recovering from his operation for a while yet. Eunan O'Kane hasn't played hardly any football and neither has Matt Ritchie or Matt Tubbs. Unless some of these players get a run out in the remaining pre-season fixtures against Portsmouth, Dorchester or Bristol City it is looking increasingly likely that the Cherries will have a patched up team for its first week in the Championship, especially considering we also have the Capital One Cup match against Portsmouth that week.

Having just played one of the best teams in the world, and put up a reasonable performance in my opinion, the real worry now is player fitness and not bringing back players too early.

If you have not already had a peek at Rival Lines today do take a look, as we have a special guest who wants to tell you about Pompey, ahead of tonight's friendly at Dean Court.