Can the Cherries succeed without spending big in January?

Eddie Howe has said in an interview on the BBC that he is not sure if he will have any money to spend in January, but that he hopes to strengthen. Be careful Eddie, some managers in Wales have been told to resign or get sacked for less!

While I am not surprised that Eddie is in the dark over any potential available funds he has to be trying to make things work out well with the players he has already. If he and Jason can get enough points with the players we have to ensure that AFCB are in the Championship next season, I would be pleased that AFCB hadn't spent a stupidly huge amount of money this coming January window.

Rantie was Eddie Howe's last big spend and Tokelo is still trying to
prove his transfer fee. Spurs fans know spending is no guarantee of instant success.

I also feel that it may be that Eddie can start to trim some of the squad who he feels will not be in his plans. If AFCB can cut the wage bill a bit it has got to be good for the club. Does Wes Thomas have a long term future at AFCB and are there others who could be on their way?

It hasn't escaped my notice that Matt Tubbs will also find his loan period coming to an end at Rotherham. Stephane Zubar is also still on the clubs books and he told us back in October that he would be due to be starting some kind of training at the end of this year. I hope he is recovering well.

We also have players who have not really featured this season like Joe Partington, Wes Fogden, Donal McDermott and Miles Addisson. We have already heard that Shwan Jalal can leave and it may be that Lee Camp does not get the move he wants to AFCB with West Brom's new manager. It is understood that Eddie Howe has also been looking at Swindon's Wes Foderingham.

The situation seems very fluid with regards players at the moment, which I hope does not have an unsettling feeling on the squad. I am also keeping quiet about the possibility that some players could also be targets of clubs in the January window. 

The question is though do AFCB need to spend? I feel that a player or two will be bought to make the team a little more solid. That could be in midfield or in defence, but I personally don't think Eddie will buy another striker until next summer when better deals are available. I may be wrong but I still feel leaking goals is more of a problem for AFCB than scoring them at the moment.  

Vote for what position you feel Eddie Howe most needs to strengthen the team this January. See the poll on the right hand side of the blog.

Yesterday Cherry Chimes spoke to Owl Alive about the Sheffield Wednesday squad prior to today's match. Check out how Wednesday fans are feeling about their team by visiting Rival Lines.