AFCB have had a sudden crop of injury worries that have disrupted team selection. Picking the starting 11 is getting tougher and with the hard run of fixtures in December there will be a need not to play those coming back, who aren't fully fit, too soon. While the injuries have not been concentrated on one area of the team, the spine of the team has been affected.
However, the need to get Andrew Surman and Charlie Daniels back into the team is surely something that Eddie Howe will be praying for with Liverpool next on the agenda. The experience and calmness of having two seasoned professionals coming back will be very much needed against another team pushing for the title. While the side has picked up points against Stoke City it is still only three points from the last four games and having power through the middle of the team is something that will give confidence to the side. Jack Wilshere is due to come back into the team of course, and that gives Eddie Howe a little more room to be variable in who he puts on the bench, and keeps up his sleeve for later in the game.
But Eddie will surely have been disappointed that some players have hardly featured at all this season such as Max Gradel, Marc Pugh and Lewis Grabban. While not everyone can play, these have been players that played a lot of games last season, even if Lewis Grabban was only with the Cherries in the second half of the season. The point is that there was a regularity about the side after January and Howe will hope to see that again this season. The best teams are those that don't carry many injuries usually and AFCB need to get some players off the treatment bench and other back in form.
If Surman and Boruc come back into the side, I will not be disappointed. It's the central spine that gives the team solidity.
The Cherry Chimes' Newsletter is out today. |
| Will Artur Boruc miss three games in a row? |
But Eddie will surely have been disappointed that some players have hardly featured at all this season such as Max Gradel, Marc Pugh and Lewis Grabban. While not everyone can play, these have been players that played a lot of games last season, even if Lewis Grabban was only with the Cherries in the second half of the season. The point is that there was a regularity about the side after January and Howe will hope to see that again this season. The best teams are those that don't carry many injuries usually and AFCB need to get some players off the treatment bench and other back in form.
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Artur Boruc was in great form in the first two months of this season and while Adam Federici has done exactly what has been needed of him, it was another change. The big positive has been the inclusion of Nathan Aké, but it has disrupted the Cook/Francis partnership and Eddie may have to get it clear in his mind which are the best two to play now over the Christmas period and to stick to it. 
If Surman and Boruc come back into the side, I will not be disappointed. It's the central spine that gives the team solidity.
Cherry Chimes' December Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month, plus there is a special Newsletter article entitled: It's not been all-out attack from AFCB
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