Is Benik Afobe about to stake a regular starting claim?

For once Eddie Howe may have some options up front and the call could be very close as to who is the main striker to lead the attack against Hull City. Benik Afobe's international clearance hadn't come through before the side played Arsenal and Callum Wilson resumed the primary role of main striker. Yet, in the previous game it was Benik that led the goal threat against Swansea in an away fixture and he also scored the first goal.

Benik Afobe has a golden chance to put himself in
pole position if he can score some goals now.

Playing against Hull City a decision has to be made as to who would be best at unsettling the Tiger's back line. I tend to believe that Howe may well go for the larger size of Benik Afobe now that he is able to play and should be relatively fresh. Some players need games to come into form, but I suspect that by turning down the offer to play for DR Congo this next month or so, Benik has a clear goal to play more regularly for the Cherries than second half substitute appearances. The incentive is there for him to make the shirt his own, while Callum Wilson is no longer looking unmovable from the side.

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It was back in October when AFCB put six goals past Hull City at Dean Court and Benik got all of four minutes on the field. It may be tempting for Howe to go for the same side that started that day, with the exception of Simon Francis, but the Cherries are still searching for a striker that is able to get the odd brace or even a hat-trick of goals this season. No one is head and shoulders above anyone else at scoring goals at the moment and with two goals and one assist, Benik is one player that might feel he should be getting more goals. His only other goal came up at Burnley when he could have netted a couple more, but the breaks have not gone his way and he is due some better luck in front of goal. The save that Petr Cech made against him was just another occasion when you could feel that Benik was close to getting a real boost to his game, but he couldn't quite find that bit of luck to slot the ball past the Arsenal keeper. 

The important thing is that Benik has been getting close to notching up more than one goal in a game and the match up at Hull City could give him a good chance to score more than a single goal and perhaps cement his place in the side for a little while.  

Transfer News
Striker Brandon Goodship has left the club by mutual consent and has joined Yeovil Town. Meanwhile, right-back Jordan Lee has joined Torquay United on loan.