Callum Wilson's injury is a devastating blow

Callum Wilson's bad luck continues with this latest cruciate ligament injury announced yesterday and sustained on the training pitch last Wednesday. I had to check the source when I first saw the social media tweet just to check it was not an old message dating back to last year. It has happened though – again, but to his left leg this time. Now the club has to cope without the ex-Coventry man for another long period, perhaps as much as six months, while he recovers from another injury that would be career threatening just a few years ago.

We wish Callum a speedy recovery.

The decision will no doubt quickly be made as to whether there is a player that Eddie Howe would like to get in as an emergency loan option, but during January window this did not materialise and clubs will be reluctant to let good goal scorers go now. He may have a clause in Lewis Grabban’s loan deal to bring him back from Reading, but the focus will surely be on getting the best out of Benik Afobe and Josh King.

It does mean that AFCB were wise to not let Lys Mousset go out on loan and he will probably get a bit more opportunity from the bench now if AFCB don’t immediately find a striker to bring in. At least the club is experienced in having to play without Callum and in the last month it has been Benik Afobe who has been the first choice for many of the games, which means he is now going to be feeling that he is going to be highly needed from here on in. In some ways that may ease his thoughts. Benik will know he is the guy that AFCB are relying on to get goals more than ever and he just needs to concentrate on his finishing, rather than worry about keeping his place every time he puts a shot wide.

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AFCB are at least adept at providing different goal scorers and rather than feeling that everything is going against them, this latest incident could yet be the trigger that gets the players back on their 'A game', as they look to win a match for Callum Wilson.