Saturday 30 December 2017

Is it now or never for Bournemouth?

It feels like each game is becoming a must win for Bournemouth but they are only one win away from a decent position in the league. The visit of Everton is another chance to escape the bottom three, but we have been saying that all too frequently and Bournemouth are still stuck in the drop zone with New Year just around the corner. So how much better will the squad feel if it does enter 2018 out of the bottom three?
Bournemouth need to find some goals from unusual sources.
I think it would have a massive impact if Bournemouth can beat Everton, not only because it would pull them above 18th spot, but it would be a win against a side that had been improving in the last 10 games and should help the players to know that they can do it against the better mid-table sides. Bournemouth arguably could have won earlier in the season at Goodison, so they know they are similarly matched to Everton. What swung it that day was a couple of substitutions and it could be just as tight again today, which may make the bench line up rather important. For Bournemouth it may be a case of who is recovering quickest from injury and the problem is their attacking options may be the weakest part of the subs bench. Can Howe expect Afobe or Mousset to grab a winner in the last 20 minutes of a game?


He has little choice but to give these strikers a go if the match is in the balance as he did against West Ham. The goal scorers that are out though are significant players for Bournemouth. Stanislas and Defoe would make Bournemouth much stronger and it is a pity that Howe is having to pick up points without his big names at the moment. 

Whether it is now or never for Bournemouth is perhaps prejudging things too early. Bournemouth will feel that they can win other games in January and still come out of that month well ahead of three lower sides, but they have to do something for themselves at the moment and cannot rely on other results going there way. Too often we have seen other teams scramble to safety with unexpected wins, but Bournemouth have not done that all season. It's about time they did beat a better fancied team and Everton are beatable if Bournemouth can play without fear. Let's get behind them today. UTCIAD!

Possible AFCB line up against Everton
AFCB Subs: Boruc, Simpson, A Smith, Arter, Pugh, Mousset, Afobe



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