I like the way Eddie Howe said this week that he is not thinking about the 40 point mark and safety, but rather trying to beat last year's 46 points. I would like to think that 40 points would keep any side up even with the closeness of the league this season, but is Eddie Howe being over optimistic to believe that AFCB can get another seven wins from their remaining 14 games?
On the road AFCB have been okay without upsetting any of the top teams away from Dean Court. It's something that makes all the difference when you get an unexpected three points and of all the teams that Howe might want to play of the elite, I'd say Chelsea are a pretty good pick at the moment. We'll see how they get on this week on that game, but AFCB could do with taking a bit of pressure off of their home games. While the home form has improved, there is no guarantee it will hold up if things start to fall away in February.
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| The Cherries will need a stunning second half of the season to beat last year's points total. |
Such a return would seem a little high as a target, but you have to set your sights somewhere. Having won six games out of 24 the second half of the season would have to be extra special to take AFCB over 46 points, but not impossible I hear you say. It does not leave much room though to drop any points in games apart form against the top six sides. Bournemouth do have some virtual six pointers at home and if they win games against the likes of Stoke, Newcastle, WBA, Crystal Palace and Swansea they will be in a strong position. Win only half of these games though and it will be a matter of scrambling some draws from other fixtures.
On the road AFCB have been okay without upsetting any of the top teams away from Dean Court. It's something that makes all the difference when you get an unexpected three points and of all the teams that Howe might want to play of the elite, I'd say Chelsea are a pretty good pick at the moment. We'll see how they get on this week on that game, but AFCB could do with taking a bit of pressure off of their home games. While the home form has improved, there is no guarantee it will hold up if things start to fall away in February.
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I think February's games have the potential to put one foot of AFCB into next season, if they can win them all and I'm sure that is what Eddie Howe sees. The three games are what you'd call winnable against Stoke, Huddersfield and Newcastle and nine points now would set the Cherries up well for attacking last season's total. It's all speculation though and Howe must also recognise that they could just as easily lose those three games. So I'd say this next few weeks is the make or break part of the season for AFCB and everyone has to be fully concentrated on the games which are starting to run out now.
Last season, after 24 games, we had 26 points, one more than we do now. And, we only took 1 point from weeks 25, 26, and 27. With the run of games that you mention coming up, the target of 46 does appear achievable.
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