Saturday 11 August 2018

Can AFCB win their first game against Cardiff?

Cardiff City have been raiding the Championship's best players ahead of the new Premier League season and while they may not have as big as some other top flight clubs, they will rely on team spirit and Warnock's tactical skills to spring more than a few surprises. Bournemouth have to make sure that they are not the first team to have a stumble against this newly-promoted club that will carry Welsh hopes in the new season.
Dean Court is ready to welcome the start of another Premier League season.
Bobby Reid,25, who was a target of AFCB's has made a 10m move from Bristol City to Cardiff City and is likely to make his Premier League debut against the Cherries. He scored 19 goals in 46 appearances last season. Neil Warnock has also signed winger Josh Murphy, 23, of Norwich City for around £11m. Greg Cunningham, 27, is perhaps a less well-known defender who signed from Preston North End for around £4m and Alex Smithies is a goalkeeper from QPR who has signed a three year deal for £3.5m. He'll battle with Neil Etheridge for the keeper's position. The end of the transfer window also saw Cardiff bring in Victor Carmarasa from Real Betis, who played against the Cherries in the 0-2 defeat against the Spanish side, while our own Harry Arter joined on loan on  deadline day, although he won't play against the Cherries and former Cherry  Lee Tomlin is already at Cardiff City.

Cardiff will expect a lot from their Icelandic midfielder Aron Gunnarson in the Premier League. He was at the World Cup in Russia and is an experienced 29-year-old. Gary Madine also signed from Bolton Wanderers last January for £5m, but has not scored yet for the Blues in 13 games, so Warnock could turn to Kenneth Zohore, 24, to partner Bobby Reid if he is adventurous enough to play two up front.

Cardiff have had some mixed results in pre-season with a 0-6 win over Taverstock AFC,  a huge 1-11 win over Bodmin Town, a 1-1 draw with Torquay United , and a 2-1 away defeat to Rotherham Utd, a 1-5 win over Burton Albion, and a 1-2 defeat at home to Real Betis. Cornwall and Devon were hot enough for pre-season training for Neil Warnock's troops and while it is surprising that they have not played more top quality sides, Warnock probably wants them going into the new season feeling that they have been scoring goals.

Possible AFCB team
AFCB Subs: Boruc, Mings, Gosling, Brooks, Ibe, Defoe, Mousset
To win the game Bournemouth will have to play just as eagerly as they did against Olympic Marseilles last week. But the club has never won its first match in the Premier League and 
one win in August is the best it has achieved in the last three seasons. Taking on a newly-promoted side may look advantageous on paper, but this will no doubt be one of the most highly fought over three points of the campaign as everyone wants to get off to a good start. We could have to wait to see Rico and Brooks, but I expect Brooks to be at least on the subs bench. Fraser for me is just ahead of Ibe in the selection stakes and I can't find a spot for Pugh this week.

Let's get behind the team and give them some tremendous support to help them win the first game this season. With a big home win, AFCB could even go top of the league tonight. UTCIAD!

Premier Talk - New Season 2018-19 who will win it and who is going down?

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