It's been an intriguing season in regards to the goalkeepers for AFCB. While Asmir Begovic looked nailed on for a 38 games season that has now been well and truly punctured by the appearances of Artur Boruc, who has done extremely well to displace the former Chelsea keeper and hold on to the number one spot.
It made me think though, have AFCB got the best keepers they could afford? We tend to believe that goalkeepers mature like a fine wine and that older keepers make less mistakes. But I wonder of Bournemouth could be more aggressive in their recruitment for keepers. There are some terrific performances being put in by Ben Foster, 26, at Watford and I ifnd it staggering that no Premier League team has not put a bid in for Jack Butland, 25, at Stoke City. The age of these two players is on their side and they already have a good number of Premier League starts under their belt. I think either one would challenge for a number one spot at AFCB.
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| Boruc and Begovic have let in 47 goals between them this season. |
I suppose Artur Boruc was none to pleased at being made to deputise and similarly Asmir now has that same feeling. Competition for the goalkeeping shirt is great for the team and it's good to see that both players really want to be number one. I believe that Boruc should have that position at the moment and it just may have been that Begovic was getting used to seeing his name on the sheet, and wasn't pushing as hard as when he first came to the club.
It made me think though, have AFCB got the best keepers they could afford? We tend to believe that goalkeepers mature like a fine wine and that older keepers make less mistakes. But I wonder of Bournemouth could be more aggressive in their recruitment for keepers. There are some terrific performances being put in by Ben Foster, 26, at Watford and I ifnd it staggering that no Premier League team has not put a bid in for Jack Butland, 25, at Stoke City. The age of these two players is on their side and they already have a good number of Premier League starts under their belt. I think either one would challenge for a number one spot at AFCB.
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But while Bournemouth have been keen to change the age profile of the team in other areas, there does seem to be a reluctance to pick a keeper in their mid-20s who could really rival Boruc or Begovic. Aaron Ramsdale and Mark Travers are the young pretenders but they are a long way behind in the experience stakes to the keepers that are fighting for Premier League starts. There has to come a point though when age is not on a keeper's side and while Begovic, 31, still has many years ahead of him, it will be interesting to see whether Eddie Howe feels Artur Boruc has impressed enough at the end of this season to give him more than a one-year contract, which is what he has received for the last couple of years. Boruc has impressed this season and if he can keep Asmir in the number two spot into next season, I don't see that Howe would be starting to look for a replacement,
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