Gosling stuns Coventry as Bournemouth win 1-3 away

Match Report

Coventry City 1 v 3 AFCB

2 October 2020

Dan Gosling finishes off Coventry City with a wonder strike

The Cherries sit proudly on top of the Championship after this result. They started extremely well with Jefferson Lerma picking his spot in seven minutes after a quick move down the left cut Coventry open. Coventry improved though with a few testing shots for Begovic before Lewis Cook went charging in on Ben Sheaf and gave a penalty away that Goodard scored six minutes from half-time. Dan Gosling then took the game away from Coventry with a side-footed finish in the box just six minutes into the second half. Gosling then pinged a superb strike in from 30-yards on the hour to make it 1-3. Matters got even worse for Coventry when Gustavo Hamer was red-carded with 22 minutes to go. Jason Tindall will hope this momentum can be continued after the international break.

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Bournemouth made a couple of changes with Sam Surridge making his first start and Dan Gosling coming into the starting eleven for Arnaut Danjuma and Philip Billing. David Brooks returned to the bench as well, but Danjuma had a minor calf injury, while Josh King was left out because of a migraine, adding more speculation that he has played his last game for AFCB. There were only six players on the bench.

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Match Description
AFCB make a sharp start. Sam Surridge is quick to pinch possession. Bournemouth are dominating play but the ball seems to be out of play a lot. Still, Bournemouth are keeping the ball moving well.

Coventry are doing all the chasing. Solanke gets in behind but can't beat the last man. Ball back to Lerma and he fizzes it right in the corner on seven minutes. There was a lovely backheel by Gosling in the buildup and a well-weighted slid pass from Solanke before Lerma buried it with power. 

Stacey does some good cleaning up at the back. Adam Smith is brought down. Lerma is then fouled. Some neat play by Lewis Cook. Stacey has to do some covering to stop Giles from getting a cross in. 

The game has dropped off a bit since the start. Coventry are getting more of a foot in. Hamer has a shot from distance and Begovic saves to his right. The shot came from nowhere. Coventry's corner is headed away by Solanke.

Stacey crosses from the right. Adam Smith goes for a diving header, Gosling on the line can't get a touch and Surridge is there but doesn't head powerfully enough. It's cleared - a let-off for Coventry.

Hamer has another go from distance, but it's too high. Coventry are getting forward now. Solanke breaks but only shoots against Hamer. Gosling took a nasty tackle and Østigard, is booked. Rico fouls.

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Solanke runs into Hamer and it's a foul. Lerma makes a good interception in Bournemouth's box. Surridge is offside. Surridge and Solanke are starting to link well.

Mepham crosses and gets a corner. Surridge's header is gathered by the keeper. Solanke on the turn forces a save from outside the box on 34 minutes.

Ball through, over the top Surridge heads on to Salanke who rounds the keeper and Hyam has to get his body between the ball and the goal, corner to Bournemouth.

Giles on the left through to O'Hare who curls it passed Steve Cook, but it's off the bottom of the post for a goal kick.

Lewis Cook has made a poor challenge on Ben Sheaf and it's a penalty to Coventry on 39 minutes. Matt Godden makes it 1-1 from the spot. Begovic went the wrong way.

Lewis Cook to Gosling and the shot has been blocked by Solanke. Bournemouth have a free kick. Adam Smith tackles Dabo well. Lerma wins a free kick. Gosling is fouled by Østigard. Good position just outside the box and central. Rico and Lewis Cook stand over it and Rico hots the wall. Two minutes of added time.

AFCB 58% possession, 10 shots, 6 shots on target. 2 corners, 8 fouls

Coventry City 42% possession, 4 shots, 2 shots on target, 1 corner, 8 fouls

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Second half

Rose has replaced Østigard and Shipley has come off for Allen at half-time. Stacey gets a cross in and Adam Smith's header is picked up by the keeper. Lerma plays a great ball for Stacey and Gosling's shot is over. Poor finish from Gosling.

Rico fouls Dabo. Lewis Cook to Stacey, off Solanke and Gosling has slipped in Bournemouth's second on 51 minutes. A defender on the line couldn't get back. 1-2 to Bournemouth.

Stacey wins a corner. There will be another corner. Lots of headers and Surrdige puts a powerful header in and the keeper just stretches enough to keep it out. Steve Cook heads wide from the corner.

In the last five minutes, Sky Sports say Bournemouth have had 87 per cent possession.  Bournemouth are turning the screw. 

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Mepham plays it up for Surridge and Surridge is unlucky to be pulled up for that looked like a shoulder barge.  Rico wins the ball. Gosling has turned and blitzes the goal, that was pinged into the net from 30 yards! 1-3 Superb strike, majestic.

Lerma fouls. Surrdige cuts inside and hist a shot that is saved at the near post. Mepham takes a knock. Adam Smith is carded for taking down Dabo. Hamer has been sent off for raising his hands on Steve Cook! Steve Cook is also yellow carded for a push. The free kick is headed on, Callum O'Hare hits the side netting.

Bournemouth are playing the possession game now and working the ball. O'Hare is pushed over by Gosling who is carded. Rico goes in hard on O'Hare.

Billing is on for Lewis Cook on 77 minutes.  Solanke almost rushes the keeper. The game is playing out fairly quietly now after all the niggly stuff earlier this half.

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Simpson relaces Rico on 83 minutes. Simpson puts a cross in that s cut out for a corner. Coventry substitute Giles for Sam McCallum on 87 minutes.

Simspon's cross is palmed away. Ofoborh replaces Gosling on 91 minutes. It's Ofoborh's first league appearance. Four added minutes.

Summary

Bournemouth fired themselves to the top of the table tonight and yet there is still more to come form the team. The strikes from Lerma and Gosling were precise and the whole team passed the ball well. There were some feisty moments to the match, but the Bournemouth players managed to keep their heads.  For an away performance it was a well-controlled game for Bournemouth even if they did let it slip at the end of the first half. There was a good attitude and players didn't want the three points to escape them. On to the next one.

AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Travers, Simpson, Ofoborh, Billing, Brooks, Anthony

AFCB Ratings

Begivic 6, Mepham 6, S Cook 5, Rico 5,  Stacey 6, A Smith 6, Gosling 8, Lerma 7, L Cook 6, Surridge 6, Solanke 6

Coventry City
1 Marosi, 2 Østigard (Rose 45), 5 McFadzean, 15 Hyam, 23 Dabo, 38 Hamer (Red card 68), 14 Sheaf, 18 Giles (McCallum 87),  26 Shipley (Allen 45), 11 O'Hare, 24 Godden

Coventry Subs
4 Rose, 6 Kelly, 8 Allen, 19 Walker, 20 Bakayoko, 21 McCallum, 31 Billson

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth look to keep their undefeated record going away at Coventry

Bournemouth look to keep their undefeated record going away at Coventry

Bournemouth goes to St Andrews looking to keep their unbeaten record. Coventry City have had a mediocre start to their season with a defeat, a win and a draw. Their last home match was a particularly close affair with QPR, as Coventry gave a penalty away before coming back strongly to win 3-2. A nil-nil scoreline against Barnsely though shows that Coventry can be tough in defence.

AFCB look to keep their unbeaten record 

under the watchful eye of SKY TV coverage tonight

Coventry have scored four goals from their first three games and Matt Godden is their lead scorer with two goals. That is pretty much average for the Championship, but they have conceded four goals as well. Set-pieces will be an area he Bournemouth have to look out for Kyle McFadzean who scored the headed winner in the QPR match from a corner.

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Mark Robins will want his side to compete against a team that was two divisions above them last season. It may make his team play cautiously and not push as many players forward in the press as they usually do, but Bournemouth have to take on such challenges and find ways of breaking these teams down. The Sky coverage and evening timing should get the adrenaline going and of course some of Bournemouth's players will have good memories about St Andrews from playing Birmingham there some six years ago in that big 0-8 win.

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The Cherries will look to keep their attacking game going. While Danjuma has been a big hit it looks like JT may have to play Adam Smith again in an advanced role on the left side and Jack Stacey as a wing-back on the right side. Bournemouth do look short of wingers with Stanislas, Brooks and King having only made brief appearances this season But of course, we could see Rodrigo Riquelme making an appearance from the bench, if things go well for AFCB.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Can AFCB hold on to Welsh Winger and Norwegian striker?

Possible AFCB line up

AFCB Subs: Travers, Simpson, Gosling, Ofoborh, Riquelme, King, Surridge

Tottenham move into pole position to buy Bournemouth striker

Callum Wilson has made no secret of his wage demands, if anyone is going to bid for him this summer. He may have frozen a few clubs out by asking for £75,000 a week, but Tottenham are willing to meet those demands, according to the Daily Express.

Is Callum's new home going to be at Tottenham? 

A move to a London club is ideal for Wilson who may not have to completely up root his young family to play at Spurs. Going to a top six club and playing his football under an established manager like José Mourhino would be a big step up for the former Coventry striker. There maybe difficulty for him in getting opportunities to play next to Harry Kane, but if Spurs dd look to play that way, it could really help Wilson's England claims, if he does well in the same side as Kane.

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What we don't know is how much Spurs are willing to pay Bournemouth to sign Callum. It could be £25m or above, but the deal could be lowered if Spurs say they are willing to pay his wages and Callum is keen to go there. It certainly doesn't look like Callum will be with Bournemouth much longer, and for our club it is best if the done is concluded quickly, so that Bournemouth have the funds to go and get a replacement.

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It is rather concerning that we haven't seem Bournemouth exercise any buying in the market yet and with 12 September not far away, I expect I am not alone in hoping for some action in the other direction. Bournemouth's bank balance is not going to win games if some of the money is not reinvested in players.

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I would think that Callum's agent has been pressing his move as we are also getting near to the start of the new season, and for any player it is unsettling if you don't know where you will be playing next season.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - The Disrupted Season 2019-20 - out next month

The Disrupted Season 2019-20 (ebook) can now be pre-ordered - click this link

Put yourself in Wilson's boots AFCB or West Ham?

It sounds like West Ham are making a concerted effort to try and sign AFCB's top scorer. The Sun has been the main source of rumour that Wilson could be on his way, but considering what is on offer at West Ham with perhaps a doubling of his salary is it a move Wilson should consider?

In demand AFCB's Callum Wilson.

I very much believe it is a firstly a matter of whether AFCB are even remotely interested in letting their top striker go to a club that did not finish so far above them in the league last season. AFCB's aim will be to catch clubs like West Ham and not give them our best players to move further ahead. So I don't see a big incentive for AFCB as even £35-40m is not going to guarantee AFCB being able to bring in another striker that will score 13 or more goals next season and Coventry City would take a share of that figure.

While Callum Wilson was quick to say that Ryan Fraser was going nowhere this summer, it may now be Fraser's turn to say he doesn't want their partnership to be broken up. But a serious rise in salary will be tempting to any player and the location of London offers a great deal, even if West Ham are not in European football next season. It is no surprise that the Hammers are keen to get hold of Wilson as they find him impossible to stop whenever the two teams meet. Wilson will be well aware of that and probably would not be keen on not getting the chance to put a few goals past West Ham next season.

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He is West Ham's tormentor and it's excellent recognition of what he has done to their hopes of getting points in the games with AFCB. The priorities of Wilson will be to keep his England hopes going and to score as many goals as he can. Would he get better service at West Ham? All I know is that he would have a lot more pressure to score goals and how he would react to that is something only Wilson could answer. If he stays at AFCb one more year would he be in line for a bigger club?

If it had been a top six club coming in, I expect the AFCB fans would be a bit more worried about a deal, but West Ham are relying on Wilson being keen to raise his salary above all else and hope they have enough money to allow AFCB to talk to Wilson. I expect West Ham would have to offer significantly more to get a foot in the door for those talks.

Baily Cargill's signing paperwork for loan move to Coventry City

The Coventry Telegraph is reporting that Baily Cargill is about to join the Sky Blues on loan. Baily was always available to play as an U21 in the Cherries Premier League side but has not been able to force his way into the side and with Tommy Elphick returning to full fitness it seems that Eddie Howe believes he has enough cover now to let Baily get some game time in League One.

Baily at Portsmouth last weekend.å

Baily could probably play at a higher level in the Championship, but for the moment he will be joining a club that is in contention for the League One play-offs and that will be a great experience for him. There will be a lot of pressure on him and if he does well it will do his England U21 prospects no harm. Baily played at Portsmouth in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday and is fully up to speed in terms of matches so he should fit straight in at Coventry.

It kind of indicates to me that Eddie Howe is also going to take the FA Cup very seriously now and is perhaps going to play a first team side against Everton if he is letting players like Baily go out on loan at this time.

Allsop will be glad to get Premier debut under his belt

Ryan Allsop will have been as nervous as anyone in the Vitality stadium when he knew that the injury to Adam Federici was going to mean he would get his chance to make his Premier League debut. There has been a lot of work done with Rocky since his difficult introduction to games in the Championship in 2013-14 when he just seemed to lose his confidence and to see him back between the sticks for the first team demonstrates Eddie Howe's desire to see players improve and comeback stronger when they have had a drop in form and confidence.

Building Ryan back up has seen him go out on loan at Coventry City where he saw plenty of action and it was no doubt helpful to him to have fellow team mates Josh McQuoid and Mohamed Coulibaly out there with him during that period. He has come back into the squad with several Development games under his belt, and I suppose if Ryan was going to have his first game in the Premier League it was easier to come on against Everton at Dean Court than it would have been if he had been in Federici's boots a few weeks ago at somewhere like the Etihad.

Now Ryan will be worked especially hard if there is worry that Boruc and Federici will still be missing games going into the Christmas period. The emergency loan option is there for Eddie Howe to bring in a keeper if he can find one of the quality he needs, but the Echo yesterday said this may not be easy to arrange with the Premier League and it is always hard to being someone in who naturally fits with the way the Cherries like to play from the back.

Ryan has had a taste of the big time now.

Finding more resilience in defence is hard enough when you have a settled side but Howe has to do that with keeper decisions now. If Boruc is 90 per cent fit does he play him? Can Ryan Allsop step in and do a solid job? The goal that Everton did score in extra time against Ryan was not a moment that will have pleased him, and whether Ryan might have done better is a question that only he will truly be able to answer. Ryan must have been feeling a lot better though when Junior Stanislas thumped home his last second header to make things 3-3 with Everton, and I hope that helps the whole team to believe they can stop these other sides when they play to their best.

Could Callum Wilson be snatched away by Premier League big boys?

There have been recent rumours in the Sun newspaper that Callum Wilson could be a potential target for Chelsea in the summer to replace their aging striker Didier Drogba (36). The word is that Chelsea have opened a dossier of the former Coventry striker and are keen to see how Callum progresses in the Championship run in with an eye on making a move for the striker in the summer.

Can Callum say no if Chelsea come calling?

It is not the news that AFCB fans will want to hear, although Eddie Howe has said that it is always good to hear when the club's players are in the spotlight and are attracting interest, because for that to happen the players are doing well. Yet, with less than a year since the sale of leading marksman Lewis Grabban to Norwich there will be little enthusiasm from AFCB to sell their top scorer again for the second season in a row and the rise of Callum Wilson from Coventry in League One to Bournemouth and possibly Chelsea might just be a bit too quick for the player's development. If AFCB win promotion the player will already be in the Premier League and his opportunity to play games in an AFCB shirt will be virtually guaranteed. A move to Chelsea might bring hugely bigger wages and huge pressure on such a young striker, but no guarantees about starting games. It would certainly be of benefit to Coventry City who are said to have a sell on clause when they sold Callum to AFCB last summer.

Callum Wilson is 22 and may just be on the fast track to Premier League football.

There is the possibility that AFCB might of course fall short and do not make it to the Premier League this season and that would signal alarm bells not just for Callum Wilson, but for many of the Cherries squad who might arguably be considered good buys for Premier League clubs and other top Championship rivals. While that could mean a significant number of big pay days for the seasiders the intention of Eddie Howe and the owners has been to build the side and to keep it together. That just might be tested over the summer.

Callum Wilson already looks like a bargain

It is no wonder that strikers cost so much money when they win you so many games. AFCB would have been lucky to come away with a win at Bolton were it not for the finishing power of Callum Wilson. His first goal showed his quickness of feet and sharpness of mind. Callum is one of the most goal hungry strikers I have seen at AFCB. He does not seem to worry overly when he misses a chance, but gets up and has another go. That makes him a cracking buy for me and he has already shown that he is worth the large amount of money that the Cherries payed Coventry City for his services.

Callum - back on target at Bolon.

While there is still more to come from Callum, it is great that Eddie Howe, Jason Tindall and Simon Weatherstone will be able to work on him and encourage him to greater things. It is not every day that you can find a striker that is a raw talent that has the attributes to be a big star at the top level. Callum is already showing that he is capable of great things, and for his first season at AFCB he is setting a high standard. Yes, he could have scored more goals. He has missed chances, but he has also got himself into those positions to get the chances. 

It was interesting to hear that Harry Arter said that the team had been working hard on getting Callum though like he did for the second goal against Bolton. Callum took the ball down nonchalantly, despite it being a difficult ball to control and he had the presence of nerve to steer it past Lonergan with ease. Playing to Callum's strength is clearly starting to pay-off, and the season is already starting to mirror last season in what a certain striker, who has moved on, achieved for AFCB. Let's hope that come the end of the season, AFCB are in a better position to keep Callum's services.   

Hot property - Callum Wilson is proving to be a great buy for AFCB.

AFCB on loan report

I thought it would be good to catch up with a few AFCB players that are currently at other clubs on loan to see how they are faring. Top of my list were those at Coventry City as I had seen that the Midland's club is only sitting mid-table and I wondered how much game time some of the AFCB players had been getting. I also wanted to see how much news there was on Miles Addison's injury and how Jayden Stockley and Matt Tubbs were doing in League Two and what of Stephan Zubar after his Scottish adventure?

Jayden has been doing well at Cambridge Utd.

Coventry City are one team that you can't help but keep one eye on now if you are a Cherries fan. With Ryan Allsop, Josh McQuoid and Mohamed Coulibaly at the club it is by far the team most supported by on loan AFCB players. Tonight, the Sky Blues will finally play their first game home back at the Rioch Arena. It will been quite an occasion for the home fans as well as for Coventry players and with Gillingham the opposition it was a chance to leap frog them in the league table. Coventry have gained six points before the game and Josh McQuoid is beginning to look the part for them having scored two league goals this season in his forward role against Barnsley and Swindon, plus a goal in the Football League Trophy against Wycombe Wanderers. Keeping out the goals has been a test for Ryan Allsop who has done reasonably okay just letting in six in his first five matches, while he earned a clean sheet against promotion favourites MK Dons. Mohamed Coulibaly has made the subs bench against Swindon, MK Dons, Barnsley and Sheffield Utd but has yet to make his debut for the Sky Blues from what I can see. Maybe he'll get his chance tonight.

Miles is back in the treatment room and may need an operation.

Miles Addisson has had even worse luck at Scunthorpe as he is now back at AFCB receiving assessment after injuring a knee against Walsall which was the Iron's first three points of the season. Miles loan spell was due to end at the start of September but probably would have continued if he had not have got injured. I expect Miles to go back out on loan as soon as he is fit again (perhaps six to eight weeks) and you'd expect Russ Wilcox to have the first say on having him if he is wanted back at Scunthorpe who are really short on numbers. 

Another defender we have not seen at AFCB for a while is Stephan Zubar who was on trial at Cambridge Utd at the end of pre-season and then went up to Partick Thistle for three days to try and get some games. He played for Thistle against Sunderland in a 3-1 pre-season win, but transfer deadline day has passed without any news on a potential move, although he is now reported to be heading to Crewe Alexandria for a trial, according to the Echo.

Dropping down a division it is worth having a quick look at Cambridge Utd and AFCB Wimbledon. Jayden Stockley has been on target twice against Carlisle and has helped united up to ninth in the division. Meanwhile, Matt Tubbs has been hitting form and is already up to five goals, four of which were in the league, so AFC Wimbledon are going to be pleased with him.

Torquay Utd is another club with strong links with the Cherries as the manager their is Chris Hargreaves, former AFCB 1st team coach. Josh Wakefield has just gone to the Conference club and played a few late minutes against Dartford and 45 minutes against Lincoln, but was taken off as Torquay changed their system at half time. A few more matches at that level though should give Josh invaluable experience. It certainly was a good club for Bailey Cargill and Jayden Stockley last season.

Robins has his work cut out against Howe

This weekend Mark Robins, 44, will come up against Eddie Howe for the third time when his Huddersfield Town side take on the Cherries. Appointed at the Terriers in February 2013 after Simon Grayson had been dismissed after a barren run, Mark was effectively promoted from his League One job at Coventry City to the Huddersfield post in the Championship. Some would say that move was a bit of a risk for the owners of the Terriers as he had not had the best of times as Barnsley's manager in the Championship even if he had kept them up in 2010-11. Mark had only been at Coventry about five or six month's before the move but had done exceedingly well at the sky blues.

The two games Robins has managed against Bournemouth have been shared with a win a piece, the home team winning out both times. I don't think the 5-1 thrashing of the Cherries on 24 August 2013 did not leave a bad taste though in the AFCB's players' minds, but it was viewed as more of a lesson which they took on board and used to their advantage in other games. It was the second away game in a row where the Cherries had been on a hiding but looking back now it is more easy to appreciate that Mark Robins got his tactics right and his forwards put away their chances with great skill. It probably was not Ian Harte or Simon Francis' finest of games but that is a mark of how well Huddersfield played. 

Huddersfield handed out a bit of a Championship lesson to the
Cherries last time at the John Smith's stadium.

It was not so easy for mark Robins at Dean Court though in the Tuesday evening game on 28 Jan 2014 when his team battled hard, but came out the 2-1 losers in match that really showed the attacking power of both sides, on a muddy pitch. Woods scored a great goal for the Terriers that night but Rantie had the last word. Robins seems to set his teams up to go for the win more often than not, just like Eddie Howe, which makes them both exciting young managers in mt view. Robins record has slipped a little of late with 23 wins from 67 games at Huddersfield and a win ratio of 34.3%, but he has lost only 30 games in a couple of seasons which is better than many in the Championship.

In terms of manager records though it is Howe that is far the stronger. Now in his second term at the helm of AFCB he has been accelerating his win ratio. While not all those games were in the Championship and included a promotion, a win percentage of 50.56% is quite remarkable and the task facing Huddersfield is not easy when you see that Howe has lost just 25 games since 12 October 2012. If Eddie Howe can improve on last season's stats as a manager he surely will be one of the most wanted English managers. That is not a great thing for AFCB fans to hear but when you assess Howe against other Championship managers it gives you an idea of just how some of those opposition managers are feeling when they have to devise a plan to beat the man who is rapidly rewriting AFCB's history.  

I was asked a few questions by Huddersfield website Thrice Champions about AFCB and how I thought the season would pan out for the Cherries and I am told that it is likely to be posted on the Thrice Champions' site later today - so look out for it.

Also good luck to AFCB's Callum Buckley and Mason Walsh who go on loan initially for a month to Dorchester Town.

McQuoid surplus to requirements?

Despite the long held desire for Josh McQuoid to fight for his place at AFCB it seems that he has not managed to hold a squad place for the coming season and will now go to Coventry City on loan, according to the Bournemouth Echo. It was going to be an up hill task for him to force his way back into Eddie Howe's plans but Josh played quite a few times over the summer as he regained his fitness and tried to sharpen his aim in front of goal. Looking at the AFCB goal scorers chart though for pre-season you won't see Josh's name among them and with Junior Stanislas and Callum Wilson bolstering the team the time seems right for Josh to see if he can play regularly elsewhere.

McQuoid is said to be set to join Coventry on Monday.

Coventry's manager, Steven Pressley has made no secret of his desire to capture McQuoid and it looks like he will have quite a strong AFCB second eleven playing for the sky blues with Allsop and Coulibaly already at the club on loan. Josh's contract will run out in may next year and it would be good for AFCB if they can recoup some money from his sale and the only way that has a chance of happening is if he is playing. Whether it leaves space for another player to come in at AFCB is not known but if anything I would not be surprised if one or two more could still go out on loan.

I think if Howe knows that a player is not going to be a big part of his plans then it is best that they are moved on and by doing that it opens the door for players like Sam Matthews, Josh Wakefield and Josh Carmichael to start trying to get appearances. It is a competitive world and not everyone is going to be able to get into this AFCB team. The signs are that a bit of trimming around the sides might not be such a bad thing.

Josh may leave space for others to come in.

Is the Championship heading for Premier League 2 status?

The summer transfer window still has some way to go but it is already apparent that there is suddenly a trend for Championship teams to bring in players from foreign clubs. That does not mean that they are all spending big though. Derby were quick to pick up Athletico Madrid star Ivan Calero on a free. Nottingham Forest have paid £1m for Michael Mancienne of Hamburg and have signed Roger Riera from Barcelona on a free. Charlton have gone for Standard Liege's George Tucudean and Tal Ben Haim on free transfers. Meanwhile, Leeds have signed Tommasso Bianchi of Sassuolu and Souletmane Doukara of Catania. Fulham have brought in Kay Voser of FC Basel and Tim Hoogland of Schalke. We might have expected Watford to look towards Italy, but this time they looked at Parma and Daniel Tozer. Middlesbrough have even bought Tomas Meijas of Real Madrid. The BBC has a good list of July's transfers.

So what is going on? Are the prices for players in Europe suddenly much more affordable for Championship sides? Are the foreign players much better than those in the lower English leagues? I believe that there are many reasons and some of them may not be for the better for English football. The amount of foreign club owners and managers may well be a stimulant in the pull to look abroad while the cost of players in League One has been demonstrated by AFCB's signing of Callum Wilson from Coventry. Among other clubs to pick up League One players we can see that Rotherham signed Febien Brandy of Sheffield Utd in June and Ryan Hall of MK Dons, plus Mat Sadler from Crawley, while Brentford signed Moses Odubago of Leyton Orient Andy Gray of League Two Luton and Byron Webster came to Millwall from Yeovil on a free and Lee Gregory from FC Halifax. Stephen Gleeson of MK Dons also signed for Birmingham along with Johnathan Grounds who was at Oldham - both were frees.

There are fewer big money moves though from the lower leagues to the Championship and League One and Two will be all the more poorer for it in the end. If Championship clubs continue to go abroad for new players that will cut the amount of money going down through our leagues and while transfers between League One and Two remain high they are not of the value of the Championship signings.

We do see Championship sides willing to loan out players to the lower leagues and this may well be the main way that the transfer market works in future years. For teams like AFCB, the signings from Premier League teams have been possible because they have been on free transfers and this goes for a lot of the signings we have seen coming from the Premier League to Championship clubs. The most telling signing from a Championship club to another Championship side has to be Fulham's capture of Leed's Ross McCormack for an estimated £11m. 

Whether you think that foreign signings are bargains or gambles it appears that the Championship will be full of them. I can see this league becoming Premier League 2 which will be yet more bad news for the FA and the hopes of English fans that want to see their national side do well. If there is some good to come of the foreign player attraction it is that the quality of the league is likely to rise and with that the FA has a much more marketable product than it had only a few years ago as seen by SKYBet's sponsorship of the Championship.

Just as a final word, I had some communication with Liz Finney, the general manger at AFCB, and she informed me that the reason for so many mid-week kick offs this season in the Championship was mainly down to two things. Firstly, the clubs had all voted to start the season one week later and also there will be three international breaks in the 2014/15 Championship season.

You can also vote in our poll for where you think AFCB will finish next season - scroll down the right side panel to vote and see the results so far..

Coulibaly and Allsop can help Coventry win promotion

The deal involving the arrival of Callum Wilson coming to AFCB was not so much a shock for the striker having a clear choice between the Cherries and Norwich City, but more for the fact that Bournemouth's bid would include the addition of two players going the other way. While Coventry may well have directed Callum towards their preference of which club he might choose, there can only be pats on the back for the Bournemouth transfer team that put together such a deal that sees Ryan Allsop and Mohammed Coulibaly hopefully get some important match experience in League One at the Sky Blues that could even help Coventry to promotion.

Ryan Allsop at Dean Court.

Last season Coventry were docked 10 points last season and finished 18th in League One with 51 points, but they showed great fighting spirit to shake off their points deduction and to climb the league while playing their home games at Northampton Town, 34 miles away from the Ricoh Arena. Most of their players have been signed on free transfers, or are loan players or trainees such is the financial circumstances of the club. The addition of two players that have been involved in AFCB's Championship set up should be some help for them even if they have lost their leading goal scorer of last season.

A long run in a team will do Coulibaly the world of good.

Ryan Allsop proved himself to be top class between the sticks when playing for Leyton Orient and AFCB in league One and he will be able to rebuild his confidence with this new challenge and a new crowd behind him. For Coulibaly it is all about getting match time as he has hardly touched the grass since his move to AFCB from Grasshoppers Zurich last year. He could be a big hit with the Midland's club who will be delighted to see his energy and pace on the wing.

When January comes around it will be good for AFCB if Allsop and Coulibaly have done exceptionally well and Coventry City do not want to hand them back. That will mean that they will have contributed positively to Steven Pressley's squad. Coulibaly only has a year on his AFCB contract so it is a very important move for him as he is in the shop window if AFCB do not offer him a new contract, while Allsop is signed up until the summer of 2016.

There was an epic 0-0 draw if there could be such a thing in the World Cup last night. Catch up on the last quarter final of the Netherlands v Costa Rica on World Cup Chimes.
  

Cherries play it clever to win Wilson's signature

The Cherries have managed to not only secure the signature of Callum Wilson according to news reports but also to have loaned out Mohammed Coulibaly and Ryan Allsop as part of the deal. If the fee is around £2.25m as suspected, it will equal the price paid for Tokelo Rantie and will see another striker join the squad. It was certainly felt that AFCB was over heavy with wingers, and by loaning out Coulibaly and goalkeeper Allsop one would have thought that those extra incentives gave AFCB a bit of an advantage in the race to sign the Coventry striker with Norwich City just losing out at the end.

It has been a hard fought battle to land the 22-year-old and while it has not been easy to witness the protracted transfer I am sure that Eddie Howe will be delighted to see Callum on the training pitch and ready to go in AFCB colours. The choice of AFCB instead of Norwich will give Callum a big challenge still but perhaps with a club that is not necessarily going to have pressure put on him quite as much as if he were to go to an ex-Premiership looking to get straight back up. He should also find the south coast quite a relaxing place to be and under Howe I would hope that he develops his game in the best way possible.

Update
AFCB have just made an official statement  - the contract is for a four year deal. Coulibaly and Allsop are on loan until January at Coventry City.

Callum Wilson's big decision - Canaries or Cherries?

It's win-win for Callum Wilson this week as he is set to join either Norwich City or AFCB with both teams having met Coventry's asking price and the player is set to have discussions with both interested clubs, according to the Bournemouth Echo. It seems that money talks in circumstances like these with other potential hunters for the 22-year-old, Brentford and Wolves dropping out of the chase.

The successful club will no doubt be very pleased with their purchase while the other one will have to look again at those available to add to their strike force. It does seem peculiar that Norwich, who have already nabbed AFCB's lead striker from last season should now be after the same target as the Cherries who see Wilson as the perfect replacement for Grabban. The Canaries are clearly intent on adding young strikers to their squad and if they pip the Cherries to Wilson's signature I imagine the matches against them next season will be a tasty affairs.

It does speak volumes that AFCB are capable to going head-to-head with a Premiership team only a few months ago for a player's signature. The asking price that is said to be £3m will easily be a record signing if AFCB land their man. This is new territory for the Cherries and the sums involved are something that us fans might just have to get used to as the club pushes for Premiership status. If you read Cherry Chimes May Newsletter you will know that I think the Callum is very similar in his play to Lewis Grabban and while it will be a big step up for him, he looks a player that relishes the spotlight and is always keen to get on the score sheet be it from a penalty of from open play.

We will know soon enough whether Callum has chosen to come south or not but the timing would be excellent if he signs for AFCB this week with the foreign training camp next week.

Expect AFCB to be sensible with Lallana windfall

It seems that Liverpool have been encouraged to go for the Lallana deal having had a difficult past week with the Suarez biting incident and are set to capture their second Southampton player this summer, clearing the way for a £6.25m pay out for the Cherries. While many devoted Dean Court  fans may see that money already headed for a large splash out for new additions to the Cherries squad I am more of a mind to expect that AFCB chairman Jeff Mostyn is likely to say thank you very much and bank most of what comes in with the Cherries overheads already at levels that would be hard to sustain but for the generosity of owner Maxim Demin. 

Yes, AFCB may well increase their offer for front man Callum Wilson of Coventry city and their bid may be accepted but look at the prudence of Eddie Howe's signings so far this summer - both free transfers. AFCB are not yet a club that can splash the cash at will and just because another club values a player higher than the Cherries are prepared to initially pay does not mean they will not look elsewhere if they think the price is too high. 

There is certainly a sudden movement in the market and it is being stimulated by the Liverpool's and Man Utd's who are spending and importantly spending on British players. That is not something that has been a trend for quite some time, but the value of academies is there for everyone to see. The clause in Lallana's Southampton contract for an AFCB payment is how clubs like ours can recoup funds and build, but it is not every day that such windfalls will offer themselves and the Cherries have to think carefully what to do with the money they receive down the line.

There are plans for a new permanent South End stand which could be built next summer and we already know that space at Dean Court is limited for much more future development. Living within your means is the slogan that few chairman fail to live by in the Championship but in Jeff Mostyn I believe we have a man who will, with other board members, do what is best for the club and its supporters. Let's see that the Lallana deal goes through  on Monday and then hear what Jeff has to say.

And just a last thought. What are Southampton going to do with all their new money will Ronald Koeman look to buy Dutch players or could he have his eye on some young Championship players, even AFCB ones? Just pulling your leg, Saint fans!


Kyle's World Watch previews Brazil v Chile and Uruguay v Colombia - see World cup Chimes. Catch all the best bets for the World cup at Free Bet Negotiator.

Well done to Mark-c on 265pts in our Chimes fans  Fantasy league and AdamJ on 207pts, myself (202) and AFCB_Tay (195) have some work to do!

Finally, All Departments has released a new podcast with Neil Moss - Number One. See the link on our site in the side panel or visit All Departments' website to listen.

Let's hope the Cherries don't pay over the top for new signings

The basis of a very good Championship team is already in place at Dean Court. This week we have heard that the Cherries have made a second and still unsuccessful bid for Coventry's Callum Wilson who had a good year in League One last time around, but is untested at the higher Championship level. If Coventry stick to their guns and have put a high price-tag on the young striker I would hope that AFCB do not go and pay over the odds for his services. It is not that I don't rate the young striker, but if there are other potential forwards who can do as well or if not better then the Cherries have no need to throw more money at the League One side.

The problem is usually that there are not many strikers that are considered right for the task and that is why there are at least three clubs said to chasing the Coventry City lad. No matter how well the Cherries did last season it was a blow to lose Lewis Grabban over the summer. Eddie Howe would have been pleased to have kept him for longer, but if Callum Wilson is seen as a replacement then AFCB are looking for a player that is less experienced and not quite a like-for-like replacement. I believe it is the style of play that is the important thing for Eddie Howe and he wants another striker who stretches defences like Grabban did.

There is time to bring in another quality striker and if AFCB thought that by going down a league to purchase a player would mean a lower price to pay, they have not yet succeeded in their aim. It is funny how Lewis Grabban's release cause seemed to be leaked and yet AFCB are having to creep towards an acceptable figure with new bids if they want to talk to Callum Wilson. If Wilson wants a move no doubt his agent will be very talkative, but if he is happy at Coventry then he will have shown good loyalty to his club. The coming days will no doubt decide if the Cherries have simply set their stall out to capture the young man at significant cost if need be. As fans we just have to wait and see.

World Cup Chimes' story today is 'spray it on' - any ideas what it's about? Find out at World Cup Chimes. Kyle Cotter has also asked to write some World Cup stories and will be featured as Kyle's World Cup watch. As I have far too much on my hands, Kyle will monitor Group's A, B and C with the hosts Brazil, World Cup holders Spain and Group C will hold England's 2nd round opponents if they get that far. Kyle starts with a preview of Chile v Australia.
World Cup viewing

De Vere's Urban Village Hotel in Bournemouth are sponsors of Cherry Chimes and are getting ready for England's first game. 

Next Carnival Day Saturday 14th June England v Italy
- Live DJ, Brazilian Carnival Dancers & children’s face painting.
- Entertainment commencing from 19.00, kick off at 23.00

Food service extension
- The Victory will be serving food until 22.00 for the entire duration of the world cup with the exception of England’s first game (Saturday 14th June) which will be until 23.00.

Download the complete game planner for the Victory pub and kitchen.

Cherries shadowed for second summer signing

The cat is out of the bag as AFCB are reported by Sky sports and other news sources to have made a bid for Coventry City's Callum Wilson that was rejected. Whether they move again with an improved offer or switch to another target, there is definitely a feeling that the transfer market is starting to hot up for the Championship clubs. We don't know how strong Bournemouth's bid was but a seven figure sum would be one of the largest bids that the seaside club has ever made. While the foreign signings of Tokelo Rantie and Mohamed Coulibaly may not have made as big an impact as Eddie Howe might have wanted last season, it looks like the club's next aim is to sign a young player who is familiar with the English leagues.

Callum Wilson is perhaps not the most experienced of strikers that Howe could have chosen to pursue, but if he can get a young striker he may be easier to teach new things to and will be less set in his ways. Still Eddie will also know that you can have difficult young players who believe they already have what it takes and don't listen to improve. With Nottingham Forest and Wolves also said to be after the striker though and Coventry reluctant to sell, Callum Wilson may be a target that is out of reach.

The aspect that I would like to know is how many potential targets could AFCB be after? If they switch to another option and get blown out again will it be a major set-back? Other teams will be watching AFCB and shadowing their moves. The market is not so big as some may like and competition for new stars is always a difficult game to win. Once bids are made that become public knowledge, the possibility of having a player pinched from under our noses raises its head. Nottingham Forest have been quick to pick up Matt Fryatt ex-Hull City without hardly a whisper, while Birmingham have needed to move quickly with so many loan players last season and Stephen Gleeson will be their third signing.

Eddie Howe has asked for patience though and season ticket holders yet to renew will be hoping that there is some good news coming before the end of the month. It's okay to move quickly but getting the right players is even more important. UTCIAD!

World Cup Fantasy LeagueThere is still time to joining the World Cup Fantasy Mini League I have set up on McDonald's FIFA World Cup fantasy League. It is free to play and you can make your own World Cup avatar. The league is called Chimes Fans which you can join through the search facility after you have built your squad. The website is found on this link - World Cup Fantasy League. 

Plan ahead for World Cup viewing
World Cup fever is starting to set in now but are you fully prepared? If you are not sure where to go to see the game why not go down to De Vere's Urban Village Hotel in Bournemouth? The sponsors of Cherry Chimes have some World Cup big carnival days that they'd like to share with you, starting off this a special event for the World Cup opener.

First Carnival Day
Thursday 12th June, First game of the tournament.

Brazil V Croatia
- Live DJ, Brazilian Carnival Dancers & children’s face painting.
- Entertainment commencing from 18.00, kick off at 21.00

Food service extension
- The Victory will be serving food until 22.00 for the entire duration of the world cup with the exception of England’s first game (Saturday 14th June) which will be until 23.00.

Download the complete game planner for the Victory pub and kitchen.