Yeovil fans may have reason to feel rejuvenated this season

Down in the West country Yeovil have always been a team that put in 100 per cent effort and have in the passed earned themselves a reputation of being giant killers. Their mascot is perhaps the biggest giant I think about when it comes to Yeovil Town now, but when they take on the Cherries they can hope to set their season up to be a much better one that the last couple that have seen them slip back down the leagues. While they've had a glamorous FA Cup tie against Man Utd last season, I can't help but think it was brilliant when AFCB were playing Yeovil in the Championship and I wish them success in trying to make their way back to that level and perhaps beyond.

Back in the land of green giants.

Why they have dropped back so far is something for Yeovil fans to consider and perhaps their management. Yeovil always seemed to hit above their weight but their performances never picked up after they made such a good attempt in the Championship. Dropping out of League One last season must have been hard for their supporters. AFCB have shown though that from a low position you can build a strong side and the Cherries won't expect an easy game against them.

Wes Fogden played some
great games for AFCB.

Over the summer I see that Yeovil have brought in former Cherry Wes Fogden, 27, on a two-year deal, who was released by Portsmouth. In all, the Glovers were up to some 15 new signings at the start of this week so they are likely to have a very new look team to take on the Cherries. Among their new recruits is former Carlisle striker Mark Beck and Ryan Bird, who signed from Cambridge Utd who you might have seen in the FA Cup tie against Man Utd. Shaun Jeffers has also signed for the Glovers from Newport County.

Paul Sturrock is now the manager at Yeovil after Gary Johnson left the club last April. The most recent friendly that Yeovil had saw them take on Torquay Utd in Devon and come away with a 1-2 away win. The Glovers also beat Truro City 1-0 in July.

What will have got Yeovil fans buzzing is a capital One Cup first leg tie against QPR. AFC Bournemouth's visit will be a good trial ahead of that fixture.



Make sure you have a look at the season preview piece I did with the Guardion Online newspaper - just click on this link to view it.

Cherries could find that Pompey are back on the up

I don't think many clubs slip down the leagues has been quite as spectacular as Pompey's fall. While they flirted briefly with relegation for a while last season they pulled out an inner belief to mount a bit of a late surge up the table. But League Two is still where they are and while there are no guarantees I actually hope that Pompey do start to climb their way back up the leagues to bolster the number of southern teams in the higher divisions. They seem always in a rebuilding phase and the third change of manager in six months in the summer has marked another phase in the club's search for stability and better results. So are they up to giving AFCB a bit of a surprise?

Fogden is apparently injured with knee ligament damage.

I think Portsmouth have a great chance of not only giving the Cherries a hard game although recent encounters might suggest that the difference between the teams has not closed as much as it might in recent years. Perhaps last season they turned the corner though. They took in players such as our own Wes Fogden and since then have added Craig Westcarr, Paul Jones, James Dunne and former Cherry Danny Hollands. Alex Wynter is a young defender signed on loan from Crystal Palace and Miles Storey is another notable loan signing from Swindon. Whether Andy Awford can get this group of players to combine well in such a short period of time will be the challenge, but a fresh look Portsmouth should be able to leave some of the baggage they have been carrying behind them so that they can press on now.

The AFCB match is likely to be their biggest pre-season game as they have been averaging crowds of 800-2500 for the other summer fixtures. If Andy Awford can get them playing well though the home crowd will soon turn up for Pompey's matches and playing AFCB may well spark off some of the fire that we are used to seeing in Pompey sides. I was down at Portsmouth Harbour at the weekend and it is the first time in a long time that I have visited the city and yet not seen a single Pompey shirt on view. Somehow I reckon the support for Pompey will be pretty vocal tonight though when the Cherries arrive at Fratton Park.

Wes Fogden is out of action with an injury picked up during training during July.

Strange but wonderful times at Bournemouth

I've seen this guy somewhere before!

I remember last summer catching the train to the pre-match friendly at Woking. That  day I saw Wes Fogden get injured in what was his last meaningful game for the Cherries and we lost the game 2-0. The next day we would be playing Real Madrid in what was probably the most talked about friendly of the summer, but I also got to speak to Eddie Howe that day and asked him to sign a programme for me. While the team had just been defeated and I was a bit down you couldn't see any such feelings in Eddie's face. He happily signed the Stephen Purches testimonial programme for me that I had brought along from the previous week's match, and while I was wondering how AFCB were going to complete in the Championship in the current season, Eddie was calm and thoughtful with his mind already on the next game.

Who would have thought that after the pre-season series of games and the difficult early away games of this campaign that the Cherries would be sitting here five games away from the end of the season and on the brink of a top six finish? I certainly couldn't see it having lost to teams like Woking and Salisbury in pre-season, but such games improve fitness and much was leaned from the big defeats against Watford and Huddersfield as well as a certain Real Madrid.

Now I just want to take five minutes to take things in and just work out what this team has achieved so far this season. I am looking at the table and all those incredible teams that are sitting below the Cherries. Is it conceivable that Bournemouth could even start rubbing shoulders more often with teams like Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd? I can't even contemplate it at the moment, but I know that if it happens one day Eddie Howe will simply take it in his stride. It is strange for us as fans to be reaching such heights, but for Eddie it all seems to comes naturally although I know there is much hard work behind everything. He is one of those leaders that is just born to be in that kind of top company though and will surely become an even greater manager. 

And today we have Yeovil Town waiting to play the Cherries. Are the inflatables almost ready to make an appearance? Yeovil may not be Real Madrid but I am just as excited about seeing Bournemouth take on the Glovers as I was seeing the team play against the Spanish giants. This season suddenly means something - it's probably going to be the biggest season in the club's history and we should savour every minute. Strange times indeed - UTCIAD!

 It's match day so make sure you get your free bet from Free Bet Negotiator. 

Is Francis' position under threat?

The arrival of Adam Smith should not send shivers down Simon Francis' spine. While he will find it more competitive to keep his place every game with Adam pushing him for the stating spot he should use it as a positive to drive himself on further and to try and perform better. To be fair Simon has had it pretty good for the last season and a half and he needs someone to challenge him if AFCB are to get the best out of him.

Simon Francis has not missed a game this season yet.

Adan Smith is also great going forward but has he become
a more astute defender in his time away from AFCB?

Now and again I do wonder if Francis does switch off or just gives players a little more room that he should, but this is a very hard league and it is his first season at this level. The goal that Leicester scored at the weekend came from a cross from the left wing that you can argue might have been stopped, but on the far post Kevin Phillips had managed to pull away from Francis to get a clear header on goal. It's slight margins and minor details and all our players have to be vigilant, but even a regular defender like Francis is still learning.

All the players have done well in truth, including Simon Francis, and to be where they are at this stage of the season is a credit to all of them. I just want the team to keep improving and that is the reason why Adam Smith has been brought in just like Yann Kermogant has been added to the forward line.

In some games Adam Smith may be preferred to Simon Francis and vice versa depending on the opposition and how the players are doing in training. I also like to see that AFCB finally has some specialist cover at right back as I was worried who would fill in at right back if Francis did get injured. Steve Cook and Wes Fogden were probably the go to players before Fogden left, but Smith is more used to playing there and I am keen to see him get a chance this season.

Adam Smith is no stranger to the Championship having
played at Leeds Utd, Millwall and Derby Co.

An emotional week sees comings, goings and cup highs

I always say there is never a dull day at AFCB and if this is a typical week then you can see why. Not long after we had been celebrating a win against Burton and had the dangling carrot of a Liverpool tie now firmly in our grasp than Wes Fogden leaves the club permanently for Pompey. While the blow had been softened earlier in the week by Eddie Howe's comments, it will be strange not to see the enthusiasm and energy of Fogden running himself ragged around Dean Court. We wish him all the best at Pompey.

Then as if there is no time to dwell on past heroes we find out that there are some familiar faces returning to the club. No less than Joe roach and Carl Fletcher! Again it was not a huge surprise because the news waves had been busy talking of a possible return for the pair but it is great to see that Eddie Howe is building a club with strong characters around him who are good professionals and will do everything in their power to make the club succeed, because they have been and still are AFC Bournemouth through and through. It is hoped that they can share in some of the future success as the club moves forward. I hope the lads in the AFCB Academies realise how lucky they are to have such knowledgeable teachers.
    
Of course we are all still ecstatic about the next round of the FA Cup and by the pictures of tickets already bought on social media sites, it would appear that season ticket holders are keen not to miss out on the visit of Liverpool FC. While it is just one day in a packed calendar year of fixtures, it will be a day to savour I am sure no matter how AFCB do. And optimism should be high before the Cherries take on the Mersyside Reds, because AFCB have nothing to lose and can really go out and enjoy the occasion which may bring great rewards if they can snatch an upset or a replay.

There will certainly be a buzz around the Goldsands stadium on Saturday for the visit of Watford as well. These are great times to be a Cherries fan and around each corner there seems to be another surprise. Who knows what lies ahead before the end of January, more new players?Stay tuned. UTCIAD! 

Could Wes Fogden be heading out on loan to Pompey?

There has been talk of Wes Fogden being in demand by Portsmouth FC. Eddie Howe mentioned a few days ago that he would not want the player to particularly leave the club, but that Wes may want to consider his options. I am hoping that Fogden is only thinking about a loan spell as the popular midfielder has not been able to play for the Cherries since his preseason injury encountered at Woking. The injury that day left him on crutches and he has not had a go in the Championship. Still a loan period at a club like Pompey would get him back into shape quicker than sitting on the sidelines.

Wes Fogden at Dean Court with Shaun MacDonald.

Former Chairman, Eddie Mitchell, revealed that watching Wes Fogden score a goal at Dean Court was one of his favourite moments at the club. The goal is pictured on one of the stands at the Goldsands stadium. Sorry I forget which match it was! One of you will know.

Plucked from non-league football, Wes Fogden has seen AFCB's rise in recent years and played a big part in the success since his move from Havant & Waterloovile. I have admired him for his tenacity and fighting spirit, because he is not the biggest of players and yet goes into tackles with full commitment and never holds back.

Fogden will have lived his dreams in getting to the Championship and it would be a real shame if he is not able to carry out a few games with AFCB, now that he has reached this level. It goes without saying that we wish him the best if he does move in this window, but I am hoping it would only be on loan to regain some match fitness. Wes is one of my favourites I guess, because he has seen the good and the some of the bad times and he is a real fighter.

Listen to AFCB boss Eddie Howe on the futures of Wes Thomas & Wes Fogden on Audioboo

Finding a settled team may help Cherries

Despite the hectic Christmas period when there are so many games and the change in personnel could be frequent, because of injuries and tiredness I believe it would be a big bonus if the Cherries could start fielding the same side a bit more often. The Birmingham game saw Eddie Howe picked an unchanged team for only the second time this season. It has been a difficult start to life in the Championship when it comes to picking a settled side for AFCB and that is probably not a great help when it comes to building confidence. Now that some players are again returning to fitness we just may find out what is Eddie Howe's best team.

Ritchie is a must pick for  Eddie every game when fit.

On the wings it looks like Pugh (but sometimes Fraser) and Ritchie, while up front it is certainly Grabban and midfield Arter is picked when fit. At the back it is Daniels, Cook and Francis and probably Ward ahead of Elphick. And even with Camp in goal it leaves a space for another player up front and one more in midfield. Whether Eunan O'Kane, Shaun MacDonald or Andrew Surman is favoured is always very much in the balance and while Rantie has had a good spell as a main striker, he has not come up with the goods yet.

That all leaves AFCB with a couple of spaces where there is potential for strengthening. While Coulibaly, McQuoid or Fogden could win one of those places it is in Eddie's mind that someone new faces are needed.

I would like to see a period when the team was not swapping and changing from week to week. The difficulty in bring more players in is getting them to quickly  play in the way AFCB are used to and we have seen with Spurs that it can be tricky.

While it is good to have competition, the best sides rarely make more than one or two changes over a few games, and the fact that AFCB can't do that signals to me that perhaps we are a club that is still finding its way. Whether the team is a bit lightweight at this level is something that I believe Eddie may well feel, even if the team is good enough to survive in the Championship.

The one thing I can say is last year I could pretty much name the team and the subs every week, but this season it's extremely hard to know which players will start the game for AFCB. It may just be that the Championship is so demanding that an unchanged side is not something that Bournemouth can do at this stage. You either have to have a big squad that is doing so well that you can keep the same side or a small squad and a club that hasn't the finances to change the team as often. AFCB are perhaps somewhere in between.

Can the Cherries succeed without spending big in January?

Eddie Howe has said in an interview on the BBC that he is not sure if he will have any money to spend in January, but that he hopes to strengthen. Be careful Eddie, some managers in Wales have been told to resign or get sacked for less!

While I am not surprised that Eddie is in the dark over any potential available funds he has to be trying to make things work out well with the players he has already. If he and Jason can get enough points with the players we have to ensure that AFCB are in the Championship next season, I would be pleased that AFCB hadn't spent a stupidly huge amount of money this coming January window.

Rantie was Eddie Howe's last big spend and Tokelo is still trying to
prove his transfer fee. Spurs fans know spending is no guarantee of instant success.

I also feel that it may be that Eddie can start to trim some of the squad who he feels will not be in his plans. If AFCB can cut the wage bill a bit it has got to be good for the club. Does Wes Thomas have a long term future at AFCB and are there others who could be on their way?

It hasn't escaped my notice that Matt Tubbs will also find his loan period coming to an end at Rotherham. Stephane Zubar is also still on the clubs books and he told us back in October that he would be due to be starting some kind of training at the end of this year. I hope he is recovering well.

We also have players who have not really featured this season like Joe Partington, Wes Fogden, Donal McDermott and Miles Addisson. We have already heard that Shwan Jalal can leave and it may be that Lee Camp does not get the move he wants to AFCB with West Brom's new manager. It is understood that Eddie Howe has also been looking at Swindon's Wes Foderingham.

The situation seems very fluid with regards players at the moment, which I hope does not have an unsettling feeling on the squad. I am also keeping quiet about the possibility that some players could also be targets of clubs in the January window. 

The question is though do AFCB need to spend? I feel that a player or two will be bought to make the team a little more solid. That could be in midfield or in defence, but I personally don't think Eddie will buy another striker until next summer when better deals are available. I may be wrong but I still feel leaking goals is more of a problem for AFCB than scoring them at the moment.  

Vote for what position you feel Eddie Howe most needs to strengthen the team this January. See the poll on the right hand side of the blog.

Yesterday Cherry Chimes spoke to Owl Alive about the Sheffield Wednesday squad prior to today's match. Check out how Wednesday fans are feeling about their team by visiting Rival Lines.

Creativity and sharp shooting don't come easy

I was looking at the stats after the QPR game and saw that AFCB had more attempts on goal than QPR - 11 vs 16. That would indicate along with the possession stats of 49 to 51 per cent in AFCB's favour that the team is doing some things right, and against one of the top teams.

That AFCB only had three shots on target and QPR had four shots on target, from which they scored three goals tell us something else. We all know, AFCB need to be more clinical in front of goal. While we don't have a proven 20-goal a season Championship goalscorer, there is enough goals in AFCB's team. They are not struggling to be creative or to win opportunities and that should give fans some hope that things can change.

Bournemouth players have to start picking up some wins.

Numbers of course can be misleading and the quality of clear opportunities created are more important than hurried shots that balloon well over the bar. Still, AFCB were very much in the game with QPR who got their goals at the right moments when AFCB looked like doing something themselves. The problem everyone has been talking about though is working the opposition's keeper. It's just not happening enough for AFCB at the moment.

Eddie Howe has tried bringing on Rantie from the bench now and Pitman looked ineffective on his own so I am not sure what will happen for the Reading game. I would love to see a fit Josh McQuoid champing at the bit to get his chance or a sign that Coulibaly was back. It was good to hear that Wes Fogden is nearing a full recovery on AFCB's official website today. Grabban is the only striker I feel Howe will give the green light to to play, if fit, every time, so it's up to the others to start showing that they should be in the team now, although at Reading I expect Grabban to play up front on his own.  

Yesterday, I did tweet that Newcastle's Dan Gosling is being watched by AFCB although he is on loan at Blackpool. One or two additions to AFCB's squad now can perhaps be expected.

Francis had to roll up his sleeves up against Kightly

Simon Francis must wonder if he is getting singled out every week with the amount of top class wingers he has been up against. At Burnley it was Michael Kightly that was more than a handful on the left wing. Still Francis stuck to his task and while he was beaten on a few occasions by the tricky winger, Francis began to get closer and closer to him and before long it was turning into quite a battle.

I like the way Francis goes forward, but I do feel that this season he is being tested like never before on his defensive qualities. Being in the Championship will make him a better player and this season he is surely finding it a big challenge, but as he learns he should start to pick up some of the tricks that his opponents use and should start to dominate them. It may be that this season he will get caught out at times.

I do hope that Wes Fogen becomes available for selection soon just so that Francis knows that there is someone pressing him for his place in the team. It is not by coincidence that Francis has made 17 appearances this season in all competitions and he is a key player for AFCB. He is having to do much of his learning though on the pitch and I would hope that players like Ian Harte are able to give him some good advice on how he should be tackling some of the wingers in the Championship.

Simon Francis is not having it all his own way this season.

Midfield injuries are still hampering the Cherries' progress

I had hoped to see Shaun MacDonald back in contention last weekend but he was not among the named substitutes, even though I believe he travelled with the team to the game as I spotted him getting off the coach. If he is still on the treatment table for a few more weeks we could be stretched again in midfield.

But there are others still out too. Josh McQuoid has not yet recovered from his operation to full fitness, Mohamed Coulibaly is receiving treatment on his heel, Richard Hughes and Darryl Flahavan are currently out alongside long-term injury worries Matt Ricthie, Joe Partington and Wes Fogden. Either AFCB have been really unlucky or there is something going on that has made our players more prone to get injured than other clubs. Perhaps last season's fabulous exploits have taken it out of our players more than might have been thought. I suppose that if they are a bit slower to the ball they are more likely to get injured or pick up knocks.

Macca would be great to have back in the side.

Coulibably has had a stop start season so far.

O'Kane or Surman could be the lead candidates to come in to the team.

Last season it was the left back and the centre baceks where AFCB looked really short of players and while we have really bolstered the numbers in midfield since the summer, it is in this area where Bournemouth have been stretched this season. We saw Ryan Fraser back on the pitch at Leicester but he did not last much more than the first half and we saw him playing more as a defender than an attacking winger in that game. I hope he did not come back too soon.

I will enjoy seeing a few faces come back. Tommy Elphick will be a big boost to moral when he comes back in and I would be pleased if we could see some other faces on the bench like Coulibaly, Fogden or McQuoid. Perhaps Macca will also have improved enough to make a start on Saturday, otherwise it looks like O'Kane who also needs some game time. Eddie Howe certainly has to play someone in midfield next to Arter now that Collison has departed.

Howe pleased with win over Tykes

There was no hiding Eddie Howe's pleasure at the 1:0 home victory over Barnsley last night. He described it as "a massive three points." You can't deny that the win looks very important with Bournemouth's difficult run of fixtures stretching ahead of them. While many will point towards the appearance of Tokelo Rantie as the inspiration for the team suddenly coming to life in the second period, after a somewhat dull first half, it was a night that could have so easily ended up as a home defeat, if Barnsley had taken their opportunities.

The chance that O'Grady carved out midway through the first half when he hit the post from a narrow angle and then saw the follow up from Dawson smashed against the same post was perhaps the first shed of light for AFCB that things just might go there way on the night. From the commentary I heard, it was Barnsley who looked much the better team in the first half with a slightly subdued home crowd, that was perhaps a bit nervous after seeing Barnsley keep the ball so well.

Eddie Howe said that they were thinking about changing the shape of the team before the Charlie Daniels injury in the second half, but by bringing on Tommy Elphick AFCB fans could finally see how the team would play with three at the back and the two wing backs pushed on in midfield. It was left to Pugh and Francis to get up and down the wings to support the attack and defence, while Grabban and Rantie would play up front and Pitman just behind as the match wore on.

Chris Temple of BBC Radio Solent was quick to ask after the game if Eddie Howe could see the three of Pitman, Grabban and Rantie playing together often, to which Howe replied : "I will always have a place for good players in the side." It is clear that Eddie will continue to keep people guessing about his selections and how he uses individuals for certain games and not others.

In this game, Eddie was loyal to those who had started the Blackpool match. The crowd had to wait until the 55th minute before the highly anticipated arrival of Tokleo Rantie and then in the first minute since stepping onto the pitch, he almost broke away to score. While John Williams (Willo) had me in stitches saying we had not signed Pele, he clearly likes the lad who had him drawling over the microphone every time he touched the ball. Willo has already whetted my appetite when he remarked that "Rantie is a joy to watch on the right hand side for all those who are not at the game".

While injuries to MacDonald and the recurrence of Daniels' foot injury are bad news, I also read on the club's official blog that Foggey has had to have a hernia operation and will be out for some time now.  Injuries aside though, this was a good night for the Cherries and, before a ball had been struck in those games, I think most of us would have been more than happy with six points from the last three games. UTCIAD!

Returning players all bodes well for AFCB

AFCB should be back to its strongest line up very soon.

It has been a bit of a crazy start to the season for AFCB with quiet a few players simply not being available for selection. After seeing the likes of Matt Ritchie, Josh McQuoid, Mohamed Coulibaly, Wes Fogden, Tommy Elphick and Charlie Daniels missing games you might have thought that AFCB would be struggling down the bottom of the Championship. It is of great credit to those that have stepped in and taken the opportunity to seal a place in the first 11 that AFCB are sixth in the league.

While a lot has been said by Eddie Howe about the strength of the team we now have, I am not sure that all of us felt that we would be a match for most sides in the Championship. It is early days and the team has been brought down to earth a couple of times, but the way that they have bounced back shows that they are really pulling together. With big names not always playing either the re-introduction of some of those familiar faces will bolster the Cherries even more.

Instead of going into games wondering if the Cherries can play well against their new foes, I believe most AFCB fans are looking forward to the next crop of games after the international break. This is a season to try and enjoy the delights of the Championship, not fear them. Visit some of the most prestigious grounds in the country and you know what, the Cherries are likely to stun quite a few teams, even if they do get turned over now and again. While AFCB have found consistency hard to come by away from home, they have done well at Dean Court and we have more home matches in September than in August.

Charlie Daniels is all set to make the most of
his playing time in the Championship.

Many other teams have found consistency even harder to come by and so if the Cherries can score a few back-to back wins the whole season might take on a different complexion to what some of us expected at the start of the challenge. The return of some of AFCB's main players though will be central to the team's success. Keeping them on the pitch is what we have to hope for. But to be honest, AFCB is already looking a descent team.

By the way, Matt Ritchie was seen on the training pitches working with Steve Hard yesterday, according to Michael Dunne of All Departments.

Who has been keeping the bench warm at AFCB?

No one wants to be sitting games out and I sometimes feel it is even more depressing if you are a player that is fit and yet raring to go but have to settle for a place on the bench. As you might expect, king of AFCB's bench warmers so far this season is goalkeeper Darrel Flahavan. He has kept the bench warm on no less than seven occasions, but I guess that is seven times more than Shwan Jalal. Darryl is only on a one-year contract so he must be hoping to get a chance at some point. The FA Cup games may be his first chance to get selected for the first team.

Behind Darryl on five bench visits is Wes Thomas. Wes may well come under more competition to keep that place as well as the forward line is going to be stronger still with Tokelo and Josh looking to play a part in the team. I feel the most unluckiest player to be waiting for his opportunity is Eunan O'Kane. We all know he has the quality and is well able to do as well as any one in midfield, and the signing of Andrew Surman will be an added challenge for him and others. Eunan has been on the bench four times so far.

Flahavan has kept Jalal away from the team but has
not had a chance to play in the Championship. 

You may wonder how come I haven't yet mentioned Tommy Elphick? Well his injuries mean he has only been picked as a sub three times and many other players have been just as friendly with the AFCB bench. In all, I counted 20 players that have been selected to be a substitute so far this season. Eddie is really using the squad with seven players allowed to be put on the bench in league games. The squad of course is bigger than this and there are a few that have not made the bench for the first team yet. Straight off I can think of Partington, Purches, Fogden and Jalal. 

Lots of bench sitting for Donal.

Stephane Zubar is still listed as a current AFCB player as well from all sources that I can find and yet we have had no news of how he has been doing since making some pre-season matches and the transfer to Bury that never seemed to happen. I have not seen Stephane's picture in the MatchDay programme this season, so I am not sure what is really going on with him and the club. 

Those waiting in the wings

The Capital One Cup tie against Watford will give a few of those waiting in the wings a chance to press their claim for a place in the first team. Eddie Howe has said that rotation will play an important part during the season and he does not feel that some of the players outside the first 11 would weaken the team if they come in. The test will come today, when it is likely that Howe will rest some players ahead of the Doncaster match at the weekend.

Some players still need to get some match fitness soTommy Elphick and Elliott Ward mat form teh centre back pairing. Eunan O'Kane was probably pencilled in for the Watford game but he came off with a twisted ankle injury during the Huddersfield match. Wes Thomas is likely to get a run out and perhaps Richard Hughes, while Donal McDermott, and Miles Addisson could even see some action. It was not mentioned whether Pugh was on the bench for tactical reasons last game or if he would have struggled to play 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Surman only played a half before being taken off.

The slowness of some of AFCB's players to come back after injury is now starting to show. Eddie Howe has said that players will be returning this week and that could mean that Wes Fogden, Mohamed Coulibaly and Charlie Daniels get some opportunity to play. There is also Stephen Purches and Shwan Jalal and Darryl Flahavan who have not played many games.   

It is questionable just how much of the team Eddie will rotate. He could field an entirely different 11 from the Huddersfield game or he could pick a few combinations to keep some consistency. While Eddie has said that he wants to do well in all competitions, the real test will come on Saturday and how the team performs against Doncaster. Still, no one wants another drubbing against Watford so it looks like he will not make too many changes.

How important is it that Ritchie plays against Charlton?

Matt Ritchie has not been seen in an AFCB shirt for a long time now. I believe his last outing was in the first half against FC Zurich. His absence from the training pitches and the starting line ups have not been good news for Howe and Tindall. If there is one player that they would like to be fit for Saturday it would be a player who has been the player of his division for the last two seasons. The only pleasing thing that AFCB fans can say is that we are blessed with many great wide players who can cover his position.

McDermott is one of those looking to impress this week.

The question is if Ritchie is not ready who would get the calling? I think we can rule out Fogey and McQuoid who are both yet to recover from their injury worries. That leaves Fraser, McDermott and Coulibaly as my favourites to battle for the place. It will be quite a real feather in the cap of one of these three if they do get the green light. It is possible that the job will be shared with perhaps one of the players covering 60 minutes and another doing the final half hour. Such a prospect is highly likely. Fraser and Coulibaly are probably still getting used to playing the AFCB way, while McDermott has been with the team the longest but is only just coming back to the form that we saw from him when he first came to the club.

This weeks training should be pretty tasty for these three but there are other battles going on in other areas for first team places as well. Eddie has a really busy week. 

Five days of preparation left to go

Okay, it's Monday morning and AFCB only have a few days left before that all important first match against Charlton Athletic. Soon all the talking will be done and all the teams in the division will be trying to get off to a flying start. This week Eddie wants to get our forwards putting the ball in the back of the net, so I am expecting some big goal celebrations to be on the cards as well.

I am not sure how quickly the enthusiasm for the new season faded away last time round. I know I was scratching my head why I was going to games in October expecting us to be winning when we already looked to be in a relegation battle. Many fans simply stayed away after the couple of draws and many defeats we had back then. We could of course find it really hard going this time around as well.

I am praying for some good news this week regarding the players we do have at the club. Matt Ritchie has not been ruled out of starting, but he simply hasn't played enough in my opinion simply to turn it on in the first game of the season. Last season it was mainly the defence that was struggling to keep fit, but now it is our forwards that need to recover. The loan of Tubbs does leave a whole, especially with McQuoid out and Brett recovering from a strain.

We do need Wes Thomas to start feeling like a Championship striker, because I am sure he will be called upon as a sub. If he needs to stay out and sharpen up his shooting to get his confidence back I hope the keepers will oblige. Once he gets used to breaking the back of the net again things can turnaround quickly for him.

Strength in depth is what AFCB needs and it is about time our luck changed on the injury front. Fogey is also going to need some recovery time before he can play, which is a big shame because I feel he is the kind of energetic player who will shine in the kind of atmosphere of the first game of the season. We are really going to see if some of our players are going to be able to step up. I just hope that if Ryan Fraser is picked, he is buzzing to start and the same with Coulibaly. We will need some live wires to cut through Charlton's defence.

Howe and Tindall have some big choices to make this week and I don't envy them that.

Injury worries are mounting

AFCB really is picking up a lot of injuries ahead of the start of the new season. It must be playing on Eddie Howe's mind, as he tries to work out if the players he wants to play in the first fixture against Charlton will actually be fit for the game.

Only on Sunday in the car park at Dean Court I saw Wes Fogden getting out of the car on crutches. He hopes to be back in action soon, but he was felled a couple of times at Woking and it didn't look good to me. Then most home supporters at the Real Madrid game will have seen Brett Pitman go down in a heap clutching his hamstring. I do hope it is only a strain and not a pull or a tear. I can't imagine what the front line will look like without Brett.

Then we have the long term injury list of players we have hardly seen during pre-season if at all. Ryan Allsop is top contender for the goal keepers shirt, but he hasn't played of late. Josh McQuoid will be recovering from his operation for a while yet. Eunan O'Kane hasn't played hardly any football and neither has Matt Ritchie or Matt Tubbs. Unless some of these players get a run out in the remaining pre-season fixtures against Portsmouth, Dorchester or Bristol City it is looking increasingly likely that the Cherries will have a patched up team for its first week in the Championship, especially considering we also have the Capital One Cup match against Portsmouth that week.

Having just played one of the best teams in the world, and put up a reasonable performance in my opinion, the real worry now is player fitness and not bringing back players too early.

If you have not already had a peek at Rival Lines today do take a look, as we have a special guest who wants to tell you about Pompey, ahead of tonight's friendly at Dean Court.

Fogden to step back

The news that Wes Fogden could be turned into a full back is not such a surprise. Just look at the talent we already have fighting for the right winger's position - Matt Ritchie, Josh McQuoid, Ryan Fraser and Donal McDermott.

Fogden proved he was well capable of filling in at full back on previous occasions and if Howe can make Fogden into a descent right back it would mean that we would not have to go into the market for another player to cover Francis. It is not sure how Purches will manage as player/coach and if he will get back to his previous form. We can't expect Francis to play every game every season.

Fogden's scurrying style will make him a constant obstacle for opposing players although I would say he needs to perhaps bulk up a bit if he is to repel the physical side of the game that he will no doubt be exposed to in the Championship.

He is also well-equipped to go forward on the overlap and when he does bomb down the wing we know he is capable of having a god strike at goal as well. Howe has always been keen on versatile payers and Fogden is one of the players that has been known to fill a number of different roles for the team when required to.

Fans predict Demouge set for early departure

Well we had some fun in seeing which players Cherry Chimes' readers would select as early departures from the club over the summer and top of the poll was striker Frank Demouge. Twitter has been going mad with his expected move to Roda JC in The Netherlands, but there is no official news of even a bid yet. Frank managed to get 80% of the vote so most of you do not expect to see him at Dean Court next season.

Poll closed - Which players will leave AFCB in the Summer?

Demouge	20 (80%)
Jalal	11 (44%)
Zubar	9 (36%)
Thomas	16 (64%)
McQuoid	4 (16%)
Tubbs	17 (68%)
Addisson	10 (40%)
Other	4 (16%)

Just nudging into second place is Matt Tubbs with 68% of the vote. While Crawley Town has long been linked with Tubbs return, again no bids have come in for the striker from what we have been told. Matt himself has said that he wants to be in the south as his family is settled here so a move to Rotherham seems to be ruled out.

Matt is closely followed by Wes Thomas in the poll on 64%. Current AFCB squad strikers are clearly not in favour with Cherry Chime readers. I have a feeling that there will be news on Wes Thomas sooner rather than later. Watch this space, as they say.

The Bristol City rumours certainly have pushed Shwan Jalal up the rankings for a swift move out of Dean Court and with opportunities being restricted it is possible that he will seek a loan move if he can't get into the squad.

Miles Addisson and Stephane Zubar are really the only others that raise a question with you, but I have only seen a couple of posts that Bury FC maybe being interested in Stephane, while know one has been shouting about being after Addisson's services.

Josh McQuoid may have got away with a low poll as I had a typo there in his surname! Sorry, Josh. Sadly, I can't edit the poll once someone has voted. Lesson learnt for me.

Those who were very observant will know that I could have added a few more star candidates like Harry Arter or Matt Ritchie but I am quite happy to let the rumours about our top players being targeted to die down a little.

You also seem not to have given many votes for others leaving the club although it is possible that such players as Donal McDermott, Wes Fogden or Joe Partington could at least be facing loan moves elsewhere.