Would Liverpool winger be a great signing for AFCB?

With the play-off final between Derby and Aston Villa taking place yesterday, there was a great opportunity to see the work of Liverpool's Harry Wilson who is on loan at Derby. The Sun has been clear that AFCB are among the top-runners to gain the right-winger's signature, if Derby slipped up against Villa as they did, although Wolves, Crystal Palace and Brighton are also keen on the 22-year-old.

AFCB still look for new players to bring to Dean Court.

A sticking point for fans and AFCB is that Harry Wilson is reported to cost in the region of £25m as Liverpool look to cash in on their youngster. AFCB may only make three or four signings, and it does seem a big fee for a player that has only played one game in the Premier League, even if he is a full Welsh international. The 18 goals he has scored in the Championship are a good indication that he has the talent to step up.

He is very much like his Welsh team-mate David Brooks and both can play on the right-wing. Wilson has a great left foot and looks to cut inside and yet he can also play through the middle or on the left. Whether he is too similar to Brooks is perhaps a worry in that Spurs are said to be very interested in Brooks and Harry Wilson could be being lined up as a replacement.

Advertisement

Coastal Garden Buildings

Eddie Howe seems to want new wingers every window, but with Junior Stanislas making just 11 starts and Jordan Ibe nine starts, it is possible that one or two of these right wingers could leave AFCB this summer, which would create a gap for Harry Wilson. If AFCB can hold on to Fraser and Brooks and sign Harry Wilson they would be looking stronger next season and while Howe sees safety in signing young British internationals, Harry Wilson seems to tick all the boxes.

So how are Burton Albion and AFCB likely to shape up?

Burton Albion FC might seem like a small provincial town that is a banana skin tie for AFCB in the FA Cup third round. They are no fouls though when it come to playing football and have seen a steady improvement in results and personnel since their entry into the football league some five years ago. They now sit in second place in League Division Two and their manager Gary Rowett has an impressive CV with many years at Everton, Derby, Leicester and Charlton among others and is likely to enter his second year as the club manager in May 2014, having previously being caretaker and assistant manager.

Having been formed in 1950 Burton Albion are one of the newer professional football clubs in England and so there progress has been swift through the non-leagues to professional football. In 2002 they entered the Conference and won it in 2008-09. Moreover they have FA Cup pedigree having drawn with Man Utd at home in the third round in 2006. Nigel Clough learnt how to manage at Burton Albion and the Brewers have started to attract some names that have played higher in the league, such as Adam McGurk who we know well from his Tranmere days. He is not their lead goal scorer though, that is Billy Kee who has nine goals in all and two in the cup. He was schooled as Leicester City and is a Northern Ireland U21 international player. At the back Chris Hussey has also plenty of experience playing for Coventry City.

Another striker that all AFCB fans will know is one of our ex-players, Michael Symes. Micahel who is now 30 joined the club last year after a loan period with them. I am sure he will receive a good reception at Dean Court if he is in the squad. Burton also have a Howe in their team, Rene Howe who has played in the lower leagues for Peterborough and on loan at several clubs as well as a permanent deal at Torquay before joining the Brewers, so Eunan O'Kane should know him well. 

Sadly we won't see the famous Rory Delap who was legendary at Stoke City for his long throws in the Premiership. Rory signed for the Brewers last summer but retired in December with a persistent hamstring injury. He also played for that team down the road between 2001-06, so he would have got some stick from our supporters. 

One player AFCB fans will be likely to see is 21-year-old defender Adam Buxton who has been signed on a month's loan from Wigan. Adam can play anywhere along the back line, but usually plays at right back.

Adam Buxton is looking forward to the FA Cup match against the Cherries.

In the last round Burton took Fleetwood to a replay and beat them 1:0 at home. In fact the Brewers' favourite score seems to be 1:0 in recent months, although in the first round of the cup they beat Hereford Utd 2:0. But it's the league form that points to the fact that this will not be an easy game for AFCB, having not lost in their last eight league games, winning five and drawing three. 

It is interesting to guess at who Eddie Howe may play in this game. I suspect that Ryan Allsop will play in goal, but after that we can only guess at the team. Steve Cook could perhaps start as one of the centre backs and Ian Harte could come into the team if Daniels needs a rest. We don't know the fitness of Coulibaly but it would perhaps be a tie he could play a part as a sub, while Josh McQuoid and Tokelo Rantie could also feature not having played much of late. I am sure that Eddie will keep a few regulars in the team, but Shaun MacDonald and Brett Pitman could feature as they also have not played so much of late.

The subs bench may feature some of those who played against Brighton, while who knows if Addison will get an outing. Wes Fogden could be ready for a return and if Matt Tubbs is not going straight out on loan again he could be available. One player who won't feature is Joe Partington who has just gone out on a month's loan to Aldershot. 

You can almost roll the dice for the squad selection, but I would expect about four changes from the Brighton starting 11. To change more than that would probably be too risky, but Eddie knows how fit the players are and who is ready for a game and who needs to be rested. Personally I would start with the strongest team and try and get the lead before bringing on some who have not a game but I expect Eddie will want to rest quite a few players. I do hope AFCB are too strong though for a team riding high in League Two and playing with confidence. We were there not so long ago and it's strange to be looking at such a tie from the other way around now that we are the scalp.

Burton Away form (League)
WWWDD

AFCB Home form (League)
LDLWD

You can also see what Burton Albion write Colston Crawford has to say about the Brewers when Cherry Chimes interviewed him - just visit Rival Lines.

BREAKING NEWS: Lee Camp signs 2.5 year deal at AFC Bournemouth. He's ours!

AFCB step up a gear against Pompey

Match Report

Cherries 2: 0 Pompey
9 February 2013
Attendance: 9135 (highest of the season) 1338 visitors

AFCB and Portsmouth FC shake hands before kick-off

Eddie Howe was absolutely right when he suggested pre-match that Portsmouth FC would provide a very difficult opponent for the Cherries at home. Far from being a simple task for AFCB, they were made to up their game and prod and probe the Pompey back line for an opening, switching play from right to left and left to right before quickening the play and sending numerous crosses to test and examine Portsmouth's stern defence. While Bournemouth had a larger share of the possession in the first half, as they shot towards the Steve Fletcher stand, they were finding if difficult Pompey to break through Pompey's 4-4-2 set up. 


Pompey had three new signings for the game, Patrick Agyemang, Therry Racon and John Akinde. Their fans made themselves heard all game with superb musical drumming  and clanging accompaniment that went on even after the final whistle.

AFCB has its customary kick-off huddle with the packed away
section of Pompey fans looking on

Bournemouth lined up with the same players that started the second half at Milton Keynes.Charlie Daniels did not pass his morning fitness test and Tommy Elphick was still out after his knee injury from Ryan Lowe's challenge. That meant that Matt Ritchie filled in again at left back and Dan Seaborne moved across to left centre back, next to Steve Cook who was captain for the game. Simon Francis was in his customary right back position and the midfield was made up of Pugh, Arter. O'Kane and McQuoid. There was no room for MacDonald who was on the bench. Grabban and Pitman started up front.

Pugh fired over the bar in as early as the second minute and the intention from the start from the Cherries was to get on the front foot. But Pompey had come to the game with a plan to upset AFCB's slick passing and movement. They too whipped in a dangerous cross after six minutes but it was Bournemouth who were looking more comfortable on the ball. Grabban fired over on nine minutes from a Pugh cross and Ritchie's link up play had the home crowd spellbound in admiration of his good touch and positive passing. Ritchie looked calm and assured when pressed at the back and had an air of confidence when creating triangles with Pugh and Arter further up the pitch. I don't think he miss placed a pass all game. Grabban was making several dangerous darting runs in between the Pompey centre halves and right back and on 16 minutes he was right through and passed the keeper but was unable to direct his shot on goal at such speed.

Pompey came thundering back with an attempt on goal themselves. Agyemang tried an ambitious overhead kick just in side the AFCB box but pulled it well wide of the goal. Grabban and Pugh continued to create problems for Pompey. Johannes Ertl was also beginning to make his presence felt more and he tried to bypass the AFCB with a long cross ball to the left wing but Pompey couldn't keep the ball in play.
It was Pugh, Ritchie and Grabban that were running the show. Arter also popped up on the edge of the box supporting the play and had his shot that looked goal bound blocked on 34 minutes.

As we moved towards half time it was Portsmouth that started to get on the front foot. First Racon shot over Jalal's bar, then Adam Reed had Pompey's best chance when he forced Jalal into a save that went for a corner.

Francis also fed Pitman who saw his glancing header come off the bar as Bournemouth registered their closest effort on goal. AFCB certainly weren't having it all their own way though. Arter was brushed off the ball in the middle of the pitch by Akinde, only for Seaborne to come to the rescue.

The second half began with AFCB pressure, but Adam Reed was niggling at Arter and O'Kane in the midfield and forcing them to lose the ball on more than one ocassion and on 47 minutes Jalal was in action again as Akinde fired over. Agyemang then had a header go wide on 54 minutes and Dan Butler also came close on 59 minutes for Pompey. However, after this Pompey pressure and a couple of corners, AFCB broke up the right wing with McQuoid who crossed to Grabban in the box who steadied himself before firing into the bottom right of the goal to put the Cherries one up to rapturous home fan applause on 62 minutes.

Pompey's response was to make  two subs with Agyemang coming off for James Keene and Racon off for Jed Wallace. Pompey's line up resembled more of a 3-4-3 pattern now with Reed pushing up on the left. Keene won a corner in the 71st minute but the ball was fired over the bar. It was a scrappy period of play with Arter giving the ball away much to the displeasure of home fans, but when Pitman held up a ball midway between the half way line and Pompey's box he managed to hook it forward, which Pugh ran on to and he put away AFCB's second on 76 minutes. 

Matt Tubbs enterd the game in place of Grabban after 81 minutes and Pompey subbed Shaun Cooper for Liam Walker. Popmey were still fighting hard and Ritchie had to make a strong saving tackle in the 82nd minute. Arter then made way for Richard Hughes as AFCB looked to play out time. This was followed by MacDonald coming on for Pitman in extra time. The best chance for AFCB to seal the win with a bigger margin came in the 91st minute when Tubbs was one-on-one with the keeper but had his shot saved.


Post-match celebration for AFCB players and management


All in all, though it was a patient but profesional performance by the Cherries with Matt Ritchie my man of the match. AFCB are now just one point off the top of the league which is extremely tight at the top as they find themselves in fourth place. Next up Crewe Alexander away on Tuesday night.


Player Ratings: Jalal (8), Francis (7), Cook (8), Seaborne(7), Ritchie (9*), McQoid (7), Arter (7), O'Kane (7),  Pugh (8), Pitman (7), Grabban (8)

Bookings: Pompey's Butler and Reed

Used AFCB subs: Tubbs (81 for Grabban), Hughes (82 for Arter) and MacDonald (91 for Pitman) 

Referee: Mr A Marriner
Assitant linesman: Mr D Cann and Mr P Bankes