Can Eddie Howe take The Cherries to new heights?
Times have never been so good for AFC Bournemouth. The small, plucky, oligarch-owned club from the south coast are about to enjoy their fourth successive season in the Premier League. Despite their first-team still largely consisting of players who were with them in League One, Eddie Howe’s side have generally maintained their top-flight status without breaking a sweat.
Bournemouth have had a steady transfer window. £16m for the sales of Benik Afobe and Lewis Grabban – who are both fighting to succeed Cameron Jerome as the best striker ‘at that level’ – is very solid business. New left-back Diego Rico from Leganes will have to usurp the cannon-footed Charlie Daniels before he can think about any playtime, while exciting attacking midfielder David Brooks arrives after an excellent season at Sheffield United.
The Cherries have a system and identity that suits them down to the ground, for this reason we believe Bournemouth finishing above Crystal Palace at Evens represents good value.
Palace have been riding their luck for a number of seasons now, unlike Bournemouth, and their failings this transfer window will finally prove to be their undoing. This isn’t necessarily an indication of Bournemouth’s quality, more Palace’s potential plight.
Perhaps coming as a surprise, we reckon Bournemouth will once again overachieve and finish in the top half of the Premier League, currently sitting at 11/4. It’s easy to forget that Bournemouth are now an established Premier League side with genuine quality within their ranks. With the ‘bottom 14’ of the division becoming an increasingly level and condensed playing field, Bournemouth’s nous may prove decisive.
Many punters have been impressed with the transfer windows of Fulham and Jorge Mendes-fuelled Wolves, though we think they might be in for a rude awakening. It’s so rare that promoted teams instantly take to the Premier League like a duck to water, and while sides like Watford and Huddersfield are also tipped to struggle, everything may prove to be the perfect storm for Bournemouth to sneak into the top half, like they did in 2016/17.
Make no mistake, the bottom half of the Premier League will be a rat-race with plenty of teams sure to be involved, but Bournemouth’s experience and ability to score goals may just see them slip into the top half through the back door.
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