Peter Neil Bell's Blog: Cherry Chimes, page 19

How might AFCB line-up for Benfica friendly?

It looks like AFCB are still living the Premier League high-life with a trip to Benfica in Portugal for their first pre-season friendly on Sunday. If finances were a concern, they are not being spared on pre-season training matches. But who will play for the Cherries in this game?
Sam Surridge has a big few weeks ahead of him.With transfers still on-going, we could see some players rested if they are about to be sold. So it is an intriguing first line-up that we could see from Jason Tindall. We will immediately see if he is giving any younger players a shot at the first team and we could see who of Howe's old favourites are out of favour.
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While Begovic is back training with the team, it is likely that Mark Travers will be given the keeper gloves and perhaps Will Dennis in the second half. Adam Smith may be rested with potential interest in him reported, which would give Jack Stacey the right back spot. Diego Rico or Lloyd Kelly could start on the left side of the defence, while Steve Cook and Jack Simpson could be at centre-half, if Kelly is not used there. Chris Mepham was also back training but it might be too soon for him to play.


Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Midfield should be very revealing into Tindall's thoughts with the season to come. Does he risk David Brooks who was injured in pre-season last year and with lots of transfer interest in him? International duties may mean we don't see David play just yet for AFCB, but JT could give Gavin Kilkenny a go who did well last year in pre-season. The middle of the park you would think would be occupied by Lerma and Billing, even if Aston Villa have shown interest in Billing. Dan Gosling is perhaps the choice if Billing is rested, but Lewis Cook may have to sit it out with Leeds United keen to see him come to Elland Road. There is also Nnamadi Ofoborh who could come into the reckoning if JT wants to see him up against top European players. Furthermore, Harry Arter is still with the AFCB, but perhaps will be over looked. Junior Stanislas we imagine would be the first choice for one of the wing positions, but Danjuma should get playing time I expect. Kyle Taylor could also be on the trip.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!That would just leave the strikers. It could be Solanke and Surridge to start if JT wants to push through sales of Callum Wilson and Josh King.

There are a few decisions to be made which is what makes it curious for fans, but what we'd really like to see is a new signing unveiled. After much deliberation, I am guessing that this is a good balance between going strong and leaving some rather big names on the sidelines. Some of the players are also expected to be on international duty - this could mean Kelly and Travers miss out.


Possible AFCB line-up Subs: Dennis, A Smith, Mepham, Simpson, Kilkenny, L CookPrevious post on Cherry Chimes - Has Bogvic been singing AFCB striker's praises?

In other news,Turkish website Fanatik Sports reports Galatasaray are closing in on Jefferson Lerma's signing.

Has Begovic been singing AFCB striker's praises?

The news remains concentrated on who AFC Bournemouth will sell next and Italy appears that it could be the destination for one of Bournemouth's established strikers. I don't know if Asmir Begovic has been talking Josh King up but AC Milan, where Begivic was on loan this summer, are sad to be interested in the Norwegian strikers, reports the Daily Mail .
Josh King is expected to be bid for soon.This could hurry up Josh King's sale as Man Utd and PSG are also said to be monitoring the situation. They are all big European clubs that will be in the Champions League next season and King may get the biggest move of the summer for a Bournemouth player in terms of pedigree of new clubs. If such clubs are interested in King it is a bit surprising that they haven't come in for him earlier with good bids. Josh has been highly valued by AFCB, but the quality of the player is now being seen by the clubs he is being linked to.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!I think Josh King is very hard to replace because of his versatility. He is pretty much the complete striker and in a more powerful team I expect he could become an even bigger name. I hope he stays in England as I'd like to see him play more often than not, but the money will surely decide where he ends up.


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I see him as the perfect support striker for a number nine and he has been a great penalty taker for the Cherries. Losing him will be disappointing but I can't see how he can stay. Whether the mid-table teams like Everton or Newcastle can get a foot in to take Josh King I am not so certain. If Europe's elite are looking at him, he is likely to be playing Champions League football next season and I wish him the every best as he has been a great servant for AFCB.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Fraser and Wilson strike force to be kept together?

Fraser and Wilson strike force to be kept together?

While Ryan Fraser has left Bournemouth already and had been expected to join Crystal Palace, the Sun has rumoured that Fraser might yet be picked up by West Ham, who are also looking to land Callum Wilson. The thought of repairing Fraser and Wilson is clearly seen as a positive for West Ham, but whether they could get Callum Wilson for the Sun's suggested £18m might be short of the mark.
Callum Wilson is expected to have different team-mates
soon but Fraser might be among his new colleagues.Callum Wilson is expected to leave the Cherries and going to a London club would not mean such a major disruption for him and his family. West Ham are a good sized club and he would still be well seen if he played well there, which would help him in the England fold. He probably wouldn't mind joining up with Ryan Fraser again either.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Whether the two players would hit it off though at West Ham, I am not so sure. Things worked well in 2018-19 but they had gone stale for a while at Bournemouth with the two players unable to create as many chances last season. I know that Fraser was clearly influenced by transfer talk, but I also think that both he and Callum played a fair few games and that burnout could also have been part of their problem.

Advertisement Coastal Garden BuildingsGetting the right price for Callum is what it is about for AFCB now. If Tottenham are said to be interested then I'd venture that Wilson would want to hold out for their offer and I don't suspect for Bournemouth it matters where he ends up, as long as they get a good fee for him. The Newcastle player and cash offer was intriguing but Bournemouth don't seem to be buying that one. 
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!If the club can get over £20m for Callum then at least they would have recouped more than they shelled out for Dominic Solanke. While Callum hasn't played for England for a while, Bournemouth could perhaps force his price up to £25m as an international player. It's not going to be anything like the sums we had been talking about for Wilson about 12 months ago, but it is time to get the players that are looking to move out of the club and to concentrate on those that want to be there. 

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth defender may find Burnley hard to resist

Bournemouth defender may find Burnley hard to resist

JT's comments that the club would not stop players wanting to leave may well have backfired, as more clubs see the Cherries as rich pickings for reinforcing their Premier League squads. The latest interest comes from Shaun Dyches' Burnley, who welcome JT's openness, and are now seeking to take Adam Smith to Turf Moor, according to the Mail Online.
Burnley show interest in Adam Smith.I wouldn't say that Adam Smith had one of his best seasons in 2019-20, but his versatility was very much needed when Charlie Daniels was injured. Bournemouth seemed to have a good bit of strength in depth on the right side, when both Smith and Stacey are available. Now it looks like Jack Stacey might have pole position for the right-back spot in the Championship, if Burnley come in with a reasonable offer for Smudge.


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For Adam Smith it would probably be a good move to continue his Premier League career and to try something new. Whether Burnley would be his choice though is another matter. I hadn't expected interest to come in for Adam Smith, but it looks like any first team player in the Bournemouth squad is up for grabs at the moment.


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Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99At 29 Adam Smith still has a few good years left in him. He is under contract at AFCB for another year, so Bournemouth could make money on his sale which seems to be the common yardstick by which players are either staying or going at the moment. We may have seen Smith's best years though and to lose him would not be as bad as loosing Jack Stacey, so I suspect that if Burnley do make a bid it will be seriously considered.


Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Is Lerma too good for the Championship?

Is Lerma too good for the Championship?

While there have been numerous rumours of bids coming in for Bournemouth midfielders, the noise around Jefferson Lerma is suspiciously quiet. Does this mean that no clubs fancy taking on the Colombian international with his heavy disciplinary record? Or should we not be worrying about this, and thanking our lucky stars if AFCB can hold on to Lerma in the Championship?
Lerma would be a powerful force in AFCB's central midfield in the Championship/Personally, I don't think Lerma draws much attention to himself. While we know his merits as Bournemouth fans, he was perhaps less well tracked than others, when he was in the Premier League, and he could well go under the radar, if Bournemouth are to accept bids for other more well-known players.
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I don't think Lerma would have any problems in the Championship. He would like the physicality of it, and I expect he would be able to show that he is a level above it by finding more time on the ball than many of his opponents. Getting Lerma up for the challenge of the Championship would be a massive feather in JT's cap. A team can be built around hm and we could see more of a leadership role for Lerma, if he sees it his mission to help the club get back to the Premier League.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!If offers did come in for Lerma, I expect they would be considered, but to keep him really would be a bonus if other midfielders like Philip Billing and Lewis Cook attract more attention.
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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Is it wise for AFCB to sell Lewis Cook?

Is it wise for AFCB to sell Lewis Cook?

Football Insider has claimed that Bournemouth have put a £15m price-tag on Lewis Cook as Leeds United are said to be interested in bringing him back to Elland Road. This would be a £9m profit for Bournemouth compared to what they paid for him, but would it be the right time to let Lewis Cook go out of the door at Dean Court?
Lewis Cook will surely be tempted to rejoin Leeds Utd.I believe Lewis Cook would be the perfect English midfielder to help get Bournemouth into the play-off positions next season or even better. He has never let AFCB down and is tenacious in the tackle and insightful at finding through balls. For me, he'd be a player that fits the bill for making Bournemouth a class above many other Championship sides.

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The boot is on the other foot now though Leeds United have the financial clout to meet the asking price and Lewis Cook would surely enjoy a return to his previous club and to keep playing Premier League football.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!For Bournemouth's point of view, they ave to be careful who else leaves from central midfield. Andrew Surman has already been released and you have to worry about Lerma wanting away, while Billing and Gosling are perhaps the central midfielders who we might expect to be part of things at AFCB going forward although Aston Villa are thought to be interested in Philip Billing. S too lose Lewis Cook would leave a bit of a hole and I'd say £15m is not enough to put top clubs off picking him up. Lewis Cook was always under played I felt during Howe's reign and could easily want off himself.

Of course, Bournemouth will have been impressed by what Nnamdi Ofoborh did at Wycombe Wanderes last season, and it could be in JT's mind to give him a run in the Championship. So perhaps the central midfield area is not looking so bad, especially if Lerma doesn't move. I think Bournemouth fans would be pleased to keep one of either Lerma or Lewis Cook. To lose Lerma, Billing and Cook would certainly be a major rebuild for AFCB.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Fixture excitement at the challenge ahead for AFCB

Fixture excitement at the challenge ahead for AFCB

I was waiting with anticipation, not about the fixture release, when it came through, but for the reaction form Bournemouth fans. The mood was quite chirpy as for many they could see Bournemouth striding through some of the games, and for once we might even see some clean sheets. But the Championship is a long race and the first three fixtures look pretty tough to me.

A full fixture list ahead with or without supporters.Playing Blackburn Rovers at home for the first game is a good way to judge what shape Bournemouth are in, with Blackburn Rovers finishing in a mid-way 11th position last season. A home game always gives your club a chance to make a good start and, with Middlesbrough away and Norwich City at home to follow, Bournemouth would put themselves in a very strong position, if they can beat that kind of quality in their first three games.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Easier said than done though. Watford and Derby will be big matches in October and November looks a particularly good month with some grudge matches against Reading and Nottingham Forest and a tough visit to Sheffield Wednesday. Whether fans are getting to games by this point we just don't know, but the December games are certainly ones that fans will want to enjoy with so many games. I am expecting Swansea away to be a hard match along with Preston at home, as both sides did well last season. Boxing Day should be fun with Millwall in attendance and Brentford, just before New Year, will be a great time to see their new stadium.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!I am not sure how many will want to brave Stoke in January, but the crazy ones will take on the weather and I think January could be a crunch month with the quality of fixtures. Watford and Cardiff will be big matches to try and win at home in February and there are long journey's up north to Preston and Huddersfield in March. April looks like it could be a strong month for the Cherries as a the run-in goes and a finish at home to Stoke City could be a great way to go up. Let's think positively.

Advertisement Coastal Garden BuildingsHere are some of your views:

#afcb. We havent got enough players for all those fixtures ......

Are too many changes dangerous for AFCB?

The rate of turnover at AFCB looks set to accelerate. While Jason Tindall has told SkySports that if valuations for Bournemouth players are met the club won't stand in players way if they want to leave, it could be a bit of a rush for the door if players continue to see offers come in. We could be looking at a very different team t the one that won at Everton on the last game in the Premier League.


JT won't stop players who want to find the exit door.While a clear out can be a good thing, it might be that too many changes could be disrupted. With Eddie Howe going it is the perfect time to reshape the club, but JT will have to have a long list of players to go and get if we see further sales which look on the cards.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Although Callum Wilson and David Brooks can't keep their names out of the headlines at the moment, the whispers about Josh King and Lloyd Kelly have started to subside. It may be that they resurface for King and Kelly, but it will be important I believe for JT to hold on to some of the bigger names. 

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I say this as by changing the whole team the club will find it loses its identity for a bit. It is fine that some changes have to be made, but a total regeneration can be a dangerous move as we saw when Paul Groves and Shaun Brooks tried to rebuild after the Lee Bradbury era. Funnily many of the players who were unsuccessful under Groves won promotion with Eddie Howe. Bournemouth need to buy well and get results now though and that is not going to be an easy task.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!The level that AFCB are now at still requires very good professionals. It is clear that JT doesn't believe that the older players are the ones that are best to take on this challenge, having released Boruc, Francis and Surman. It is a new time though and as fans we have to accept that it is unlikely to be a smooth transition and they'll need a bit of luck to get things right straight away.

In other news, AFCB announce a pre-season West Ham friendly at the London Stadium on 5 September behind closed doors. The Daily Mail also claims AFCB have dropped the idea of making a legal case against Hawk-Eye for a technology failure to notify a goal in the match between Sheffield Utd and Aston Villa which would have seen Villa relegated rather than Bournemouth. 

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - A high price-tag to be set for AFCB winger

A high price-tag to be set for AFCB winger

The Metro has reported that David Brooks is being chased by Manchester United and that Bournemouth have put a price-tag of £40m on the young Welsh international. Whether that price is enough to ward off the likes of Manchester United, is another matter. I would probably doubt it. If Solkjaer really wants to come in for Brooks, he'll do so.
David Brooks could get a massive move to Man Utd.David Brooks would be one of the players that JT is most keen to hold on to, but if the player is attracting the likes of United, then he is not going to stay at Bournemouth. It's simple economics. If United meet the valuation Brooks will no doubt double his salary and be playing for a team that has title and European winner medal ambitions. Brooks' international pedigree would also get a boost, and Ryan Giggs would like nothing better than to see Brooks at his former club, where Daniel James is already proving how Welshman internationals can fit in very well.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!While Bournemouth would get a good price, if they sold to United, it would leave JT with another player to find for his dwindling squad. I suppose Bournemouth have to be fair to players like Brooks who have done well and deserve an honest valuation. If a price is agreed it is up to the player if he wants to leave, and I can't see why Brooks would think a year in the Championship would be good for him rather than the opportunity to play in the Premier League at a title chasing club.

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Bournemouth's best hope may be that they get a few clubs bidding for Brooks, so that they can force the price up. It wouldn't surprise me if £40m was an opening gambit, but Brooks could attract a higher price in these times when most clubs are just trying to hold on to their players with such a short transfer window.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!In other news, AFCB have confirmed that Aaron Ramsdale has joined Sheffield United for the third highest ever Bournemouth transfer fee. Football Insider has linked AFCB with a move for former Wigan keeper David Marshall, 35.

Previous Post on Cherry Chimes - Management team completed at AFCB

Management team completed at AFCB

Jason Tindall has named Stephen Purches as his assistant manager as expected and he has added Graeme Jones, recently manager of Luton Town, to his coaching staff. Many like Kris Temple had suggested that Stephen Purches was more manager material than JT, but the two will work together to try and get AFCB back to the Premier League.

JT gets his management team around himThey have a difficult job and with the management set-up now complete, they have no time to waste. I am particularly keen to see an improvement in the way the team defends but I don't expect a quick change in the way the team goes about games. There are new positions for the boys, but it is pretty much the same voices and that does concern me a little.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!The main feeling that JT has to get across is that he is pleased to be in charge and has some good ideas as to how to make the team more resurgent. With the first couple of training sessions under his belt, he should start to be feeling the part now. He has a solid friend in Purches at his side and I am sure Steve Fletcher and Simon Weatherston will encourage and try and get some jollity back in the camp.

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It is a new beginning, but it seems like it could be very reliant on the past. JT must look forward and set his own standards. He can't try and compete with what Eddie Howe did and he has to judge himself against the other current Championship managers.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Let's hope he can win some of the pre-season friendlies and get a confidence boost for the start of the season. UTCIAD!

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Daniels handed opportunity to prove fitness