Peter Neil Bell's Blog: Cherry Chimes, page 32

Barcelona youngster could become AFCB summer signing

The race to stay in the Premier League has no doubt become a little hotter between AFCB and Brightion & Hove Albion with both clubs said to be tracking Monchu, a 20-year-old Barcelona B player. Monchu is a midfielder who is the highest scorer this season in the Barcelona B team, and AFCB have been tracking him for the last three year according to FootbalEspana.

Harry Wilson could be on his way but AFCB are already looking at new signings.There was a mention that Monchu could be signed for around EUR2m, but any player who has the talent to be at the Nou Camp is not going to come cheap. Bournemouth already have a hole in their finances from the last few seasons when they have spent heavily. While we could see a big exodus of players this summer, it is good to hear that there are positive moves going on to try and sign young players. Staying in the Premier League is likely to determine whether such signings go ahead, and with Brighton also in the running it is likely to depend on who does best in the next few games.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Attracting new players is not going to be as easy if Bournemouth do drop down a division, but the aim would surely be to try and bounce back straight away. A scoring midfielder is not something that the Cherries have seen too often. While AFCB have Diego Rico in their side, the Spanish market has not been an attractive pool for AFCB to bring players in from, so it would be a bit of a departure to sign Monchu and from one of, if not, the leading club in Europe.
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The transfer market is expected to be slow this summer, and perhaps players will be less keen on making moves with all the difficulties of the pandemic to negotiate. But AFCB have to have a eye on players that would do well in either the Championship of the Premier League, as there are quite a few players who don't expect will be playing for AFCB next season.

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If AFCB are in talks with Barcelona though, who knows, perhaps the deal could be sealed with a friendly at Dean Court this summer! That would be a great way to celebrate coming out of lockdown if football is up and running in August, even if would be without any crowds.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Training has to be inspiring for Cherries 

Training has to be inspiring for Cherries

Well the football players are heading back to training before the schools will be opening their doors for reception, year one and six as well as key workers' children at the start of June restart. Things might not be ideal, but they are happening and pushing forward. AFCB players have to find training inspiring and fun, and it is probably going to be harder than ever to find some the right training programmes to get players up to speed in just a month.
Back together but there will be social distancing.While Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall will have to treat this like a small preseason, it will be Dan Hodges who will have the most to do next week, I would think, in checking just how fit the players are individually, and who has more work to do over the coming month. It will be good to see a big squad training, even if they are doing it while self-isolating. The addition of players like Chris Mepham and David Brooks should at least please Eddie Howe, who will have a bigger selection issue than he has had for some time.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Fitness will no doubt be the key word next week. The speed and touch for players will soon need to follow though. While the players are used to playing together it will be quite a reality check when they realise they can't do what they perhaps took for granted in the past.
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The goalkeepers are probably going to get to see a lot of action as at least players can take turns in shooting from distance. It will be good for Ramsdale and company to get back measuring their distances between the sticks and getting used to catching again, even if they won't see a crowded penalty box. The players may well have a bit more force and accuracy behind their shots than Aaron's father, bless him. The main thing is that the players will come together in a field and will be able to communicate with Eddie Howe getting his central message ahead for the coming month. Preparation has to be exceptional now. There is a small window to get things set up right. Before we know it the games will come thick and fast. There won't be many second chances now, every point will be vital.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes – The Bundesliga will set the pace for football's return

Bundesliga will set the pace for football's return

While the Premier League still has some squabbles to sort out, the Bundesliga in Germany is firing up its resumption this weekend. Bayern Munich are likely to wrap up another title, but at the bottom it is a fight for survival for Paderborn, Werder Bremen and Düsseldorf. UK fans might not have a favourite football team in Germany, but  there will probably be quite a few of us logging n to see just how close to normal these games are.

Will the Bundesliga's return be successful and lead to the resumption of football in England?The good point for the bottom teams is that they are getting the chance to try and play their way out of trouble, and that is all we can hope for AFCB. To be relegated without kicking another ball would be awful and whether the authorities looked at points per game or the table half way through the season, there will not be any satisfaction in how the big issues are settled.

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Playing behind closed doors is not going to be particularly exciting for the players but may well remind them of their earlier school or college days, when their matches were perhaps less well supported. It's funny that school children and teenagers have no less enthusiasm for the game when they play and are not shouted on from the sidelines. Getting back to just enjoying football for the game is why this weekend will be well appreciated, not only in Germany, but over most parts of the world that can get to see the games.

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You can also read many opening pages for free on AmazonIt may help the Premier League and Government here look all the more strenuously to get 'Project Restart' finalised. But for Bournemouth watching on TV is going to be just a prelude to the resolution of training, which is due to return next week, although training with no tackling and social isolating is going to be more than a little strange for our AFCB heroes. At least we should see a few new images of the players and hopefully they have a few things to smile about, as they build up to the potential games that are going to decide their Premier League fate in 2019-20.

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In other news, Cherry Chimes contributed to the Daily Mail's Fans' view on 'Project Restart' this week.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Bournemouth's concentration need to be fully on relegation scrap

Bournemouth's concentration needs to be fully on relegation scrap

While we come closer to the possibility of matches resuming, Bournemouth players need to get themselves out of the bubble of thinking about what has been happening in regards to COVID-19 and fully concentrated on the task ahead. It seemed in February and March that the Cherries were building some momentum and were up for the challenge of staving off relegation, despite being in the bottom three now. They played well against Chelsea at home and nearly got a reward at Anfield. But now they have no match form and have to get points on the board as quickly as they can.

Success will depend on how ready AFCB are for the restart.The first game is going to be massive for AFCB. I am not sure if the league will pick up from where to was originally going in the fixtures, but if so it will be Crystal Palace next at home in front of an empty stadium. At one point it was going to be Wolves away, but whoever it is going to be Eddie Howe will have had time to go over notes on all the remaining nine teams that Bournemouth have to play.

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If Bournemouth can get three points from that first game they will more than likely escape the clutches of the bottom three at least for a week. That would turn things around a lot in peoples' minds and it is the positivity that AFCB need to get some immediate belief back into their campaign. While a defeat wouldn't necessarily be all doom and gloom, it would just make things all the more harder and the pressure would continue to build on the players.

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Getting away from distractions is going to be harder than ever though with so many safety rules and procedures that will be added to the match preparations. That is why it will be vital that AFCB have given their players a clear idea of everything that will happen before they play. If they have that out of the way, they can then commit fully to the game. AFCB should forget about what they can't have an influence on, in wondering whether 'Project Restart' happens or not, and prepare for it expecting to happen. They will then be in the best position to attack those nine games rather than being surprised and unprepared.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Previous Post on Cherry Chimes - Dean Court may yet host some more games this season

Dean Court may yet host some more games this season

The Premier League looks like it will have to admit defeat over its insistence of playing out the remainder of the season at neutral ground. Talks between the police, the Premier League and the government have resulted in more positive assurances that games can be played behind closed doors at all of the 20 Premier League grounds, reported TalkSport , if 'Project Restart' gets up and running.
Neutral venue idea expected to be to be scrapped.The neutral venue concept had threatened to cause a big split among the 20 teams and could have resulted in the end of any chance to get football back this season. Now there is a plan in place which at least appeases the bottom clubs. How much it will help them I am not sure, as even playing at home without any crowd atmosphere is going to be quite strange for any team.
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I still think there is a long way to go before clubs give the thumps up to 'Project Restart'. The medical reports still have to be digested and while training will not have any tackling, the game will have to see tackling in matches and that needs no fear from players. Wearing masks and shorter games are novel ideas, but just not appropriate for football and any further moves away from the game, as we know, it is likely to be met with resistance.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Things will really start moving next week when all Premier League clubs are due to start training again. This week they really have to get the social distance around venues sorted and come up with some rules that are easy for the players and staff to follow. It is just one hurdle at a time, but in many respects it will just be a relief to get rid of this season now.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - The Saints have shown more character than the Cherries

The Saints have shown more character than the Cherries this season

Looking at the Cherries' 'repicked' game this week, it is great that our fans finally have a game to truly enjoy, as it has been a long time in coming to beat the Saints at their own ground. St Mary's simply hasn't been a happy hunting ground until this season, but one look at the current table shows that the Saints have shown much more resolve than AFCB to get out of trouble in 2019/20.
AFCB visits to St Mary's haven't been that successful over the years.While Ralph Hasenhüttl looked like he was living on borrowed time back in October when Leicester gave them a  0-9 thumping at St Mary's, he has got them to near enough safety barring a catastrophic change in fortune now, which seems highly unlikely. Bournemouth meanwhile have been drifting slowing towards the bottom of the table and unable to seemingly stop the gradual decline.
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Things were so different in September 2019, when Bournemouth enjoyed a 1-3 win over Southampton and the season looked like it was on course for being a good one for AFCB. Many mistakes were made after that game and the inconsistency in front of goal, and the failure to keep hardly any clean sheets, took away the early pleasure of wins against Everton and Southampton.  
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!What is worse is the next time we play Southampton could be the last one for. a while. The game that we have left in the current season is also unlikely to take place at home. That game would perhaps be played at Brighton's ground, as a neutral venue, behind closed doors, but it would not feel very advantageous to play there. So enjoy the re-run of this season's great win at Southampton and remember we will have good days again, even if Saints fans have more to be pleased about this season.

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Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Will five playable subs make much difference?

In other news, the Cherries repicked win at Southampton is being shown at 7.30pm tonight on AFCB's YouTube channel.

Will five playable subs make much difference?

We recently heard that FIFA was agreeable to allow five substitutions per game to help with the completion of the leagues that remain dormant. The Premier League always has seven subs in the bench but only three can be used in a match. So will it make much of a difference if Project Restart goes ahead? I have visions of the days when Sven-Göran Eriksson used to make 10 subs at half-time.
Will five subs really make a difference to matches?On the face of it, the initial reaction may seem quite calm and unbothered about the option for more subs. We haven't heard as much criticism as we have over playing at neutral grounds, but I do see an advantage to some clubs with the new declaration of five usable subs. It will be another advantage to the bigger clubs that have more expansive squads and more experienced players. They will be able to get more of their millions on the pitch, whereas smaller teams, like dare I say Bournemouth, won't have the same kind of player depth in their squads.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Looking at Bournemouth's squad and the possible players that would fill the seven places on the bench it might also be a bonus in that the Cherries have quite an attacking squad. Eddie Howe could have the likes of Harry Wilson (if he can continue his loan from Liverpool), Junior Stanislas, Sam Surridge, Dominic Solanke, Arnaut Danjuma and Lewis Cook among their bench options for attacking players, as well as a keeper and defender. But it is more likely that Howe would pick at least two and possibly three defenders on the bench  - Diego Rico, Chris Mepham and Simon Francis.

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I think we will only know if it is good thing to increase the number of subs if a team uses the option well and starts making the changes work on the pitch. We don't know if players will find it hard going because they haven't played for weeks, and I don't see it really a measure that I can see will protect the players from the virus, even though it has been described as a player welfare measure. You are just replacing one player with another, so a risk has been taken by the player coming off and the one going on. It's just going to be five subs being exposed to the game instead of three. If anything you are risking more players to contact. But the option is there, and AFCB have to make sure that they know how best to work it when the games start again.

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In other news, the Premier League met yesterday and proposed that the league should be finished on 'sporting merit' in an effort to rule out a 'null and void' season and any objections to the neutral ground proposal for 'Project Restart'.

Previous post on Cherry Chimes - The Championship would be worse for AFCB than for the fans

The Championship would be worse for AFCB than for the fans

We don't know yet if AFCB will be relegated. But if the worst happens and they do go down, whether through the league being stopped now, or through the league playing to an end, is it really that bad for the club and fans? Arguably for the fans, it could even be more exciting playing in the Championship with more games, potentially more winnable fixtures and still the possibility of winning promotion back, with the parachute payment to help. Yet, for the club, it could be an absolute financial catastrophe.


The Championship would mean a massive drop in revenue for AFCB.The Cherries income is 88 per cent gathered from TV broadcasts through the Premier League. Worse still, most of that goes on player wages. There would need to be a savage cut in wage payments next season, if Bournemouth did face the drop. That would probably mean a mass exodus of the payers we have come to like and know so well. Bournemouth won't lose much in match day revenues, and commercial revenue is only eight per cent of the club income. Where it will hurt is financially with the loss of TV revenue and Eddie Howe would have a big restructuring job on his hands.

Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream -now just 9.99!Howe has started a big restructuring programme at Burnley, which I suppose was ultimately successful when a season after he left Burnley Sean Dyche won promotion, but it is something Howe has not done himself. Whether he could lead Bournemouth back to the Premier League will be on fans minds. Perhaps the possibility will come sooner than we might have hoped, but Bournemouth have had five years in the Premier League which is outstanding for such a small club.
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Ultimately, the fans would still get to see their team playing and more often on a Saturday as well as in midweek. The Championship was great fun in 2013-14 and 2014-15. It was a new experience and Bournemouth played against clubs that it hadn't played in a long time. We may have to watch younger and less experienced players next time, but the Championship always offers good value. Fans will enjoy football again, even if it might not be against the really big boys.
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Previous post on Cherry Chimes  - Premier League could become the villain if club's abandon 'Project restart'

Premier League could become the villain if clubs abandon 'Project Restart'

The strenuous attempts by the Premier League to force their plans for 'Project Restart' through may well meet with enough opposition to scupper the whole idea. Watford are the latest club to join Brighton, Norwich City and Aston Villa in being against neutral venues, while we have yet to hear what the club medics feel about the safety of players and staff. If things go against the Premier League in a vote, the only people that will come out looking like they have lost the plot is the Premier League.
All we want is fair play and safety. Are you listening Premier League?I don't envy the executives positions who run the game, but without thinking for all they will back themselves into an impossible situation. The more that they insist on proposals they have come up with, the more likely they will find opposition if others have not had their proposals taken on board. Now the Premier League is insisting that if club's vote against neutral venues they will need to give millions of Premier League money back in another threat to teams in the bottom three, reports the Daily Mail.

The whole season risks being a fiasco now. Everyone knows Liverpool a the best team and they should be given the title. It is harder to say with any certainty about the teams who deserves the European places and the relegations spots, but a decision will probably have to be made if the Premier League won't abandon the season as null and void, and won't get 'Project Restart' further than the drawing books. I fear this could be the season that is only ended by the pen of a Premier League scribe who just draws a line under the league as it currently stands.

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Even then, what is going to happen next August. I am not even sure the league will find it easy to restart then, and the teams that have been promoted will always know they may be there by a bit of luck, if they don't get to play all their games in the Championship and get promoted by the pen.
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While it seems unlikely that League One and Two will play any more games, according to recent views like Gary Neville's, the same decision about drawing a line as the leagues stand will have to be done there as well. The only winners will be the lawyers who look for justice. At the top, the Premier League could harm its reputation for fair play for seasons to come, but they just haven't even considered that yet. It might be a nasty surprise that suddenly hits them, if teams vote against the restart in enough numbers.



Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!Previous post on Cherry Chimes - Will players need special mental preparation for restart?

Will players need special mental preparation for restart?

There have been a number of players, like our Simon Francis, who have voiced concerns about 'Project Restart', and the danger which they would be putting not only themselves in, but also their families, if they play football when the COOVID-19 virus is still active. The precautions that the Premier League take may limit the chances of catching the virus, but we are in uncharted waters, and nobody really knows if a player is likely to catch the virus if the restart goes ahead. Testing has to be perfect and whatever precautions are taken there will be a minute percentage chance that something is not done correctly for the testing procedure.
Stepping out on to the pitch, players will have to feel confident all testing has been done well.The Premier League will be asking the players to be guinea pigs. There is no real precedent, and in Germany the Bundesliga is spending bucket loads of cash on trying to make it safe for players. But in Germany the idea of neutral venues is banned, so why can't it be done in England for the Premier league? It does seem strange that the Premier League is keen to get games on, which is a danger in itself, and yet believes the 10 neutral ground make things massively safer. True there would be less travel up and down the country, which I think is their main point, but surely the games should not be on at all if there is not a level of safety where teams can travel out of their own local county. And do all players even live close to their home ground? It says this is all too soon for a resumption to me.

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The people that are most at risk will be the players. Yet how can they get better prepared for what might be coming? Like us, they have been self-isolating for seven weeks and the change is going to be very quick, if the games will start in early June. They will all be back training by 18 May, and while they may feel comfortable around their own team-mates and staff, they will then have to travel to a neutral ground and an pretty much empty stadium to play a game that is massive for their Premier League status. All the time they will do this while knowing that they are more at risk of catching the virus than they have been in the last two months, testing aside.
Advertisement Eddie Had a Dream eBook version -£7.99!The mental trainers will be hard at work to get the payers to forget all about COVID-19 and to concentrate on what they are best at - playing football. How easy that will be playing in a strange environment is hard to tell. Some players might not even think they have a problem until they stand on the pitch at kick off, and suddenly they don't feel comfortable. The more you thing about 'Project Restart' the more you have to be worried for the players. A  tragedy such as losing a player or a member of a player's family to this awful virus would be unforgivable.
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Previous Port on Cherry Chimes - Play or ben relegate to bottom three