Peter Neil Bell's Blog: Cherry Chimes, page 63

Should Callum be flattered by Man Utd interest?

Bournemouth know they have a very hot property in Callum Wilson. The team is designed to give him the best chance of scoring goals and that ability to do exactly that has already brought him several England senior caps. While Chelsea have been potential trackers of  AFCB frontman, the ante might have just got a lot hotter with Man United sending admiring eye's towards AFCB's number 13, according to SkySports.
Is Callum Wilson too good for AFCB to keep hold of?Should Man United come in with a big offer in January, Callum Wilson would have a big decision to make. Should he follow in the footsteps of Ted MacDougall and smash his salary and AFCB's transfer record? Usually, the answer would be a straight yes, but he'll have to consider if he wants to be a part of what is a Man United rebuilding job. Yes, Man United are a massive club, perhaps the biggest in the world, but in January they could be looking at struggling to make the top 10 and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be ousted of hoping that a signing like Wilson is his best hope of staying in the job. Joining Man United is not like joining any other club and Callum would have to reconcile himself with the pressure of such a big move.
Being a big fish in a little pool is perhaps what he has become at AFCB. The transfer fee would go along way to smashing AFCB's profits for the season and they could be near to safety come the end of January. But losing Callum would be a huge blow for the club and Eddie Howe's aspirations of building the team around Wilson. While AFCB might be able to say no to a low bid, they may have to reconsider if there is a sudden bidding war for Callum's services.
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AFCB's main job before January should be to scour world leagues for another Callum Wilson just in case. The striker department is the hardest to get right, but AFCB may have to concede at some point that Callum Wilson has grown too big for the club. Should Callum be flattered, yes he should, but it doesn't mean that Man United is the best club to move to in its current state of uncertainty.

In other news, having won Council approval, it's all go for AFCB's Canford Manga Training complex!

Diego Rico - most improved player?

The need to replace Charlie Daniels at left-back has been a never ending challenge it would seem for Eddie Howe. He may have thought that Lloyd Kelly was the solution this summer, but when Charlie Daniels was unfortunate to get injured against Everton, it was Diego Rico that was given the first opportunity to make a mark and he has been terrific of late.
Rico is on the right path.Looking back at the matches against Southampton and West Ham, I'd have to say I can't put my finger on a more improved player that Diego. He has realised that he can't afford to make sloppy passes and waste his time pushing up the left wing, if he is going to plough an aimless cross out of play. He has been more thoughtful in his play, and is really starting to be one of the players that has initiated a better tempo about the team.

What I also like about Diego now is that he hasn't lost any of his work rate. He can't help but show you a how hard he is working when trying to get back into position to make blocks. We have had to wait a long time for Rico to make his way into the team, but I'm very glad that Eddie Howe has managed to make the signing work. When you look at what happened with Brad Smith, it was becoming a position where no player could quite live up to the performances of Charlie Daniels.

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Now Rico is making the position his own. He made some vital decisions against West Ham when Aké and Steve Cook were almost undone and his covering has been a big asset. He has also provided an assist or two and his corner crossing is also causing opposition teams problems.

It's like Diego knew that he had to make this period count. He has had a tough time and to start performing as he has is great to see, but let's hope he can keep it up.

Chimes to Camera: AFCB 2 v 2 West Ham

Is the right wing really Harry Wilson's best position?

Like most Bournemouth fans, I've been watching Harry Wilson as closely as I can in recent games to see how well he is fitting in. He has been doing well in front of goal, but there is something that doesn't quite sit well, and I think it is that he might be better playing in the whole behind a main striker where he can really influence play.
Are AFCB getting the very best out of Harry Wilson?I am sure that Harry Wilson has been brought in as cover for David Brooks and that is how Eddie Howe needs to use him at the moment. It's a problem of numbers with Junior Stanislas and David Brooks being unavailable. When that changes though, there will be less need to force Harry to play out on the right wing and I think it could be very exciting to see him play through the middle with Fraser and Brooks supplying the wing play that will make Bournemouth a much more balanced attacking force.
Even if we look at Harry Wilson's goals, they all come from the middle of the pitch where he has found himself. They are not developed from him getting in behind from wide areas and shooting across goal. So is Eddie making the best use of Harry at the moment? I'd probably argue not.


Online-BookBournemouth really need wingers that can overlap and get crosses in with the full backs and this area of Harry's game is perhaps not on a par with some of the other players at AFCB who are more used to Eddie's playing techniques. This is why I suspect David Brooks will regain his right wing place when he does become available, but by that time it may be too tempting too keep Harry in the team somehow, and Eddie might be really hoping that he can keep Harry and Brooks as part of a new attacking formation as we go into late October or early November.

Still moaning about VAR?

There are going to be problems with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system this season. We just have to go with it now I suppose. The Cherries have already been the wrong side of it a few times, and even when Bournemouth did benefit against West Ham United with Josh King's goal it was such a long delay that the celebrations felt rather muted in the end at least for me.
Did you celebrate AFCB's goals without 
a flicker of a worry if it would be stuck off?I am one of those fans who want to jump up an shout whenever the Cherries score a goal. I can't hold the excitement back, it's impulsive and just a reaction to seeing my side achieve what they have been working so hard for. But getting used to seeing a goal scored and having to wait to see if at first VAR is going to check - and yes, it always does - and then waiting to see if we can celebrate, seems to take all the excitement out of the initial moment when one of our players scores.
I guess it is early days and perhaps VAR needs to be more entertaining in how it is seen in the ground. We need to get the replays on screen and build the tension and get some audio of what VAR is looking at. That's how they do it in cricket. The whole stadium knows when the umpire is looking at a certain view for a reason. Football is a participation sport for the fans as well as the players and the global TV audience. This is what the rule makers haven't really considered when they wanted to introduce VAR. It was handled very well during the World Cup, but I have to admit it's been a botch job in the Premier League.

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It's funny how the fans call for consistency with refereeing and that is what many thought we would get with VAR. It's not VAR that is really the problem though. It is doing what it was set up for, making calls black and white. It's the implementation of it and the interpretation of those rules - the human factor- which is causing most of the problems.

Through gritted teeth we have to see things through with VAR. I've kept away from it for as long as I can this season, but I'm not confident that AFCB won't have further reasons to be annoyed with VAR this season.

Rico is starting to step up his game

I might not have been too enthused about Diego Rico in many games, but I feel he is starting to add some positive things to the team. He is contributing especially well when defending and is reading the game much better now that he has got up to Premier League speed.
Rico has got up to speed.I do believe he just needed a run of games and it has so happened that he has been given a chance. Now he is looking more the part and is even looking up and trying to pick out a man when making his crosses. I am sure the match he had against Everton was a big help to him, as he kept a cool head at the back and was sensible with his forward runs. Getting that balance right is essential, and while he perhaps has been concentrating more on getting his position right in defence it has been the left side that has been a bit better in stopping the opposition of late.
Filipe Anderson was up against Rico for much of the game against West Ham, but Anderson didn't have one of his best games. The understanding with Aké seems to be coming along. Whether Aké finds Rico easy to work with is not clear, but the two of them certainly helped each other out a lot and made good angles to enable some simple passes which is half the battle.

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Rico looked shocked to get booked in the first half and was perhaps a bit unlucky as he was rather bundled over himself. Still, defenders don't tend to get the benefit of the doubt when they are running back towards their won goal to defend.

Can Stacey keep Francis out of the team?

It will be a head and heart decision I'd think for Eddie Howe to make next game for the right-back slot. I thought Jack Stacey had his best game for Bournemouth against West Ham and while he made a few passing errors late on, it was a pretty strong performance.
Jack Stacey has impressed in recent games on the right side of defence.Simon Francis is available now and did fill in for the last few minutes against West Ham. I wonder how much Eddie Howe would like to have his club captain on the pitch? The team has managed well without Francis since last Boxing Day, so it will be quite a change to see him come back in at some time.

I don't see why Francis and Lewis Cook can't start games now if they really are ready and that will make selections harder for Howe. I feel that Stacey is building though as a player, and is getting more confident, and is trying to influence games more now. I don't think he has a great help in having Harry Wilson playing just in front of him, as he has had to try and recover and get back, when Harry has lost the ball in some places which were high up the field. As a new player though both Harry Wilson and Jack Stacey are no doubt toeing the line and getting their heads down. Neither of them should be thinking they've made it just yet, because they have played a few games in the Premier League.

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Simon Francis carries a big personality around the place and yet he knows that he might not have many more games left at this level, so every game is going to be special for him now. Eddie has to balance the being loyal to a player that has done so much for him with the excitement of a player trying to get more experience at the top level. For the moment, I suspect he'll stay with Stacey. But don't be too shocked if we do see Francis given a go to test himself very soon in more than a cameo appearance.

Cherry Chimes Newsletter - out today!
Cherry Chimes' October Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month. It's out today, with special story - Team spirit is still evident at AFCB

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