After a successful first season in the top flight, which went largely unnoticed due to Leicester’s heroics, Bournemouth fans in The Football Transfer Tavern cannot wait to see how their side will fair next season.
Eddie Howe opted for a flat 4-4-2 formation last season and it got the job done. However whilst the job may be the same this season, to avoid relegation, Bournemouth’s surprisingly high finish – only 5 points off of 11th placed Everton – the board, players and fans may think something more could be done this time out.
Showing glimpses of real quality last season, there is no reason why the Cherries can’t obtain a higher placed finish, despite many people thinking they may go down. As is the way with football, sometimes you have to mix it up.
A flat 4-4-2 isn’t exactly the hardest tactic to break down and defend against but what about a 4-3-3? More attacking options whilst keeping a solid midfield if the correct players are used, yes there is more risk of a counter attack when going forward which would really completely change the way Howe’s side play but it has to change sometime.
The Cherries’ are never going to establish themselves as a secure Premier League side unless they ditch the safety blanket of the 4-4-2. If Bournemouth do line up with a 4-3-3 in their opening game at the Emirates next season, then all the Cherries’ in the Tavern tonight have been discussing which players would fit in well.
Goalkeeper – Artur Boruc
With no rumours stirring in the press at the moment, it seems that Eddie Howe is content with his selection of keepers. Artur Boruc was the Cherries’ number one last season and it seems like it will stay that way for the 2016/17 campaign.
Defence – Simon Francis, Tyrone Mings, Steve Cook, Charlie Daniels
All things considered, conceding 67 goals in the league last season really isn’t that bad at all for Bournemouth. Defensively they were shaky which is understandable for a newly promoted team but overall, they got the job done and stayed up.
The only real change needed is for the returning Tyrone Mings to fill in for the departing Tommy Elphick. The former Ipswich man, who missed all of last season through injury, is a tall and strong player who predominantly plays as a left back however he has all the qualities of a dominating centre back, a fitting replacement for Elphick.
Francis, Cook and Daniels all had solid debut seasons in the Premier League and have given Eddie Howe no real reason to feel like he should bring in any replacements over the summer.
Midfield – Andrew Surman, Harry Arter, Dan Gosling
This is where the major change to Bournemouth’s game will come if Eddie Howe decides to go with a 4-3-3 formation next season.
After spending the 2015/16 league season playing a 4-4-2, the two central midfielders, Arter and Surman had ease of access out to the right and left flanks. Pushing the left and right midfielders onto the wings and bringing in a third central midfielder makes them more dangerous down the middle but also leaves the three midfielders to their own devices in the middle of the park.
Attack – Stanislas, Wilson, King
Every single Bournemouth fan in the country is watering at the mouth at thought of Callum Wilson getting to play an entire season in the Premier League, after his absence due to injury for most of last season.
Despite missing most of the season, the prolific striker managed to score 5 goals before his injury and scored the Cherries’ first ever goal in the top flight.
Stanislas and King both had good debut seasons in the top flight as well with the former seeming to grow into the league more and more as the season went on with his best performance coming against Everton in the highly entertaining 3-3 draw.
Norwegian forward King didn’t always seem comfortable as the clubs main striker due to Wilson’s absence and Stanislas seemed wasted at times as a wide midfielder. Moving both players up and out wide onto the wing may be just what gets the best out of them for the South Coast side.
Cherries’ fans,we want to hear from you! How well would this line up do next season? Let us know in the comments below…
