AFC Bournemouth Summer Strengthening

With Bournemouth's promotion to the Npower Championship for the 2013/2014 season, it's no doubt that boss Eddie Howe will be busy planning how to build a team capable of holding their own next season. Although the Cherries finished second in League One this term, they were arguably the most technically proficient and skilful team in the league. While undoubtedly the quality of football in the Championship is higher, teams also cannot rely on purely being based on physicality, a la Sheffield United. To ensure survival (and maybe more) Howe will know that he must make a few quality additions to his team for next year to build on the promising group already at Dean Court.

It's fair to say that the nucleus of the Bournemouth team is likely good enough for the step up, making this summer more about fine tuning rather than whole sale changes. In goal the team are settled, with Ryan Allsop making the number one shirt his own towards the end of the season, while Shwan Jalal and/ or Darryl Flahavan will back up the young stopper. Yes, Allsop is inexperienced but he was calmness personified during the run-in, making a few brilliant saves too, so we can feel comfortable with the twenty year old donning the gloves next season.

However, the same cannot be said for defence. In Simon Francis, Tommy Elphick, Steve Cook and Charlie Daniels we have four quality defenders that are reliable and trustworthy. But the depth at full-back is non-existent, and only Stephane Zubar and Miles Addison provide cover for central defence. I have my doubts over whether Zubar and Addison are good enough for the next level, and would not be surprised to see at least one of them depart. Our lack of depth in defence was worryingly exposed in February and March when injuries to Daniels and Elphick resulted in a five match losing run that almost derailed the season. After Daniels returned against Oldham, and Elphick against Colchester, Bournemouth won 7 matches in a row, only letting in five goals during that span. Not many possible additions have been linked with a move, but a couple of weeks ago there were whispers of Tranmere left-back Zoumana Bakayogo making the move south this summer.

Could 'Zoom' be playing in red next season?

Moving on to the engine of the team, the midfield is extremely unbalanced, a lasting mark of the Paul Groves era. The number of wingers at the club is incredible (I count six) and there is no need for such a high amount to remain. Marc Pugh, Matt Ritchie and Ryan Fraser are all certain to stay at the club- barring any stupendous offers- leaving Josh McQuoid, Wes Fogden and Donal McDermott as the 3 in limbo. Ritchie and Pugh combined for a total of 11 goals and 13 assists, while the latter three's total amounts to 8 goals and 7 assists. Personally, I would let McQuoid and McDermott leave as both need regular first team football, but keep Fogden for his unbeatable work ethic. There are some exciting wingers available, such as Alan Judge and Febian Brandy, but will Eddie feel the need to strengthen this position? In the central midfield Shaun Macdonald, Harry Arter and Eunan O'Kane all had fabulous seasons, and while their overall contribution cannot be accounted for, the trio produced 13 goals and 12 assists, despite all suffering injuries at some point this season. Richard Hughes provides top-level experience, but I'm doubtful he will play a huge role on the pitch next season. This means we could likely do with one quality addition here, Simon Ferry and Marlon Pack are noticeable names on the market, but I think we could do with an energetic, determined ball-winner coming in. Undoubtedly next season we'll have to put on a few 'backs to the wall' performances, hence why a player of this sort could make a difference.

A better version of Marvin Bartley would help

Lastly the Bournemouth front line, is possibly the area of the team that needs strengthening the most. Pitman's quality cannot be denied and he is a lock to be starting the first game of the season, leaving one spot (depending on the formation) up for grabs. Lewis Grabban was fantastic this season, he contributed 13 goals and 8 assists, but his constant running and ability to split defences provided a different element to the Cherries' attack this season. While Lewis certainly deserves his chance next season, I believe that quality competition is certainly needed if only at least to challenge him and Brett. Unfortunately, I do not think Matt Tubbs is good enough and would be better off getting first team football elsewhere, because he's good enough to start at other clubs. The situation with Frank Demouge is a mystery, but perhaps his form on loan at Roda JC will convince Eddie to give him a second chance, while we'll hopefully never see Wes Thomas in a Bournemouth shirt again. Obviously, every team needs a good forward and it's not easy to find quality goal scorers without laying out a huge fee. Rumours have linked us to Westbourne's own Charlie Austin, but that seems extremely far-fetched. There are numerous quality players out of contract this summer that I think could improve the team; Will Grigg, Harry Forrester, Davide Somma and Will Hoskins are just a few of those.

Will Grigg bagged 20 goals for Walsall this year

In short, if I were Eddie Howe my shopping list would consist of two forwards, a central midfielder, a full-back and a central defender. Thankfully, Bournemouth fans know how successful Howe has been in the transfer market regardless of funding available, so hopefully a few exciting additions will be wearing the famous red and black stripes next season.

If you were manager, what positions do you think Bournemouth need to strengthen, and are there any players worth looking out for?

Bournemouth's Summer Transfers- A Review

Paul Groves first off-season in charge proved to be an eventful one, with many players coming in and many also heading out of the exit door. For once, Cherries fans had a reason to be excited about the transfer window, as new funding meant we would be buying players, not selling them! With a squad largely filled with former boss Lee Bradury's players, Groves used the summer to put his own stamp on the team. Many players, including a couple of senior team members were released, and a lot of money was spent on bringing in quality additions.

In this blog I'll summarize each signing made, my thoughts on the player, and how they have fared so far at AFCB.

Josh McQuoid- Returning after 18 months away at Millwall is former youth team player Josh McQuoid. Fans were mixed on his return due to the rather controversial circumstances in which he left the club during the 2010-2011 season. That said, Josh showed his potential during a short run in the side which lead to his 500,000 pound move to the Championship. Though his time at Millwall was not the most productive, there is no doubt that if he can perform to his best then he will be an extremely valuable addition to the team.

Lewis Grabban- Hoping to prove himself at a higher level is forward Lewis Grabban, who joins after scoring 20+ goals for Rotherham in League Two last season. Previously of Millwall and Brentford, a rumoured 300k was spent on him, in the hope that he can continue this form in League One. A key element of his game is his versatility, as he can play up front or down the wing. Grabban has made a solid start this season, featuring in all four games and bagging himself a goal in the process. He still has to prove his worth, but so far the signs are promising.

Frank Demouge- Big Frank is a summer signing from FC Utrecht in the Dutch Evredivisie. A tall target man with a knack for scoring goals, he is an exciting addition to the squad, though he is still a rather unknown commodity. An injury has delayed his first action in a Cherries shirt, but I for one, cannot wait to see him in the red & black stripes.

Miles Addison- Miles returns after a fruitful loan spell at Bournemouth last season which saw him regularly start in central defence. A large, bulky defender, Addison was the target of Championship clubs, but he was convinced to return and try to help the Cherries gain promotion this season. He has fared well so far, and has even been chosen to captain the side. He provides leadership and confidence at the back, qualities that are often priceless in both a captain and a defender.

Eunan O'Kane- The Northern Irish U-21 international joins after a spectacular season at Torquay United, where he helped them make the play-offs, and he was also selected for the League Two team of the season. Known for his attacking creativity, Eunan was signed in the hope that he can provide a dynamic spark to the midfield. He has fared okay to date, clearly the adjustment to League One will take time, but his potential is visible for the fans to see. I think if Groves can find the right role for him in the team then this signing will pay off, until then, the jury is out.

Richard Hughes- The former afcb and Pompey midfielder returns to the club eleven years after he left, after a one year break from football, where he opened his own restaurant in London's west end. This is a risky punt by Groves, who is clearly banking on Hughes finding the form that made him a Premiership player earlier in his career.

Tommy Elphick- Centre half Elphick joins the club from his boyhood club Brighton, where he was recently a starter in their promotion winning side. Unfortunately a long injury forced him to miss all of last season, and due to Brighton's improving stature, a move to Bournemouth proved to be his best chance of first team football. He has so far started 2 out of the 3 league games, looking comfortable as he plays along his new defensive partner Miles Addison. While it will take time for him to return to full match fitness, Elphick should be a quality player to have in this league.

Lee Barnard- Prior to the Portsmouth game Groves made a dip into the loan market and got Lee on loan from south coast neighbours Southampton. He boasts a great track record in this league with both Southend and Southampton, and showed his quality when he equalized against Portsmouth in the first match of the season. He has started brightly so far this season, and if he continues to shine he may become a permanent Cherries player come January.