Gareth Messenger

Bournemouth – 18th Pld: 29 Won: 7 Drawn: 6 Lost: 16 Points: 27

This has been the toughest season for Bournemouth in terms of results, and for once the team from the South coast are in real danger of losing their Premier League status. 

It was a fairly promising start to Bournemouth’s season with four wins and four draws in their opening 11 matches. It was form not usually expected from the Cherries whose peak period comes in the winter months, but this season really has been a complete reversal from the norm.

In Bournemouth’s last 18 matches, they have picked up just three wins and two draws. That’s 11 points from a possible 51 – and it certainly explains why Eddie Howe finds himself in a real fight to keep his beloved club in the top-flight.

The side has been too reliant on the goals of the Wilson duo: Callum and Harry. Callum Wilson is the club’s top scorer in the league with eight, while Harry Wilson has seven. Callum found his shooting boots against before the Covid-19 pandemic halted football with four goals in ten but prior to that was goalless for three months. Harry himself has struggled, with just one goal since the end November. Howe and the Bournemouth support will be desperate those two can reignite their campaigns. 

Crystal Palace, Wolves and Newcastle are on the immediate horizon and are winnable games. They’ll certainly need positive results with Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Leicester City all waiting in the wings later down the line. 

Players to watch: A lot of emphases will be on the Wilson duo, but if Bournemouth is to survive they’ll need Ryan Fraser and Josh King firing on all cylinders.

Fraser’s career is in the air with Galatasaray now unlikely suitors for his signature, so he may be out to prove a point and grab more attention from bigger clubs across the Premier League.

King was linked with a move to Manchester United in January, but he too may be looking for pastures new and may want to make a name for himself in the season’s curtain call. 

Remaining fixtures: 

Crystal Palace (H)
Wolves (A)
Newcastle (H)
Manchester United (A)
Tottenham (H)
Leicester (H)
Manchester City (A)
Southampton (H)
Everton (A)