Bournemouth were seventh after beating Manchester United on 2 November but have won once in nine games since, and are two points above the relegation zone. The club seem to do it every year and always escape terrible runs of form in between excellent bursts with enough points to keep them safe. But what if the good run does not come ?
Bournemouth’s injury problems have increased considerably as Joshua King and Jack Stacey went off with suspected hamstring injuries, with the Cherries having to play the final 10 minutes a man down having used all their substitutes. Despite valiantly attempting to play on, Stacey was forced off after the Dorset club had made all three of their substitutions – leaving them a man light in the 2-0 reverse.
Eddie Howe said “With a small squad the Christmas period is the ultimate test and you need to rotate players,” said boss Eddie Howe. “It looks like we’ve lost Joshua King and Jack Stacey so it is not a good day. The games come thick and fast and this was one of the games we needed to get something and we didn’t. We need to learn our lessons. The strength of the squad has been knocked and that allows a feeling of feeling sorry for yourself if you don’t get the results you want. But we have to go again, find the inner strength and keep going.”
Bournemouth and Eddie Howe are looking at all the options and situations for improving where they can. The defeat has left the Cherries just two points clear of the relegation zone.
