Premier League - Football: Bournemouth season preview

bet365 News Team Published: Aug 29 2022 10:33

Bournemouth are back in the Premier League following a two-year absence after Scott Parker guided them to second place in the Championship last season.

The Cherries finished just two points behind champions Fulham, having been among the favourites to go up before a ball was kicked last term.

They certainly lived up to those expectations as they deservedly secured the second automatic promotion place after being in the top two for much of the campaign.

A 1-0 home win over Nottingham Forest in early May confirmed their place back in the top-flight and now the pressure is on to try and survive.

With a tough season likely, Parker's side are predictably among the favourites at 1/2 to go straight back down, while they are 6/4 to stay up.

What	England Premier League 2022/23
Where	England
When	5th August 2022 - 28th May 2023
How to watch	Selected matches broadcast on Sky, BT Sport and Amazon Prime
Odds	Manchester City 4/7, Liverpool 2/1, Tottenham 14/1, Chelsea 16/1, Manchester United 33/1

Where did Bournemouth finish last season?

2nd in the Championship

What are Bournemouth's hopes for the season?

As with most teams who are promoted from the second tier, the target is simply survival during the first season back in the Premier League.

Under former boss Eddie Howe, the south coast club established themselves amongst the elite during a five-year stay between 2015-2020, but such is the quality in the top-flight they are set to find it difficult upon their return.

However, seven of the players who featured in their last match in the Premier League back in July 2020 are still at the Vitality so there is considerable experience in the squad at this level.

The likes of Dominic Solanke, David Brooks, captain Lloyd Kelly and Lewis Cook are among the players who will feel they belong in the top-flight and will be determined to prove they are good enough to compete on a weekly basis.

Realistically, though, for a club with a limited budget, staying up will be seen as a big success, while finishing in the top half, which is available at 14/1, would be viewed as wildly exceeding expectations.

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Who are Bournemouth's opening opponents?

Parker's side kick-off the new campaign at home against Aston Villa on 6th August - a repeat of the opening day of the 2015/16 campaign when substitute Rudy Gestede scored the only goal of the game for the visitors.

They certainly could have had tougher opening matches, but this still represents a very tricky first test against a side who finished 14th last term and will have ambitions of at least making the top half in 2022/23.

Villa are favourites at 11/10 to win, the draw is 5/2 and the Cherries are 9/4 to pick up all three points.

When are Bournemouth's key fixtures?

Following the opener against Villa, Bournemouth have a daunting August as they go to champions Manchester City on the 13th, before they host Arsenal a week later ahead of a trip to Liverpool on 27th August.

They sign off before the World Cup in mid-November with a home match against Everton and then resume on Boxing Day with another tough assignment when they go to Chelsea.

The Cherries' run-in also looks difficult as they host Chelsea and Manchester United in two of their final four games and finish with a trip to Goodison Park to take on Everton on Sunday 28th May 2023.

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Who is Bournemouth's manager?

Parker has been in charge at the Vitality Stadium for just over a year and impressed last term when guiding them to second place in the Championship, his second promotion from the second tier after he took Fulham up via the play-offs in 2020.

The former Charlton, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham and Fulham midfielder was a classy operator on the pitch and won the 2011 Football Writers' Player of the Year award. In total, the 41-year-old made 369 Premier League appearances, while he also represented England 18 times.

After retiring in 2017, he had a brief spell working with Tottenham's Under-18s, before returning to Fulham where he had roles as a coach, caretaker manager and then first-team boss between 2019-2021, but left last summer following the Cottagers' relegation from the Premier League.

Seen as one of the brightest young English managers around, Parker has a possession-based, attacking philosophy, highlighted by the 74 goals his team hit in the Championship last season (only Fulham scored more).

What players have Bournemouth signed?

Ryan Fredericks (West Ham)
Joe Rothwell (Blackburn)
Marcus Tavernier (Middlesbrough)
Neto (Barcelona)
Marcos Senesi (Feyenoord)

Which players have left Bournemouth?

Gary Cahill (Released)
Brennan Camp (Released)
Ryan Glover (Released)
Connor Kurrran-Browne (Released)
Luke Nippard (Released)
Owen Palmer (Released)
Aaron Roberts (Released)
Jack Seddon (Released)
Gavin Kilkenny (Stoke, Loan)
Zeno Ibsen Rossi (Cambridge United)
Sam Sherring (Northampton)

Who are Bournemouth's key players?

Star player:	Lloyd Kelly
Potential top scorer:	Dominic Solanke
Set-piece king:	Philip Billing
Exciting youngster:	Jaidon Anthony

Former Liverpool forward Solanke was tipped to be a regular goalscorer in the Premier League, but he struggled in his first full campaign with the Cherries in 2019/20, managing just three goals in the top flight.

He has since thrived in the Championship, racking up 44 in 85 appearances and will feel he has a point to prove upon his return to the highest level.

Kelly and Chris Mepham will be important at the back, while Colombia international Jefferson Lerma, who remains Bournemouth's record signing at £25million, will also want to prove he is a better player than he showed in his two previous campaigns in the Premier League.

Brooks has made a welcome return to training following his health scare and he has caught the eye in the Premier League before, so if he gets back to his best he will be one to watch.

Ryan Fredericks will want to reignite his career after a frustrating spell at West Ham, while fellow summer signing Joe Rothwell has done well in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers and now deserves his chance in the top-flight.

Jamal Lowe has been too inconsistent throughout a much-travelled career so far, but he contributed with seven goals in the promotion-winning season to suggest he could make an impact in the upcoming campaign.

Which of Bournemouth's players will be going to the World Cup?

Mepham has 31 caps for Wales and should be part of the Red Dragons' squad for the World Cup after featuring in all three of their Nations League games in June.

Kieffer Moore has eight goals from 26 caps for Wales, so is also set to be included in Robert Page's plans for the tournament, while Billing played for Denmark in the Nations League too and he will hope to stay involved ahead of the finals in Qatar.