Bournemouth 2020/21 Season Preview: Strengths, Weaknesses, Key Man and Prediction
By Will Day
It's already been a summer of change at the Vitality Stadium.
After a plucky five-year spell in the Premier League, Bournemouth were relegated on the final day of last season. That failure saw the departure of long-serving manager and fan favourite Eddie Howe, while former stars Nathan Ake and Aaron Ramsdale have also left.
Managing in the Football League for the first time after being promoted from assistant, new boss Jason Tindall has a tough task on his hands. Bournemouth were disastrous last campaign with tepid performance after tepid performance, and he needs a quick turnaround or else face another torrid campaign.
Here's a look at how Bournemouth may fare in the Championship.
Strengths
Talented Squad
Of course, things may have changed dramatically by the end of the transfer window, but as things stand the Cherries have a very strong squad with bags of Premier League experience.
A forward line of Callum Wilson, Josh King and David Brooks is easily better than anything else the Championship has to offer, while Steve Cook, Lloyd Kelly and Chris Mepham have all previously shone in the division. A trio of midfield internationals in Lewis Cook, Philip Billing and Jefferson Lerma is hardly bad going for the Championship either.
If - and it's a big if - they can keep this team together, they have a good shot at coming straight back up.
Money, Money, Money
It's raining cash at the Vitality already this year - the sales of Ake and Ramsdale have already brought in a hefty €65m, and if others do follow them out the door, that figure will keep rising.
With plenty of funds available, Bournemouth could blow their competition out of the water financially and cherry-pick the best the Championship has to offer.
Weaknesses
Mentality
Last year saw a dramatic departure from the passionate, hard-working Bournemouth teams of previous seasons. The south coast side looked dejected, burnt-out and uninterested.
Even with their high calibre side, if the attitude remains Bournemouth will continue to struggle. Games come thick and fast in the second division and lacklustre performances will be punished. It's a tough job and perhaps a fresher face would be more suited to change the mentality, but clearly the board think Tindall is capable of making the alterations himself.
History of Bad Investment
Bournemouth haven't got a great track record in the transfer market in recent years. Dominic Solanke, Arnaut Danjuma and Jordon Ibe have all been brought in for high fees and flopped dramatically.
If they want to return to the Premier League, they have to invest more shrewdly this time around.
Star Player
Lewis Cook has been ravaged by injuries over the past few years, but if he can stay fit for next season, expect the former Leeds man to dazzle in the Championship.
During a run of games at the back end of last year, the midfielder was showing signs of the form that saw him rewarded with an international appearance in 2018. Now 23, he'll be hoping to kick on and remind everyone of how good a player he's capable of being.
Prediction
With so much uncertainty around the futures of many of Bournemouth's players, predicting how they'll get on is difficult.
If they can fend off the advances of Premier League sides and invest their funds already raised wisely, it's hard to see Bournemouth not competing right at the top. The only thing standing in their way will be their attitude - if Tindall gets the players passionate again, expect to see the Cherries back in the top flight very soon.
However, if Bournemouth have a fire sale of players, things might look very different. While it would raise significant transfer funds, there's no guarantee it would be invested correctly. A whole host of fresh faces at the club could also present challenges for Tindall.
He knows the current crop well and it would be a surprise if his brand of football diverted too far from the style they're used to - if his squad's overhauled he might struggle to get the new faces playing his way.
Prediction: Promotion