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Written off by all, Bournemouth are staying up
Before the season began, everyone had Bournemouth going straight back down didn’t they?
In fact, forget that, as recently as-early March, everyone had Bournemouth going down.
Given how often this phrase was used, one could be forgiven for thinking that, during their two-year stay in the Championship, AFC Bournemouth had changed their name to ‘with all due respect to Bournemouth’.
In the end though, the Cherries finished 15th, five points clear of danger, and their survival was all but mathematically assured with four games remaining.
Between 18 February and 30 April, Gary O’Neil’s side won seven of 12 fixtures, climbing as high as 13th, before losing four on the spin to conclude the campaign but, by then, it was job done.
O’Neil really is the story here, taking over, initially as an interim, following the club’s 9-0 drubbing at Anfield in August.
Being totally defeatist just four games into a season probably isn’t the way to go.
Immediately after that, with O’Neil at the helm, the Cherries went on a six-match unbeaten run, which was enough to see him earn the job permanently during the World Cup break.
It’s also worth mentioning that Bill Foley’s takeover of the club was officially confirmed in December, and he deserves praise for sticking with O’Neil, rather than wanting to stamp his authority by brining in a more high-profile, glamorous big name.
So, against the odds, a squad largely made up of unknown or less-heralded players comfortably survived, while substantially bigger, more-established clubs scrapped it out below them.
But, for clubs the size of Bournemouth, every year is year zero, so once again next season, their target will be 40 points, which would represent an increase of one on this memorable campaign.
Can Bournemouth avoid second-season syndrome?
Whilst in the bottom three, Bournemouth did spent big money in January.
Dango Ouattara, Illya Zabarnyi and Antoine Semenyo all arrived, costing over £50 million, while Hamed Traorè’s loan has been made permanent for a further £20 million.
Matías Viña’s loan from Roma featured an option to buy for €15 million, but it’s as yet unknown whether or not the Uruguayan left-back will return to Dorset.
All of this is to say, perhaps don’t expect Bournemouth to spend big this summer, given the expensive signings they’ve already made earlier this year.
Given that Jefferson Lerma is out of contract, Gary O’Neil will need to strengthen his midfield, with the Colombian have started 184 of the 189 matches he’s been available for since arriving in 2018.
The morning after the season is over, Bournemouth are favourites for relegation, outwith the three promotion clubs, and they’ll almost certainly be in everyone’s bottom three come August, hoping to prove everyone wrong once again.
