AFC Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth open their fifth Premier League campaign with a visit from promoted Sheffield United on Saturday.
The Blades returned to the top flight following a 12-year absence after finishing as runners-up in the Championship last season.
Popular manager Chris Wilder (pictured above with Billy Sharp), who served the club as a player, has masterminded their rise from League One to the Premier League in just three years.
This summer, they have broken their transfer record on four occasions, reportedly spending more in four weeks than they had in the previous 14 years.
New arrivals have included striker Lys Mousset from the Cherries, Phil Jagielka, who returned to the club having spent 12 years at Everton, and Scotland international Oli McBurnie from Swansea.
The Blades have an outstanding record against the Cherries, having lost just once in 15 meetings when a goal from Shaun Brooks won the day for Harry Redknapp’s team at Bramall Lane in 1987.
Ahead of the game, afcb.co.uk caught up with James Shield, who covers the fortunes of Sheffield United for The Star in Sheffield.
afcb.co.uk: In pre-season, the Blades beat Real Betis (1-0), Northampton (2-0), Chesterfield (5-0) and Barnsley (4-1) and lost to Burton Albion (2-1) and Stade de Reims (3-1). How did it go?
JS: It went very well. They played a variety of opposition that were pretty much chosen to try to hit certain targets as pre-season went on.
I know managers always say it’s not about results, but the biggest plus point for Chris Wilder has been assimilating the new signings with his style of play.
They’ve got quite a unique style and, on paper, it sounds like it should be a recipe for chaos with overlapping centre-halves going past wing-backs, hitting the by-line and putting crosses in the box.
But it works because it’s so strictly choreographed on the training ground. As pre-season has gone on, you have seen that the new players have been integrated and have started to get it.
afcb.co.uk: Which player stood out in pre-season?
JS: For me, Callum Robinson (pictured above). He scored four goals, all of which came towards the end of pre-season so that sticks in your mind straightaway.
He’s got good pace, which is something they had needed coming into the Premier League, so he has brought that extra dimension.
When you speak to him, he fits the profile of the type of player they have brought in and appreciates the opportunity he’s been given. He knows the way the manager is going to want to harness that hunger.
He was let go by Aston Villa earlier in his career so clearly they didn’t think he was good enough for the Premier League. But he will be determined to show them they were wrong and I think he will.
He wants to prove himself and you can see his desire to do well. That attitude runs all the way through the squad.
afcb.co.uk: Is it fair to say Chris Wilder sees similarities between the Blades and the Cherries?
JS: Yes – and he often uses them as an example.
There are a lot of players in the current squad who have had their fair share of knocks in their careers.
A lot started the League One campaign when Chris took them up at the first time of asking and some started their careers in non-league and have had real kicks in the teeth at some point.
Chris has said in the past “People will write off these lads because of their background but just look at what Bournemouth have done. I know they have evolved as time has gone on and that’s what we want to do.
“They have shown what can be achieved if you have good players who may not have previously been given an opportunity to show what they can do.
“If you put them in the right environment, give them the right coaching and give them the right framework, this is what can happen.”
Chris has always been quite effusive in his praise for Bournemouth.
afcb.co.uk: What are your early thoughts on Lys Mousset (pictured above)?
JS: We haven’t seen a lot of him yet and they have been working on his fitness. I think they felt with the transfer going on, he had missed a pretty important part of pre-season.
I’m excited about him though and he is the first foreign player Chris has bought, other than the boys from the Republic of Ireland of course. You look at his physical attributes and think he could fit in quite nicely.
afcb.co.uk: They have broken their transfer record on three other occasions this summer – Luke Freeman, Callum Robinson, Oli McBurnie – give us a word on them?
JS: Luke Freeman can conjure something out of nothing.
I’m excited about Callum Robinson because of his pace and finishing. Already in pre-season we have seen he can score different types of goals.
Oli McBurnie (pictured below) clearly will be the one who gets all the attention and is exactly the type of players the fans are going to take to.
He was always a thorn in Sheffield United’s side when he played against them, caused them a lot of problems and invariably scored against them as well.
You can see he is going to fit into their framework.
afcb.co.uk: What are the realistic ambitions for the season?
JS: Survival. I know Leicester showed you could never say never but I think that was a perfect storm.
I don’t think Sheffield United are going to be challenging for the Champions’ League places and I don’t think they expect to be.
Their realistic expectations are to establish a foothold in the division and I think they are perfectly capable of doing that.
I think there will be periods where it will be a grind but I think they have better players than people give them credit for.
As they are a very plain-speaking football club and because a lot has been written on the backgrounds of some of the players, sometimes I think they get unfairly portrayed as a team which is just all about effort, spirit and let’s all muck in together.
They do all of those things but they have some really good players as well, players who will blossom at a higher level and with better players around them. Playing against better players will bring a lot out of some of them as well.
afcb.co.uk: The Blades are 2,000-1 outsiders to win the title – are you tempted?
JS: I might have a quid on!
You can follow James on Twitter – @JamesShield1
Match officials: Kevin Friend (referee), Matthew Wilkes (assistant), Nick Hopton (assistant), Lee Mason (VAR), Andy Halliday (assistant VAR).
