AFC Bournemouth
Adam Smith says Gary O’Neil’s squad will be looking to build on last season’s exploits as they bid to eclipse AFC Bournemouth’s best finishing position in the Premier League.
Smith, the club’s record appearance-maker in the top flight, was speaking after the fixtures for the new season had been published earlier today.
The 32-year-old featured in all but one game as the Cherries preserved their Premier League status in 2022/23, finishing five points above the drop zone in 15th place.
Smith played 143 games during the Cherries’ five-year stay in the top flight between 2015 and 2020 when they recorded finishes of 16th, ninth, 12th, 14th and 18th.
The Cherries host Europa Conference League winners West Ham on the opening day of the season before heading to Anfield to face Liverpool on 19th August.
Smith’s former club Tottenham head to Vitality Stadium on 26th August with trips to Brentford and Brighton sandwiching the visit of Chelsea to Dorset on 16th September.
Reviewing the fixture list in an interview with afcb.co.uk, Smith said: “It’s certainly a tough start but we’ll be ready for it.
“West Ham will be buoyed by their victory in the Europa Conference League final and we always have good games against them.
“Liverpool have already made an excellent signing by bringing in Argentina World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister so they will be looking to make a good start.
“Tottenham have a new manager in Ange Postecoglou so their players will be out to impress him. With no European football for them for quite a while, they will be keen to do well in the league.
“The day the fixtures come out is always exciting for everybody. Even though the first game is a couple of months away, it’s almost as if the season starts today!
“We’ve got some players on international duty so they haven’t had too much of a break yet but the rest of us can enjoy a bit of free time ahead of the new season.
“I imagine we’ll be written off again by a lot of people, we have been every year in the Premier League. I’ve had it for six years so I’m used to it.
“But we proved a few people wrong last season and, hopefully, we can do the same again next season.
“I’m not one for making predictions because they can come back and bite you but we need to target a good finish rather than just trying to stay up.
“If we perform to the best of our capabilities and get the rub of the green, which we didn’t last season, there’s no reason why we can’t beat our highest finishing position.”
Smith also believes the resumption of a mid-season break will improve the quality of the Premier League and help players recharge their batteries.
A reduced games programme in January will see the Cherries host Liverpool in their only Premier League match during the month. Also, no two rounds of games over the Christmas and new year period will be staged within 48 hours of each other.
The Cherries visit Nottingham Forest on 23rd December before hosting Fulham on Boxing Day and travelling to Tottenham on 30th December.
Smith added: “Fewer games in January will definitely improve the product and it could make the second half of the season more exciting. I’m all for a break in January but football at Christmas is a tradition I’m all in favour of.”
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