Team Focus: Howe has the Chance to Make History with Free-scoring Bournemouth

Six years ago Bournemouth were 91st in the Football League, heading for a gloomy Christmas and a distinct possibility of falling into the Conference. Now they sit top of the Championship at the beginning of the festive spell. The past five leaders on December 25th have been promoted; this 124-year-old club have never been in the top-flight.

For a small club on the south coast with a ground that holds shy of 12,000, they keep surprising. Cynics could point to the wealthy backing from the Russian owner, Maxim Demin, but that would be missing the point.

Eddie Howe, at 37 one of England’s brightest managerial prospects despite having accrued six years of managerial experience already, has assembled a squad which has become a joy to watch.

His philosophy is simple: attack, press, attack again. They are the highest goalscorers across all four divisions – the six scored at Blackpool on Saturday made it a half century in 22 games. Derby are next best with 40.

“We don’t want to get too carried away with what we can achieve at the end of the season,” Howe said after the Blackpool win. “We just keep ticking along for the minute. This is uncharted territory for us as a club. Let’s just enjoy the moment and see where it can take us.”

Whisper it but on present form, they could well go up. Having started the season slowly – a winless six-game run in August and September pointed to a difficult season – they are now unbeaten in 12, winning nine of those.

Crucially Bournemouth have the desirable combination of a striker in form and a selection of able assistants capable of finding the net regularly. Callum Wilson, the 22-year-old who received his first call-up to the England Under-21s at the beginning of the season, has led the way with 11 goals (plus two more in the League Cup) but another 11 players have also found the net and five have five or more.

Much like the 5-3 win over Cardiff seven days earlier, there were five different scorers in Blackpool as Matt Ritchie scored two and Wilson added another and earned a penalty. Ritchie is the creative spark, providing 10 assists alongside his six goals, but even at the back there is the ability to fashion chances: Simon Francis has set five goals up to date.

“We haven’t always been that ruthless,” Howe said. “That’s hopefully another side of our game being developed. There have been times where we’ve been in total control and haven’t really put teams to bed. A couple of times now we’ve given teams heavy defeats and hopefully there’s more to come.”

The numbers are impressive. Only Norwich have a higher shots per game average than Bournemouth’s 16.5 but their 6.2 on target average comfortably usurps the Canaries’ 5.4. No other side has had more possession than their 55.4% and they are the only team to average more than two goals per game.

If there is to be one negative, their retention of the ball could improve. Only Huddersfield, Brentford and Millwall have conceded possession more often due to unsuccessful touches – though Bournemouth enjoying considerably more possession must be factored in.

Defensively their guard has dropped in recent weeks but it has yet to affect results. Artur Boruc, the Poland goalkeeper on loan from neighbouring Southampton, has failed to keep a clean sheet in six and only Brentford among those currently in the top six have conceded more. It all makes for thrill a minute football at Dean Court and while they can continue to score at such free will, the occasional defensive slip seems a fair trade.

What is more, the bulk of the squad are going to develop further. Of the regulars, only Boruc and the striker Yann Kermorgant are over 30. The disposition is sunny on the seaside and if they come through Christmas with that unbeaten run intact – which they should considering they must face Fulham and Millwall before the FA Cup third round game against Rotherham – there could well be a new name in the Premier League next season.

Do you think Bournemouth will secure promotion under Howe this season? Let us know in the comments below