Can Bournemouth Cherry-Pick Their Way to Premier League Success?

Bournemouth vs Southampton

AFC Bournemouth competing for a Champions League position is one of the unlikeliest stories of the young Premier League season, but it is also one of the most satisfying to know.

Anyone slightly familiar with their story knows just how big of a hurdle the south coast club had to endure before making it to this point of their club history. Lifetime Cherries fans surely cannot believe their luck at the English top flight after almost losing their club to administration a decade earlier. The fact that they are now close to European competition this early in the season is something they could not have dreamt of.

However, the Cherries know that they cannot simply rely on their good fortunes to secure their place. They need to win football games if they want to make their current position a permanent one. And a win against fellow south coast club Southampton is a great place to start.

Talking Points

Anyone who wants to analyse Bournemouth’s rise cannot help but go back to the man that has revolutionised the club into the Premier League stalwarts they are today.

It’s no secret that Bournemouth owe everything to Eddie Howe. The former centre-half who climbed up through the club’s ranks saw his playing career cut short by injuries in 2007 before being handed the reins to the touchline a year later.

He was the architect behind now-legendary “Great Escape”, guaranteeing their Football League status and avoiding dissolution. He has since then led the Cherries to the top of the league, save his odd year at Burnley in 2011-2012.

The Cherries’ ability to produce Premier League 2018 highlights time and time again is due to his acquisitions and managerial acumen. The players he has brought to the club worked wonders with his attack-oriented possession football. Given the young manager’s achievements at the touchline, there’s no wonder that there’s plenty of buzz of him moving on to manage one of the big clubs in the future.

Of course, the manager could only instruct his team on how to approach the game. The players are still the ones pulling off the results at the end of the day.

One of the biggest cogs in the Bournemouth machine is defender Nathan Ake. The Netherlands international has become a key figure in the Bournemouth defence and is linked to top-flight clubs. Callum Wilson has always been a reliable striker for the Cherries, and Joshua King is another superb attacking option that seemingly scores at will. Jefferson Lerma is a rock in midfield, and David Brooks and Ryan Fraser are superb options at the wing.

Dutch defender Nathan Ake returns to England for the Premier League match between Bournemouth and Southampton — Nathan Ake in action for Bournemouth during their Premier League match against Cardiff City

If everything goes well, the Cherries should have no problem overwhelming a struggling Southampton side at Dean Court. While the Saints have established themselves as Premier League regulars since 2018, they have struggled to win games as of late. Their shock draw against Brighton is a testament to the Saints’ hardships.

The Saints faithful will always point to the talent drain over the past couple of seasons for as the culprit for their poor league performance. The top clubs have counted on Southampton to discover talent and groom them to become players worthy of insane sums of money. Some of their former players picked up by bigger clubs include Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Victor Wanyama.

The club made moves over the summer to ensure their survival, of course. Jannik Vestergaard is worth every single penny of the €25 million they paid Borussia Monchengladbach. former Bournemouth man Danny Ings has scored three goals as a loanee from Liverpool. Mohamed Elyounoussi has established himself as a superb winger.

However, Mark Hughes needs more than that to ensure the survival of the club in the league. They need to finish their scoring chances and be able to defend if they want victory over the Cherries.

History

The Saints can come to this match with a shaky confidence that they have conquered the scenic beaches of Bournemouth time and time again. Prior history has an effect on Bournemouth vs Southampton predictions, and the head-to-head suggests a tighter contest between the two clubs.

Of the ten matches the Saints and the Cherries have played, Southampton won seven of them with ease. The latest game these two played was at St. Mary’s Stadium in April where Dusan Tadic scored a brace to help beat the Cherries, 2-1.

However, recent results don’t give a positive outlook for the Saints. They’ve lost three of their last five away games, and their latest excursion was a 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Meanwhile, Dean Court has become a fortress for the Cherries, and the only home game they haven’t won was a 2-2 draw to Everton.

Betting Tip

	Bournemouth vs Southampton	AFC Bournemouth Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.36
	October 20, 22:00 (GMT+8)

The Cherries are in cruise control, and I don’t think they will let off the gas pedal any time soon. They have showcased their ability to win from behind against Watford, and the team is in top shape. Going for the highest Asian Handicap available for the Cherries is the only way to go.

If you’re interested to win more, however, the SBOBET Premier League 2018 market has some interesting offerings. Over 1.25 Goals in the First Half Over-Under market offers a tasty 2.38. 0-1 Total Goals is at an insane 3.65, but the likelier result is 2-3 Goals at 1.91.

If you believe that Southampton will break the rut, however, you’re in luck: 1X2 odds offer 3.50 for the Saints.