Cherries return from “first class trip” but who is first choice for opening day?

AFC Bournemouth have returned from their pre-season training camp in Spain.

The Cherries squad have enjoyed over a week at the La Manga resort, where they have faced two sides from Spain’s La Liga.

AFC Bournemouth kicked off with a draw against Sevilla, before a 4-3 victory over Levante.

Touchdown – we've landed back at @BOHAirport! 🛬

Thanks for having us @LaMangaClub. Time to continue our hard work back home! 💪#afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/lsWFxzOtgx

— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) July 21, 2018

AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told afcb.co.uk…

“It has been really tough. We’ve really worked the players again, as we have done in the past. We haven’t given them too much free time and sometimes we’ve had three sessions on a day. We’ve tested them in a different way with the team building exercises.

“We go back a tighter group and a better squad for the experiences that we’ve had out here.

“The facilities out here, and everything that we’ve been able to do, have made it a first class trip.

The Cherries squad now have four more games on home soil ahead of the Premier League campaign beginning on the 11th August against Cardiff City.

Two of those games are away trips to Championship sides Nottingham Forest and Bristol City, where it is expected that Howe will split his squad, to give more players a chance to get minutes under their belt with either 60 minute or 90-minute run outs.

Howe added…

“I think you can expect two really strong sides. We will go to both games trying to win. It will be a tough examination for the players because they’re both really strong teams in the Championship. It’s going to be a stretch of our squad, but we’re looking forward to it.

AFC Bournemouth then return to Dean Court for the back to back games against Spanish side Real Betis and French side Marseille.

Your say…

tednphil wrote…

For Which Friendly will Eddie Pick His Full First Team?

I hope Eddie has learnt from last years slow start and the eleven he selects v Cardiff (barring injuries) would have played together for at least 75 minutes in one of our pre-season home matches. – Join the conversation, click here.