Three ways to back your team: Bournemouth

Are you sweet on The Cherries chances?

Bournemouth finished ninth last season, an incredible effort for a team of their size, with the budget at their disposal, and manager Eddie Howe came in for his fair share of credit. The gaffer was even priced near the head of the betting to be Arsenal’s next manager, during Wenger’s darkest days.

Howe, his team and the board now have two choices. Continue to slap each other on the back and say well done, we created a record, or push on and establish themselves as a top-10 side. The latter will be no easy task, with this season’s Premier League shaping up to be one of the most competitive in living memory. Let’s look at ways to support them in the betting this term.

Board backing Howe

Bournemouth have been extremely busy during the summer – not up to Everton’s standards, but certainly a lot more ambitious than most finishing around them in the order last term. Jermain Defoe was kept in the Premier League, and it’s little surprise, as he scored some cracking goals last season, and we couldn’t see him taking the plunge down into the Championship. Even at 34 years old, he still has plenty to offer up front. They also added defender Nathan Ake from Chelsea for a club record fee of £20m. The Holland cap promises to be a shrewd investment. Blackburn’s Connor Mahoney joined on a four-year deal, but is likely to be one for the future. Getting their house in order, they extended the contracts of fans’ favourite Dan Gosling and Harry Arter. If Bournemouth leave it there it’ll go down as a great transfer window, but more is expected. With the board backing the manager, mixing youth and experience, they deserve a second look in the top-10 betting at 11/5.