The Bournemouth 2022/23 season preview and prediction was originally printed in the Season Preview edition of FourFourTwo. Subscribe today!
Bournemouth’s previous Premier League spell lasted five years. The Cherries built memories aplenty, but this time they’re looking for more tangible foundations. A new training complex is on the horizon and an extended top-tier stay could result in a bigger, more modern stadium. Stars with bags of potential should help.
Dominic Solanke, Ryan Christie and Lewis Cook all possess the ability to control games, and at Bournemouth’s best last season they squeezed the life from teams like a boa constrictor. They also had the Championship’s best defence, with Irish goalkeeper Mark Travers, 22, keeping a league-high 20 clean sheets. It’s a tough task but, with the returning David Brooks now cancer-free and raring to go, this is a stronger Cherries side than 2019/20.
Bournemouth 2022/23 season preview and prediction: The lesson from last year
Bournemouth were 2-1 up against relegation-threatened Derby last November when Parker brought off the metronomic Lewis Cook for Gavin Kilkenny on the hour mark. Seconds later, the Rams were level – and went on to stun the Cherries to nab three points.
The moment proved instructive, as Scott Parker’s charges proceeded to squander winning positions like loose change from a back pocket. Too often, Bournemouth didn’t take advantage of obvious control or sat back when they could have gone for the jugular. Well, the Premier League is a crueller mistress.
Parkerball needs to show its teeth quickly. Only West Ham dropped more points when ahead than the south coasters three years ago, and such complacency will be ill-afforded. Ryan Fredericks can aid them there.
The coach: Scott Parker
Scott Parker is desperate to do something he’s never done before in his three and a half seasons of management: finish the campaign in the same league. Promotions at Fulham and the Cherries suggest talent: Parker is a galvaniser who wants to play on the front foot. Can this squad match his vision?
The owner: Maxim Denim
A silent petrochemicals mogul who lives down the road in Sandbanks, Maxim Demin has bankrolled this previously penniless football club to unprecedented levels, for which fans are forever grateful. Avuncular chairman Jeff Mostyn – partial to an on-camera swear at promotion parties – remains the board’s face.
The mood around Bournemouth…
Positive, yet cautious. Some fans feel the Cherries could, perhaps should, have won the Championship but for injuries and Parker sitting on leads. Jaidon Anthony is an exciting young winger with 15 goal involvements and an excellent cross, which is particularly useful given 6ft 5in Kieffer Moore is the Cherries’ centre-forward Plan B.
The one to watch
Solanke. He struggled in the Premier League first time around, but hit back with 29 goals and seven assists in the Championship last season as a Swiss Army knife of a striker.
Most likely to…
Come up with good chants. Left-back Jordan Zemura’s outrageously catchy ditty is set to UB40’s Kingston Town, Solanke used to have one to the tune of Rihanna’s Disturbia and, as sure as night follows day, Southampton fans will be called “dirty northern bastards” when they rock up for the south coast derby in October. Arf.
Least likely to…
See the top-flight’s weirdest rivalry. Watford’s relegation has robbed Colombian cruncher Jefferson Lerma, who has mocked the Hertfordshire club a few times with laughing emojis on social media, of the opportunity to further wind up Hornet supporters.
The fan's view: Charlotte Marchant-Jones
Last season was up and down. A club-record 15-game unbeaten start, several disappointing results, almost blowing promotion and then finally securing it kept things interesting!
The big talking point is whether the club will finally invest in the stadium and training facilities to build the legacy most fans want.
This season will be different because rival fans won’t be accusing us of buying this league. And our defence will be tested far more regularly.
Our key player will be Dominic Solanke. If he can get firing from the off, it’ll be a huge boost to our hopes. He struggled last time we were here but, then, he only had a bit-part role.
Our most underrated player is Lewis Cook, who returned from injury last season. Now back to his best.
The opposition player who grinds my gears is Wilfried Zaha. He’s always diving and whining. Will probably score against us home and away.
I’m least looking forward to playing Man City, the only ‘big team’ we’ve never got a Premier League point from.
The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is weird. Despite promotion, Parker isn’t overly popular, mainly due to an uninspiring style of play. On paper, that team should have been promoted with a lot less drama.
The player I’d happily drive to another club is Junior Stanislas – I rate him but he’s always injured and taking up wages. I doubt he’d pass a medical, though.
The pantomime villain will be Ryan Fraser. The guy downed tools and refused to play for us after COVID when we were battling relegation, so he’s not admired down here at all.
We’ll finish 16th, which I’d bite your hand off for.
FFT'S VERDICT… 20th
The returning south coast side did their best to blow promotion – but won’t get any let-offs at this level.
