We have to deliver against Burnley, demands Cherries boss Howe
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has warned his side they cannot afford another sub-standard display when they take on relegation battlers Burnley.
The Cherries sit just five points ahead of the Clarets, who are 17th and very much embroiled in the fight for Premier League survival.
Howe has watched his team secure just one victory – over bottom club Huddersfield – from their past eight matches.
It is a run of form which leaves Bournemouth still glancing over their shoulder, despite having 38 points on the board.
Howe said: “It is a disappointing return. Like with any time when you’re not quite at your best, I think there are a whole host of different reasons.
“I don’t think there is one thing you can point at and say, ‘That’s the reason’. I think there are a combination of factors.
“For us, we are just looking at the next game and looking to get back to the level of performance we know we are capable of.”
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Howe expects a much-improved display from the one which saw his team defeated 2-0 at Leicester.
“Last week, I think we fell below that and, in front of our own supporters, we can’t afford to not deliver tomorrow,” the Bournemouth manager said.
“It’s very clear we have to give our absolute best, give everything to the game and hope that will be enough to get us the result.”
Howe added at a press conference reported by the club: “We are very keen to perform tomorrow for a whole host of different reasons.
“The main thing being that last week we felt we were disappointed with what we delivered.
“But the lads have trained very well this week, there has been a good response to the disappointment and we’re very keen to try to put last week right.”
Off the pitch, the Dorset club announced work will start on a new training base, which is set to include 10 full-size pitches as well as three for juniors, with artificial indoor and outdoor surfaces.
Howe hopes the development, with a new dedicated press conference area, administrative space, sport science and medical facilities, will provide a everyone with a “huge lift”.
He said: “It is something we have been talking about for a long time. That need to keep moving the club forward, internally and externally, is so important.
“The training ground is the bedrock of any football club, it’s where the work happens, where everything you do day-to-day to get results comes together.
“The main thing for me was improving the academy status. To try and put ourselves in a better position to produce our own players.”
Bournemouth will check on defenders Charlie Daniels (ankle) and Adam Smith, who has a hamstring problem, ahead of Saturday’s match.
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