With senior stars sidelined and fringe players struggling to spark, Cherries surging Premier League 2 standouts could offer a golden solution to navigate an intensifying fixture list after the international break.
AFC Bournemouth’s academy has given the first team plenty of reasons to look towards the next generation, and with injuries beginning to stretch the attacking options, now could be the perfect time to hand some of those youngsters a greater opportunity.
The development side have made an encouraging start to life in Premier League 2, winning three of their opening four matches. That run has included victories over Chelsea and Middlesbrough, demonstrating that there is genuine quality within the academy setup and players capable of competing at a high level.
For Bournemouth, the timing could hardly be more appropriate.
The Cherries are currently without several important attacking players, with Junior Kroupi, Justin Kluivert and Amine Adli all unavailable. Kroupi and Adli are both expected to be sidelined for a period, while Kluivert's recent return injury issues means his minutes need to be managed carefully.
REUTERS/Vincent WestThat has placed increased responsibility on the players currently available, but the performances of some of the substitutes have not exactly made a compelling case for keeping academy players on the outside looking in.
Daniel Jebbison, David Brooks and Alvaro Rodriguez have all had opportunities from the bench, but their cameos have offered limited impact. That is not necessarily an indictment of those players, particularly given the limited minutes available, but it does raise the question of whether Bournemouth could benefit from giving some of their academy prospects a chance to make an impression instead.
Reuters/Peter CziborraThere is little to lose by introducing youngsters gradually.
Premier League 2 is specifically designed to give young players experience that replicates the demands of senior football, helping prepare them for first-team football. Bournemouth's own academy manager Alan Connell has also highlighted the club's focus on creating pathways for young players into the senior side.
European football provides another obvious opportunity.
With Bournemouth competing in the Europa League alongside their domestic commitments, squad management is going to become increasingly important. Against some of the less demanding opponents on paper, giving academy players 15 or 20 minutes could allow senior players to be rested without weakening the squad to the same extent as relying exclusively on established substitutes.
It could also create genuine competition for places. Players such as Jonny Day, Harold William and Dane Ndimukum have already contributed to the academy's strong start, while others are gaining valuable experience at Category One level.
It is also key to note that vice captain Charlie Stevens, 16 year old Zac Christie and Malcom DaCosta Gonzalez all looked very comfortable when playing for the first team in pre season, so would be keen to take that step up to playing competitively soon.
Bournemouth do not need to throw an entire group of youngsters into the deep end. But with injuries mounting, the fixture list becoming increasingly demanding and some senior substitutes struggling to make an impact, giving the academy a greater role could benefit everyone.
