Football Season Guide

Last season, Andoni Iraola's side recorded a club-record points tally for a Premier League campaign (56). Bournemouth were in the run for European qualification, but missed out on a top-seven spot in the last stretch of the campaign. Their high-intensity style of play took some stronger opponents by surprise, with the Cherries grabbing victories against powerhouses such as Manchester City and Arsenal. The team is undergoing a defensive rebuilding, as starting centre-back Dean Huijsen joined Real Madrid, fellow starter Illia Zabarnyi went to PSG, starting left-back Milos Kerkez signed for Liverpool and keeper Kepa returned to Chelsea. Djordje Petrovic and Adrien Truffert will fill the voids of Kepa and Kerkez, respectively, with Bafodé Diakité joining as Zabarnyi's replacement. They'll also look to strengthen their attack. Under Iraola, Bournemouth have been extremely fun to watch due to their aggression both on and off the ball. No Premier League team netted more than their 10 goals from high turnovers, with the Spanish coach having instilled his philosophy into the team. Should they beef up their defence, they could push for European qualification again. The Cherries have been strong away from home, mainly due to their ability to create danger and punish teams on the counter. Only five teams recorded more points than Bournemouth (28) on the road last season. Bournemouth may field a starting XI featuring just one of their four starting defenders from last season. Premier League’s sixth-best defence may struggle if they don’t manage to find the right fits.