The skipper’s remarks come in the wake of news Cherries top goal scorer Callum Wilson faces up to six months out after picking up a serious knee injury, joining Elphick himself as well as Harry Archer, Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel on the sidelines.
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A point a game, on average, for the Cherries means Eddie Howe’s men would be there or thereabouts at the end of a season in which they announced their arrival in the big time with a stunning 4-3 victory at West Ham. “In the matches with Bournemouth a year ago we did not win, so we know how unsafe this team is”. But the players who have stepped in have done well so far.
“I look around the changing room every day and see enough there to replace the players we’ve lost”. The ones who haven’t played as much as they would have wanted have always been ready to step up to the plate when needed.
Watford finished second in the Championship last season behind Bournemouth, so Hornets head coach Quique Sanchez Flores is aware of Bournemouth’s strengths.
“They have started with seven points so we respect Bournemouth and if we are going to win on Saturday we have to give a good performance”.
“Last season is history”.
As for the visitors, Valon Behrami will be out as he serves the final game of his three-match suspension.
Summer signings Adlene Guedioura and Victor Ibarbo were on the bench for Sunday’s defeat to Crystal Palace and could make first starts for the club.
Those setbacks have been compounded by a handful of questionable refereeing decisions that showed no sign of abating when Stoke controversially struck their victor last Saturday having taken a debatable free kick from the wrong place. All we can do is go out there and put it right on the pitch. It will be awesome if we can win.
“I didn’t know Bournemouth when I came here but I did a lot of reading and watched a lot of videos”. The Hornets are seemingly enjoying things at the moment as they were able to remain unbeaten in their first three Premier League encounters this season.
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“When you lose your best player any team will suffer, that’s well documented at this level”, said Howe.
