2015-16 Premier League Season Preview: AFC Bournemouth

Welcome to theScore's 2015-16 preview of AFC Bournemouth. Transfer dealings, lineup projections, and everything else you need to know about the club's upcoming campaign.

AFC Bournemouth

Team Page - Roster - Schedule

A meteoric rise from the bottom rung of the English professional football ladder, League 2, to the Premier League in just six years is a massive achievement for a club that has flirted with administration and dropping out of the Football League as recent as seven years ago.

That said, Bournemouth should struggle to acclimatize itself to the pace of the Premier League, and like Burnley before it, surviving promotion with so few resources should prove a near-impossible task.

2014-15 Season

Trophies Won: The Championship

Bournemouth was the class of the Championship, finishing above Watford by the slimmest of margins, playing with a sense of flair and pace more common in the Premier League. Callum Wilson (20 goals in 45 appearances) stood out as the club's greatest offensive weapon, combining with Frenchman Yann Kermorgant (15 goals, 10 assists in 26 appearances) to create a lethal attacking duo. Scotsman Matt Ritchie chipped in with 15 goals and 17 assists in 44 appearances.

Last season, Bournemouth excelled at both attacking down the flanks and finishing chances - skills that are essential to survival in the Premier League. The Cherries play a fluid brand of soccer that emphasizes possession and short passes. It remains to be seen if the club will be able to maintain these skills against the more physical and adept defenders it'll face during this year's campaign.

From a defensive perspective, the club signed veteran defender Sylvain Distin on a free transfer from Everton to provide some necessary experience at the back, and young stud Tyrone Mings should be able to acclimate himself to the style and speed of the Premier League with little difficulty.

Key Arrivals

• Tyrone Mings (from Ipswich Town)
• Sylvain Distin (from Everton)
• Christian Atsu (from Chelsea - loan)
• Artur Boruc (from Southampton)

The once-heralded Mings - courted by the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United while at Championship side Ipswich Town - has come back down to earth and found a home at the south coast club. The 22-year old center-back will be looking to once again solidify his claim as one of England's best young defensive talents.

Ghanaian winger and Chelsea property Atsu - who since signing with the Blues has had loan spells with Vitesse Arnhem and Everton - will be looking to find the same consistency he experienced while playing in Portugal and on international duty with the Black Stars. Atsu has an abundance of pace on the wing and a great motor. What remains to be seen is if he can regain the touch and control that gave Chelsea reason to sign him from Porto in 2013.

Key Departures

None

Projected starting line-up (4-4-2)

Artur Boruc; Charlie Daniels, Tyrone Mings, Sylvain Distin, Simon Francis; Christian Atsu, Harry Arter, Andrew Surman, Matt Ritchie; Yann Kermorgant, Callum Wilson.

Last season, next-big-thing manager Eddie Howe - who has both played for the club twice and is on his second spell as manager - typically played a 4-4-2 formation, with two strikers up front playing off of each other.

With the additions in the back-four of Mings and Distin, Howe should be able to rely on his defense to withstand the pressures of top-flight football. But the more pressing question is whether the midfield will measure up to the standards. Barring anymore acquisitions, Howe will lean heavily on central midfielders Harry Arter and Andrew Surman to both provide cover for the back-four and be the conduits for link-up play with the strikers.

Player To Watch: Callum Wilson

In the mold of last season's English debutantes Danny Ings and Charlie Austin, Wilson, 23, has also climbed the ranks of English football, having been groomed by Coventry City with loan spells at Kettering Town and Tamworth along the way.

Wilson led the Cherries in scoring last year and appears to have the skill set that will allow him to make the transition to the top flight. Wilson's strongest asset is his acceleration and pace, which - barring any injuries - should translate well to life in the Premier League.

Keep One Eye On: Matt Ritchie

Three Questions

1. Can the Cherries survive relegation?
2. Once they are relegated, what club will Eddie Howe move to?
3. Will they finish 20th, 19th, or 18th?

Trivial Matters

• Manager: Eddie Howe
• Nickname: The Cherries
• Stadium: Dean Court (Capacity: 11,700)