How do Bournemouth ensure this season is seen as positive?

Following defeat in the FA Cup at the first round of asking, the Cherries have to park any dream of cup glory, having also failed at the first hurdle in this season's Carabao Cup.

This will therefore be one of the club's fewest games in a full season, which is probably not too concerning considering Andoni Iraola's side's current lack of squad availability.

It remains to be seen how active the club will be in this month's transfer window but following key departures and a significant number of injuries, the squad is looking thin and in need of some fresh bodies.

So how do Bournemouth ensure this season is still seen in a positive light and that they're continuing to show clear progression?

Last campaign's ninth-placed finish and record points tally of 56 feels tough to beat but definitely feasible.

Iraola's men sit on a respectable 26 points, meaning a slightly improved second half of the season could well put the Cherries on track to still show a clear upward trajectory on the pitch.

This season was always going to be a demanding one. On Saturday, the side performed admirably at Newcastle in a game that was almost a year to the day of that special 4-1 Premier League win at St James' Park.

Cherries had only three players that played both this weekend and in January 2025, one of them being an academy player - so the squad turnover has been high, perhaps underlining that adaptation and patience has always been required by supporters as Bournemouth aim to stay consistent amid high churn.

So what is possible? A top half and pushing towards last season's points tally? It may be a tall order, but it's one which Bournemouth are more than capable of delivering on.

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net, external