Bournemouth V Walsall at Dean Court : Match Preview

28 September 2012 13:01
Bournemouth V Walsall - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.

Duo return for Cherries Lorenzo Davids and Frank Demouge will return to action to ease Bournemouth's injury problems for the home clash with Walsall. Cherries boss Paul Groves is contending with a plethora of injuries, but midfielder Davids, cousin of Champions League winner Edgar, has recovered from an ankle injury while striker Demouge is back after his knee ailment. After losing goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan for six months to a shoulder tear, Groves has scoured the market for an experienced stopper to complement Shwan Jalal and youngster Benjamin Buchel. The answer could be former England stopper David James, who was training with the club on Thursday morning and could be available if he signs terms before midday on Friday. Defender Simon Francis is definitely out after injuring his knee, but the club revealed he will not need surgery, as they first feared, which means he is likely to be out for six weeks. Francis joins a list of absentees which includes Charlie Sheringham (foot), Stephen Purches (broken leg), Lee Barnard (knee) and Richard Hughes (foot). Walsall boast an unchanged squad for the trip. Long-term absentees James and Adam Chambers remain sidelined with thigh and hamstring injuries respectively, with manager Dean Smith having no new injury or suspension concerns. Smith must decide whether to keep faith with the 4-4-2 formation which secured last weekend's 3-1 win over Preston or return to the 4-5-1 system he has favoured away from home. Forward Febian Brandy made an earlier than expected return from his hamstring complaint to sit on the bench last Saturday, and he will again hope to be included in the matchday 18 at Dean Court. The Saddlers, with one defeat in their last seven matches, will be hoping for a similar result to last season's 2-0 success on the south coast, with Bournemouth having recorded just the solitary league win this term.

Source: PA