Team Focus: Ability to Adapt Key to Bournemouth's Survival in Absence of Wilson

If the late defeat to Stoke last weekend was not tough enough to take, the news after the game that Bournemouth's top scorer Callum Wilson would be out for at least 6 months with torn knee ligaments has left plenty of sour Cherries on the south coast.

The blow comes a matter of weeks after the club's top two signings in terms of transfer spend in the summer suffered the same fate, with Tyrone Mings and Max Gradel also set to spend much if not all of the season on the sidelines. Wilson's absence coupled with the loss of the latter has now left Eddie Howe worryingly short of options up front.

Wilson, who in a recent interview with The Guardian revealed that he overcame his early injury problems following a change in lifestyle and eating habits, has been a near ever-present for Bournemouth since his arrival last summer, so it will likely be tough to adapt to life without the 23-year-old. Signed as a replacement to former top scorer Lewis Grabban, Wilson has started all but one of the 53 league games the Cherries have played since he joined the club, completing at least 70 minutes of action in 51 of those matches prior to his early withdrawal at the Britannia.

Finding a way of playing without the England hopeful will be difficult then, particularly given the fact that the team's playing style was geared up for the striker to succeed.

Howe's possession based approach in the Championship last season was a breath of fresh air and proved too hot to handle for most of their competitors en route to the title. Bournemouth dictated the pace of the play and did most of their work in the opposition half, only really looking to play the long ball when switching play between the flanks.

Wilson's intelligent movement and pace provided an outlet that allowed the team's creative players such as Matt Ritchie and Harry Arter to pick out his runs in behind the defence. That, however, is something that neither Lee Tomlin nor Glenn Murray will be able to replicate, while Josh King's scoring record leaves a lot to be desired.

While the signing of Murray looked a shrewd acquisition at the time, it seemed to be a realisation from the manager that Bournemouth may need the option of playing the ball longer against significantly stronger opposition. The former Palace hit man, like Wilson, is a predatory finisher in the box but offers more of a direct and physical threat than the man he is likely to replace, which may force a change in style.

As things stand Bournemouth possess the 7th highest average possession figures in the top-flight (52.4%) but that may well change if they aim to get the best out of Murray. The 32-year-old is nowhere near as mobile as Wilson, preferring to have the ball played up to him in order to bring it down or flick on for a teammate.

Skewed of course by the fact that the two have played for very different teams since the start of last season, it is still telling that where Murray has won an aerial duel every 22.2 minutes, Wilson has done so every 143.3. Their playing styles are a complete contrast and while that offered good variety to the side with both fit, it will mean that Bournemouth must re-address a way of playing that has proved so successful since the start of the previous campaign.

Howe will still be instructing his players to build up play patiently when possible but if Murray is indeed handed the mantle of Bournemouth's lead striker then their route to goal will need to change. It's not something that should prove to be an impossible task for the side; both Wilson and Murray do their best work inside the box after all - the former having never scored from outside it for the Cherries - but Wilson is far less effective in the air than his new teammate. Indeed, of the 16 league goals Murray has scored since the start of last season 50% have come with his head. In comparison Wilson has 25 league goals in the same time, just 1 of which was a headed effort.

In the likes of Matt Ritchie and Marc Pugh, and indeed full-backs Charlie Daniels and Simon Francis, Bournemouth have players more than capable of delivering dangerous balls into the box. It's a weapon they'll surely look to utilise more often now that they are without Wilson though, having played the fewest accurate crosses in the Premier League so far this season (20).

Injuries have been cruel to Eddie Howe as he samples his first taste of Premier League football, and overcoming such problems would undoubtedly prove to be his biggest achievement in an already impressive managerial career. The loss of Wilson will prove tough to swallow and may well force Howe's hand into a tactical change he will likely be loathe making.

Bournemouth's ability to adapt will now be the key to their survival, where before the season the onus was on sticking to the principles that served Wilson and the rest of the team so well.

How will Bournemouth cope in the absence of Callum Wilson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below