We've only seen a little bit of Chris Mepham and it's going to take time for him to get to grips both with AFCB and the Premier League, but Eddie Howe seems keen for the player to get an early taste of the big time. If an injury occurs to Aké or Steve Cook though in the next few weeks, Mepham is going to find himself right in the limelight.

Is Mepham ready for a starting place?

It's going to be quite a heart stopping moment for Mepham to walk out in a starting line up for AFCB. While he has featured at Liverpool and has been on the bench against Cardiff and Chelsea where he got on for a minute. Dipping his toe into the Premier League is probably going to seem a big challenge and inspirational for Mepham, and the excitement that brings could see him up his game in training enough to put some serious pressure on Steve Cook and Nathan Aké.





It is a shame for Eddie Howe and Mepham that AFCB are out of the FA Cup, as it would have been the perfect platform to see more of Mepham in game situations. Howe doesn't want his new signing to feel he made the wrong choice when he could have been playing football at Brentford, but he can't simply just walk into the team unless he shows he has the form and ability to improve AFCB's defence.




But Aké and Cook can't feel they have complete safety at the moment. The team is losing games and Howe needs to change that some how. Whether he would split his two central defenders up before one of them is injured may have seemed unthinkable a month or so ago, but Mepham could find he is rushed into the team sooner than he thinks, and if Chris Mepham plays well, AFCB's back four could have quite a different look to it come April or May.