Into the cauldron - can the Cherries bounce back against Leeds?

The tie against Leeds Utd is going to be a hostile affair as far as the atmosphere is concerned and whoever the eleven players are on the pitch for the Cherries they are going to ave to be fully up for this one. Leeds will come flying out of the traps I suspect and AFCB will have to weather that initial storm. Strong characters will be needed and if they do go a goal down it is important that they don't buckle further. 

When AFCB played Blackburn and were two-nil down I didn't see how they were going to get back into the game. They just weren't playing well enough. yet, teams like Middlesbrough have shown that you need to be able to come from behind sometimes and it can be done. That strength of mentality is something that AFCB have when we have Daniels and Arter on the pitch but the team has to do it without them as well, even if they are seen as a big miss. From the pre-match interviews it looks like Andrew Surman may be drafted in to play alongside Eunan O'Kane, but whether Eddie Howe will go for three at the back again is a mystery. I hope he plays a flat back four and let's Rantie come on to destroy Leeds in the second half. Fraser, I have to say is a must start.

Bouncing back from a home defeat is perhaps not so difficult when you are going to a quiet ground but Elland Road will be anything but that. It will be a cauldron and the noise is something that our players can quickly subdue if they start to pass the ball around with the confidence that we know they can. I believe this match could be very important for both teams not only for tonight's result but in how they perform and how they come out of the game feeling mentally.

For AFCB another defeat would be one point out of the last nine and mounting pressure ahead of the Millwall game. Yet, a win for the Cherries against Leeds would rekindle the early form of the team and give them peace of mind going into future fixtures having beaten a big team away from home. It's all up for grabs tonight. I am sure the players will be eager to turn around last Saturday's performance and as long as they can take their chances it could be a very significant night for the Cherries.

AFCB away form:
LLWD

Leeds home form:  
WDLWWe have also been in contact with the Leeds Blog called The Scratching Shed and David Wilkinson kindly spent a few long hours into the night on answering Cherry Chimes questions. 

The answers are all there for you to read now on Rival Lines.