Midfield injuries are still hampering the Cherries' progress

I had hoped to see Shaun MacDonald back in contention last weekend but he was not among the named substitutes, even though I believe he travelled with the team to the game as I spotted him getting off the coach. If he is still on the treatment table for a few more weeks we could be stretched again in midfield.

But there are others still out too. Josh McQuoid has not yet recovered from his operation to full fitness, Mohamed Coulibaly is receiving treatment on his heel, Richard Hughes and Darryl Flahavan are currently out alongside long-term injury worries Matt Ricthie, Joe Partington and Wes Fogden. Either AFCB have been really unlucky or there is something going on that has made our players more prone to get injured than other clubs. Perhaps last season's fabulous exploits have taken it out of our players more than might have been thought. I suppose that if they are a bit slower to the ball they are more likely to get injured or pick up knocks.

Macca would be great to have back in the side.

Coulibably has had a stop start season so far.

O'Kane or Surman could be the lead candidates to come in to the team.

Last season it was the left back and the centre baceks where AFCB looked really short of players and while we have really bolstered the numbers in midfield since the summer, it is in this area where Bournemouth have been stretched this season. We saw Ryan Fraser back on the pitch at Leicester but he did not last much more than the first half and we saw him playing more as a defender than an attacking winger in that game. I hope he did not come back too soon.

I will enjoy seeing a few faces come back. Tommy Elphick will be a big boost to moral when he comes back in and I would be pleased if we could see some other faces on the bench like Coulibaly, Fogden or McQuoid. Perhaps Macca will also have improved enough to make a start on Saturday, otherwise it looks like O'Kane who also needs some game time. Eddie Howe certainly has to play someone in midfield next to Arter now that Collison has departed.