Who will start with Grabban at home?

There is no doubt that Lewis Grabban will start at home against Yeovil Town this Boxing Day, but there is a real discussion to be had over who would partner him, if as expected AFCB play two up front. While the obvious choice is Tokelo Rantie, Eddie Howe has not given the South African much time on the pitch of late. I am not sure if Rantie has a crisis of confidence or if Eddie Howe just wants to take some of the pressure off him at the moment, but I expect it is a bit of both. The timing of when to bring Rantie back into the starting line up will be important and Rantie will want to put a few goals away to prove some people wrong. Boxing Day could be his day.

Striking trio, Grabban, Pitman and Rantie.

However, the team is starting to buzz at the moment and I just wonder if Eddie will look elsewhere. How about a surprise? 

If Wes Thomas suddenly started scoring it would not only help the team it would give him a brighter future.
Could Eddie give him a bit more time on the pitch?

Wes Thomas has been quietly going about his business and keeping his head down this season. He hasn't had hardly any chance to really have a run in the team. Eddie Howe may well want to reward Thomas at some stage for his efforts and patience as all is forgiven about last season as far as Howe is concerned with Thomas. I would actually like to see Wes play and I'd celebrate enthusiastically of he could put a few goals past Yeovil Town. He is an AFCB player who made some mistakes, but he has a talent as a goal scorer and if he could feel good again about playing for the Cherries and score a few goals, who knows what might happen in the long term? But Eddie would have to play him for more than five minutes. 

Can Pitman regain his finishing form of last season?

Then there is Brett Pitman. Brett has me puzzled at times because on his day he is unstoppable. I wonder though if he also is a bit lacking in confidence having been in the spotlight from January onwards last season, he just hasn't hit top form in the Championship yet. Is he thinking back at his time at Bristol City and are we seeing similarities? I hope not. Yet, he will know there are no spaces for passengers and that if he does not get some goals and play, well AFCB might feel that his level is as a top striker in League One. That feeling has already been placed on Matt Tubbs you would think and there are some choices to be made in the summer or if not before on who can be let go.

Is Josh McQuoid a player that could come back and excite the crowd?

We also have to consider that Josh McQuoid has been making his way back and could be tried next to Lewis for our next home match. I would say this may also be a good surprise package for the Cherries as, on his day, Josh can be a massive plus for the team, we just need to see him perform consistently. Can he be the player he was when he first burst onto the scene at Dean Court?

I am looking forward to seeing who Eddie Howe picks. We have seen that playing Surman behind Grabban at home against Birmingham did not really work as well as when AFCB play away, so I would be disappointed if he tries that again at home even if Surman has been sensational away from home.