Steve Cook is back and relishes the job

I do like to see Steve Cook playing in the team. While I am not so sure about the ever-bigger beard, he is one of the Cherries young stars who will only improve every game he plays. He would have thought that it would be quite some time before he had his opportunity again, but strange things happen and Elliott Ward's misfortune has turned out to be his good luck.

Steve cook's early form this season was terrific.

The choice of centre back pairing looks like always being a difficult one with the players that the team now has. When they are all fit it is not ever easy to leave one of them on the bench. Injury and suspensions have shared out the responsibilities fairly evenly so far this season and in a way I think that is a good thing for the future. Both Elphick and Cook are getting some serious games under their belt in the Championship, sometimes playing together and at other timesone of them pairing up with Elliott Ward. In the long run this will be good for AFCB as they go into next season with more experience.

I have also said that swapping and changing the defence can't be helpful and in the short term it probably is a bit of a nuisance when you are striving for consistency in performances. But circumstances often dictate that changes are required and it is good that Cook, Elphick and Ward can just slot into the team when required. It was also interesting to hear that Eddie Howe felt that Ian Harte could fill in at centre back if required, something that we have not seen yet.

A settled back four would be helpful.

Cook is well up to being a man of the match performer at the back and had he not fallen out of the team for a while we would have probably been singing his praises throughout December and January. He usually grabs his chance and I expect him to start putting in those great performances straight away, because he will need to against Burnley.

Are Cook and Elphick AFCB's best centre back pairing?