The Seagulls are better than their league position

By the time AFCB and Brighton kick off on Saturday afternoon, Brighton could be in the bottom three. That is perhaps unlikely but the potential is there. I believe that makes this match one of the hardest that AFCB have faced since the Leeds match. While the Cherries have played other teams down the wrong end of the league there is added pride at stake here, because Bournemouth is the last team that the Seagulls will want to lose to.

Brighton and AFCB last season at Dean Court.

For all their troubles, Brighton have scored in their last five games. Their problem has been that they can't keep clean sheets and Hyypia has been claiming that he will need new recruits in January if he is to really turn this side around. But I don't think Brighton are in such bad shape as their league position would suggest. That has not stopped the home crowds from showing their displeasure, but an away game at AFCB is a possible stepping stone for them to turnaround their season with the cameras on them.

Meanwhile, AFCB have everything to lose if they come in over confident. The league is so tight that a defeat would drop the team out of the top six and while that would not be a disaster, the Cherries need to be winning against the bottom half teams to cement their place in the top six. Brighton don't lose games heavily and can hold their own more often than not so one instance is likely to settle the game. If the Seagulls come to stifle AFCB and defend deep it may not be the spectacle that the cameras had hoped for, but Brighton are already needing points for self-preservation and I am sure they will have a game plan to spoil.

How Eddie Howe copes with that really will be something to see. It is the tight games that are really important in keeping winning streaks going and I'm betting that this one is going to be a battle. Beating Brighton is something the Cherries could not achieve last season and there's nothing to tell me that it will be any easier this time. Let's hope AFCB can beat the draw specialists this time around with the cameras looking on.

Last night I also heard that Wigan's keeper, Ali Al-Habsi had signed for Brighton on a one month loan, so we should see him in goal for the Seagulls, but I am not to sure who will be in goal for the Cherries.

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