The next game is always the hardest

Any game in the Championship can be difficult. Unexpected results come thick and fast every week. So now that AFCB are topping the league it is even more important that they keep a consistency that enables them to stay ahead of the pack. But Fulham are a team that can derail anyone's fast running train and AFCB may need to approach this game with a few safety barriers in place if they are to keep their unbeaten run in tact.

Bournemouth play Fulham today (Boxing Day)
the only team they have not yet faced this season.

Thoughts of an early-season rift in the Fulham camp have been more or less dispelled now that Kit Symons is in charge and while there has been talk of Ross McCormack being a target for Premier League clubs this January window, I believe that Fulham have ambition to keep hold of their talisman while being more than capable of knocking over some of the top order in the Championship as it stands at the moment.

This is by far the hardest fixture in my book for the Cherries this Christmas period. While the game is at home it has been the away performances that have really marked out the Cherries as being something special in this league. At home it has not always been such smooth progress and an expectant home crowd is not always such a positive for the players who need some energy to feed off of. As home fans we have to make this a special day and sing right through the match from start to finish. We can give the team momentum and can show them that we are delighted with them sitting top, but if we just sit quietly in our seats we will hand Fulham the initiative so come on let's really make some noise today.

This is a very big game, make no mistake. It could be the game to really start growing daylight at the top of the Championship and a defeat now would start to melt AFCB's position of strength. On the back of a pleasing home win the Millwall match will seem a lot easier, but Fulham will have a very big say in how AFCB fan's mood is at the end of the Xmas period.

I am very excited about today's game. Let's make it a day to remember. I also 
have my fingers crossed that other results go our way. UTCIAD!