Confidence is sky high at the Goldsands

Norwich city fans might not be quite as confident as they might have been about coming down to Bournemouth before the Third Round FA Cup ties least weekend. It is not just the fact that AFCB steam rolled Rotherham that will cause concern but the Canaries were well beaten at Preston, who are riding high in League One and now they have lost their manager as well this week.

AFCB are still looking to make a bigger gap at the top of the Championship.

Football is so much about confidence and the Cherries are just getting stronger as they see their target starting to come closer. Beating big teams like Norwich City would be something of an indicator, if not a passport, to the knowledge that they can grab one of those two automatic promotion places. What would have been a game that might have sent a nervous tension through the team only a few months ago is more likely to set them on a goal crazy path to success again, as the players will know that by beating Norwich they have the credentials to be the league champions this season.

It is a bit early to talk about such things, as there are an awful lot of games to go but Bournemouth's players are confident of taking on any side at the moment. I believe that they are being moulded into a side that is getting ready to make another huge leap to Premier League. It has happened all a bit quickly and you would not have thought it possible that the team can keep winning, but even if they did lose a game or two I don't believe it would be long before they start another winning run.

Listening to the AFCB players you can tell that they are excited about what they are producing on the pitch. It is the culmination of many thousands of hours of work, but everything has clicked. Now it is all about continuing on the same course and grabbing the prize at the end of it. These players want to write their names into AFCB history and they are making a mighty fine job of it at the moment.

Still Norwich's players have everything to play for and Mike Phelan will set them up to be difficult to breakdown. This is a game where patience rather than frustration could see AFCB picking up three more points. 

Transfer watch
Finally, it has been reported by the Daily Mail once more that AFCB are determined to prise Demarai Gray away from Birmingham City - this time with an improved offer of £2m.