Cherries have to be positive for Sunderland game

There aren't too many teams below the Cherries in the table but Sunderland are of course one of them. That doesn't make this next encounter an easy game for AFCB. If anything it makes it a more difficult game as Sunderland have everything to gain by getting a result at the Vitality stadium.

Sunderland's last defeat was not exactly showing a team that were despondent or feeling down on their luck. They gave Spurs a good battle and only shed one goal on the day in the last 10 minutes. They also got a draw in their last away game against Aston Villa and showed that they could get on the score sheet. So are we seeing a resurgent Sunderland?

Jermain Defoe is getting opportunities and should have scored against Spurs when through one on one on Hugo Lloris. Jeremain Lens was the man of the match against Spurs even though he was on the losing side and manager Dick Advocaat said that everyone played well, but they were just short of some match fitness and out of luck. Yann M'Vila is another player AFCB will have to be aware of when it comes to free kicks as well, having scored a beauty against Villa before the international break. Midfielders  Ola Toivenen and Jordi Gómez have also been a preferred choices with several more well known players left out of Advocaat's side who are looking at this game to start their season.

The Black Cats have other star names too like Fabio Borini, Jack Rodwell, Seb Larsson, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Steven Fletcher and John O'Shae. Don't tell me that Sunderland don't have some quality, they just have not clicked as a team to a high enough level yet. Advocaat admitted that he as only seen deadline day loan signing full-back DeAndre Yedlin play on TV!

John O'Shea remembers his time at Dean Court fondly.

So it's important that AFCB try and keep them on the back foot - they have to be positive. I'd like to see Elphick and Cook meet the challenge of Steve Fletcher with determination, if he is Advocaat's plan B, as we know he is back from injury and I believe Gosling is a good pick to come in for this match as a former Newcastle player who will run his socks off to get the upper hand in midfield.

Dan could come in for Eunan O'Kane on current form.

My Cherries team
Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Stanislas, Kermorgant, Wilson  

AFCB subs: Federici, Smith, Distin, MacDonald, Pugh, Tomlin, Murray 

Sunderland last time out:
Pantilimon, Jones, O'Shea, Kaboul, van Aanholt, M'Vila, Gómez, Lens, Toivonen, Borini, Defoe

Sunderland Away Form
LDL

AFCB Home Form
LD