No hiding place for the Cherries

There is no where to hide now for AFCB. They sit tantalisingly close to safety and yet within shooting range for Hull City and Swansea City. The run of fixtures against the top six has finally come to an end and now the Cherries must be ready to take advantage of playing against a team that has found it hard to score and has been rooted in the bottom three for the last few weeks.

Let's give the team everything we can today to help them get this win.

Being at home is also a big advantage for the Cherries. They'll have a full crowd who want to see them bag three points against Middlesbrough and the players will feel that pushing them forward. Whether the side can turn on the style at this stage is doubtful as they know they just have to win. It won't be like a normal Premier League match as every decision will seem even more important than ever to win.

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There is no reason why the Cherries should feel anything but confident about taking on the Boro, but when things do go against you it can get tense in these sort of games. I'm sure Eddie Howe will ask his team to play at a tempo that Middlesbrough find it hard to cope with. There can't be any easing into a game like this as Middlesbrough are so hard to breakdown that it might even take the full 90 minutes to get a clear chance in front of goal.

Eddie will be counting on us to help lift his side over the line.

If things do go against AFCB early on there will be a nervous number of hand searching for their mobiles and the scores elsewhere. The good thing for AFCB supporters is that they have points on the board and Swansea and Hull are playing catch up. It doesn't make the waiting any easier but pundits will tell you that the odds favour AFCB to be soon thinking about a third season at the high table of the Premier League. UTCIAD!

Possible AFCB Team
Boruc (GK), A Smith (RB), Francis (CD), S Cook (CD), Daniels (LB), Fraser (RW), Arter (CM), Gosling (CM), Pugh (LW), King (FW), Afobe (FW)

Subs
Allsop, Mings, Cargill, L Cook, Stanislas, Gradel, Mousset