Will Rotherham be more of a challenge this time around?

Steve Evans felt humiliated by his sides poor second half against AFCB in the FA Cup Third Round. It will be his task to see if he can inflict a second defeat in a row on Eddie Howe's Cherries and he'll see this as a game where the Miller's can get something from it. Indeed, they need to get something from the game and Evans will install that in his players.

Rotherham look a much stronger side with all the new
signings they have made. the question is will they click straight away?

Rotherham are also expected to make a few changes to the team that they had out against AFCB in the cup as they had one or two loan players who were not allowed to play last time in the cup. Danny Ward has been signed on a month's loan from Huddersfield and he played in their last match against Brentford. A regular thorn in AFCB's side is Adam Hammill of Sheffield Wednesday who has also signed for Rotherham on loan until the end of the season. The Millers have also signed Derby's Connor Sammon on loan until the end of the season, having been on loan at Ipswich.

There will be some players though who did play for Rotherham in that FA Cup defeat who will have to play with the memory of it again. I was impressed with Jordan Bowery and Jonson Clarke-Harris in the cup game, but neither started in their last match against Brentford. It is likely that Matt Derbyshire will be involved foe them up front or as a sub, but he is not finding the net regularly. 

Rotherham's squad is one of the smallest in the Championship and Steve Evans is having to take on a Cherries side that can make changes and fit different players in positions without weakening their side. If the Millers make changes though their side is less likely to be as effective in many ways as they have not had the build up of understanding that Eddie Howe's team has built up over a much longer time.

Rotherham Home Form
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AFCB Away Form
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The low-down on Huddersfield Town

Mark Robins wasted no time in releasing quite a few players early in May including captain Peter Clarke and former Cherry Anton Robinson. Players coming in include Coventry keeper Joe Murphy who is 32 and signed a two-year deal. Their key capture though in my opinion is Lee Peltier from Leeds Utd on a three-year contract. He used to play for Town and was a captain at Leeds. One of their newest signings is the season-long loan deal for Nottingham Forest's Radoslaw Majewski, a Polish midfielder. Conor Coady also joined Huddersfield this week from Liverpool on a three-year deal. The 21-year-old is a midfielder who is said to be aggressive and combative on the Yorkshire club's website.

Pre-season has brought 3-1 wins in early July against AEL Limassol and Doncaster Rovers, followed by a 4-1 win against Guisley, but defeat came for the Terriers against Scunthorpe 1-0. Mark Robins' team got back on track with a 0-1 win away at Bramall Lane with Huddersfield employing a 3-5-2 formation against Sheffield Utd. Their next game was against Oldham last Saturday when they slipped up 3-1 and this was followed up with a mid-week match on Tuesday against Newcastle Utd which they drew 2-2.

Adam Clayton will be a big miss for them as he is expected to sign for Middlesbrough, according to a local paper. Jacob Butterfield of Middlesbrough could be heading the other way to Huddersfield in return. We may find that James Vaughan is not quite up to speed with any luck as he has had some calf problems. Players AFCB will have to watch closely are Adam Hammill who caused all kinds of problems against the Cherries last time at the John Smith's stadium. Nahki Wells will also be looking to make more of a mark this season.

It does not look like Huddersfield will have had long to integrate all their team ahead of their first league game against AFCB which just might be helpful for the Cherries.

This afternoon we will have a Rival Lines interview with HTFC-World.