Yann offers plan B, C and D

There has been much mention of the so-called plan B or rather the lack of it for this AFCB team, but when plan B for English sides usually means lumping it into the box it is not the most cultured or even scientifically clever way for the Cherries to try and score a goal as they are not blessed with height. But there is one player that the Cherries have that does offer more variety than most in his play and it was great to see him giving Jason Steele all kinds of problems in the Blackburn goal on Saturday.

There's lots to Yann's game.

Yann Kermorgant provided a plan B in his Bullet-like header in the second half that had Jason Steele scrambling towards his left hand post to keep out. Yann was prepared to get his head on the ball while taking a battering from the Blackburn defenders and he was getting up really well despite the close attendance of Alex Baptiste and Matt Kilgallon.

There were other moments as well when I felt AFCB used Yann as a bit of a battering-ram to try and force a goal and the moment when it almost worked was when Simon Francis put in a deep cross from the right wing and Yann gave himself several yards before making his leap. The header was powerful and smashed against the Crossbar with Steele beaten. If AFCB do have a long-ball game about them then that was it right there, but it did not prove anymore profitable than what had gone before.

The main thing is that the Cherries had shown that they do have more than one way of playing when Yann is on the pitch and his performance was close to delivering what the fans so desired. The Directness of AFCB's play when they do hit Yann with crosses is not something that they try and do all the time though and it was no less adventurous to also bring on Matt Ritchie and Tokelo Rantie as Eddie Howe explored different ways to try and get that first goal.

However, on this occasion Blackburn's own defensive plan was just too strong and considering no other team has achieved a nil-nil against the Cherries at home it is perhaps a little unfair to say that the Cherries have not been finding ways to score and win games, because in the main they have been doing better than most with 17 wins so far this season.

Just in case, Yann's also got Flicks as well if you need a plan F.

No easy ride expected for Cherries at Blackburn

The Cherries played fantastically at Ewood Park last season but will need similar resolve this time if they are to come away with anything. Blackburn are one of the side I believe should be in the top 10 with their quality and perhaps the form they showed against Cardiff indicates that they could do even better. I think a lot of how well Blackburn do will depend on not only Jordan Rhodes but Rude Gestede has started most matches with Rhodes this season.

Blackburn will be another difficult test
that will show whether AFCB are
likely to be top challengers this season or not.

Gary Bowyer has not signed that many players in the summer or at least has not splashed the cash. Alex Baptise was a loan deal from Bolton, Chris Brown also joined on a free transfer from Doncaster. Looking at the signings though they don't look like players who will put Blackburn in the top six, but stable performers is perhaps how I see the squad as a whole and I imagine the club's financial circumstances are starting to dictate how much can be spent now.

On the pitch it appears that Balckburn are going to be hard to beat and in the Championship that is not a bad starting point. Kilgallon and Hanley will make sure that they don't concede that many and Dunn and Tom Cairney are always powerful in midfield. AFCB have to make sure they keep things tight and don't overplay against Blackburn because it only takes Rhodes a second to get the wrong side of defenders and punish them with his quality. Coming away with a point from Ewood Park is never a bad result and if that is what the Cherries get rewarded with this weekend it won't be anything to moan about.

If you had not noticed Kyle Cotter has been busy checking out new possible talent for England's next campaign in the Euros. He has a profile on Calum Chambers who is at Southampton - see Kyle's Cups.

Good luck to Jayden Stockley who has gone on loan to Cambridge Utd until January 2015.