Chelsea are a familiar foe

Having already played Chelsea this season at home and lost it will be a very big job for Bournemouth to go to Stamford Bridge to get a result. Chelsea got the the fifth round or quarter-final of the Carabao Cup having got passed Everton 2-1 at home on 25 October. The team they had out that day was not star studded, but then Bournemouth are unlikely to field their strongest side for this game either.

Chelsea at Dean Court earlier this season.

Well Chelsea should be a familiar foe, but I expect there will be a few names that fans don't recognise in Chelsea's starting line up. It will be a chance for Conte to play a few senior players that are not getting games as well as youngsters and I'll be keen to see if we do get to see a few top class players like Willian and Cahill who played in the last round. If Eden Hazard is on the bench as a safety net it won't be a comforting sight for Eddie Howe. Even the players that are not playing regularly for Chelsea would walk into Bournemouth side.

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But Bournemouth have to concentrate on the 11 players that do start off and look to win early tackles and try and build some confidence by getting on the ball. I'm more worried about what side Bournemouth are going to put out than the quality of the players they will be facing. Whatever ambitions fans may have or hopes of getting to the Semi-final it will be probably shattered when we see the line up. But there are players that do deserve a game against a top side like Chelsea and if we can get to see players like Jack Simpson, Conner Mahoney and Emerson Hyndman I would be more then happy as we have not see enough of how they might be developing over recent months.

The game also gives Eddie Howe a chance to pit his wits against one of the best managers in the Premier League and every game he gets to try and out think a manager like Antonio Conte has to be good for his own development. Howe has not got a win against Conte and he probably keeps a note of when he has beaten Mourhino and Klopp and what he learnt from those games. Sadly, the wins have not been as frequent as we'd like against Chelsea, but playing  these kind of players more and more often can only help Bournemouth's players to feel that they are working on a stage where they can hold their own.

Chelsea are not quite as imperious as last season

It's hard to work out just what Chelsea are at the moment. One minute they are thumping Stoke City and beating Atlético Madrid away from home and the next they are being beaten by Burnley and Crystal Palace. Their up and down form has got pundits already writing them off from defending their Premier League title, but away from home it is only the Palace game that has really put a stick in their spokes.

Without Diego Costa, Chelsea don't seem quiet the team
they were but they still have an impressive line up.

Antonio Conte was said before the Watford win to be not worried but realistic that Chelsea could sack him if results did not improve. What Chelsea would consider an improvement is harder to put your finger on as even against Watford there were moments when the Hornets could have given Conte more of a scare. David Luiz and Gary Cahill have looked vulnerable this season and while Morata and Batshuayi have been among the goals there is a distinct  unpredictability about Chelsea. Fabregas was on the bench most of last season but has been playing a lot more this season, especially with Kante being injured, while the loss of Costa is still probably having a lingering affect around the team and the dressing room.

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Unfortunately, Chelsea did not have a European Champions League game this week so they could rest their best players for this game. There has been rumours of over training at Chelsea to which the players have been upset about, but Conte is unlikely to change what proved successful for him last season. Chelsea will see Bournemouth as an easier game than many they will have but there are definite signs that Chelsea are not having all things there own way.

Meanwhile, with Asmir Begovic and Nathan Aké now at Bournemouth, the game takes on a new meaning of importance for AFCB. Players playing against their old club always like to do well and Bournemouth have a scalp, if they could get a home win against Chelsea. It would give Bournemouth 10 points from 10 games and they would be more or less back on course with where they need to be to finish out of the bottom three.

Cherry Chimes has been answering some questions from Chelsea HQ ahead of this game. So if you head over to ChelseaHQ, after 7pm, you can find out how I did under the spotlight.

You can also see Cherry Chimes' AFCB v Chelsea match preview at ASkFans.

AFCB Home Form
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Chelsea Away Form
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Aké sees Conte and Howe as winners – but Howe is unique

The comments that Nathan Aké made about Antonio Conte and Eddie Howe both wanting to win is not so much of a surprise, as in the Premier League you don't survive their for long if you are not a winner. But I think the similarities may be a little harder to find after that.

Nathan Aké.

It's not that Howe is better or worse, but he has different experiences and that will have shaped how Eddie Howe goes about his work. Eddie wants to make every day different to the players and I think he expects to learn something himself every day.

Nathan talks of both Eddie and Antonio's passion and their love of the game, but Conte is perhaps more agitated on the touchline than Eddie Howe, who tends to moderate some of the exuberance shown by Conte when Chelsea need a bit of razzmatazz from their manager to pick the crowd up.

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The honours list is also much longer with Conte who has a few years more experience at the top level, and of course has managed in Italy's Serie B and A. Conte has also had a full international career as a player for Italy and has been to two world cups.

But Howe is unique in what he has achieved in England. No other manager can match his success in the last decade in getting a team promoted through the leagues. To be closing in on the top sides in the Premier League is also now something that is now attracting top players to the club. Aké, Begovic and Defoe will be followed by more full international players in the coming transfer windows, if not in this window which is still open.

What is stunning as well about Eddie is that he has done things his way by learning bits hear and there off other figures in the game, and has moulded it to create his own style. Now he is starting to pick the best players in the transfer market as well, and that all bodes well for AFCB.

In other news, Aaron Ramsdale helps England's U19s to Tbilisi final against Portugal on Sunday.

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Attack is the best form of defence for the Cherries

Looking at how AFCB went about taking on Chelsea last season it was a brave plan to try and run at the Chelsea midfield and defence when their team had lost the ball. In that first half there were several breaks that had neat AFCB interplay that could have ended in a goal, but it took until the last 10 minutes then for the breakthrough to come and I'd imagine that fans may have to be equally as patient if not more so this time, as Chelsea can currently see every team as a potential three more points to their total.

AFCB won't have Glenn Murray this time, but I don't think he was the only reason why the team won that game last December. It was a show of defiance in many respects and AFCB will have to try and take some of the game to Conte's team or they will be overwhelmed. Eddie Howe knows that AFCB can be confident and powerful against sides away from home, but we have not seen too much of it this season.

Will Callum lead the line at Stamford Bridge?

I wonder whether Eddie may feel he needs to change more than one or two personnel to get the right reaction after the Southampton defeat. The direct attackers like Ryan Fraser and Jordan Ibe may well be better suited to this sort of game, where the onus is on Chelsea to come at AFCB. What will have to be better is the passing and movement in midfield and up front. I kind of felt Jack Wilshere's frustration in not knowing where to put a pass as Southampton closed down all the space in last week's game, and although AFCB have become adept at rotating play and switching from one side of the field to the other, there is a lot to be said for going for the jugular sometimes, and there will have to be some of that variation in play to get anything against Chelsea who are so methodical when play breaks down.  

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While the Cherries have been better at defending set-pieces this season that will be the first threat that they have to overcome. If they can build on that in the first 20 minutes and start to get some attacks going themselves, the confidence will come back. Eddie needs to find some kind of spark away from home and there is no better place to try and recapture the magic than at a ground that was a big catalyst for the Cherries picking up points last season. UTCIAD!

Rival Lines: We're gonna be hard to catch, says Chelsea Daft

Rival Lines
Match Preview: Chelsea V AFCB

Blogger Interview: Chelsea Daft
Twitter: @chelseadaft

First things, first - Happy Christmas everyone! The season may just get even more special if AFCB can register their second away win of the season tomorrow, but Chelsea are in fine form. In fact, I have been chatting with Chelsea Daft who has a few words to say about how Chelsea are setting the pace at the top of the table.

CC: Is the title race over for this season?

CD: At this point with half of the season to go I would say no. However, if Chelsea open up a gap of more than 10 points then it will be hard for teams to catch us as I cannot see us losing at the minute. There will be plenty of twists and turns along the way still but as you would have seen in the past, when Chelsea establish a lead of double figures at the top of the League, we are often hard to catch.

CC: Is the FA Cup now a competition that the fans at Chelsea want to win with the club not being in European football this season?

CD: Being honest, the FA Cup would be an added bonus. If you asked any genuine Chelsea fan of the target for this season it would be to get back into the Champions League. I've said in recent weeks that if we managed to beat Tottenham and Manchester City then top four is now almost certain.

Let's see what happens.

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CC: What do you most like about Antonio Conte?

CD: Everyone knows his passion for the game and his antics throughout the game on the touchline but what I really like and respect about him is the fact that when he came into Chelsea after such a bad year for us last year, he didn't decide to do what Louis Van Gaal did at Manchester United. He didn't walk in the door and demand that the players at club adapt to the way he wanted to play straight away, to try to fit in to what he wanted.

He came in to have a look at all the players, to watch how they have been used to playing and then at the start of the season decided upon what he believed to be his best team for that formation.

As soon as the nightmare against Liverpool happened followed by even worse at Arsenal, only then did he change the shape of the side to what he wanted and at that point, he knew the players he had here that would fit into the system perfectly. The rest is history eleven games later!

CC: Which game do you think has been the best performance by Chelsea this season?

CD: Everton at home was total football and a display I had never witness before in the 35 years I have been going to watch Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Everything came together that night and we blew Everton out of the water. It was that good that in a pub on the Kings Road after the game, My mates and I stood there looking at each other with a pint in our hands almost lost for words. One even said "What have we just witnessed?" as if it was unbelievable.

CC: How has going three at the back made Chelsea a harder side to beat?

CD: It has coupled with the wing backs. If you think about it, we still have the two holding midfielders and the three players in attacking areas but rather than lose one of your defenders and play him through the middle, we are utilising the wing-backs who play right out on the wing and it gives teams something to think about.

CC: Hazard is playing with much more freedom this season but are you surprised that he did not go last summer?

CD: Being honest, yes I was - but if you remember, Hazard was one of those players who reports stated had fallen out with Jose Mourinho and he took a fair bit of flack from the supporters for it (It was never proven by the way). After being named the best player in the Premier League to then have a season like he did, he obviously felt that he had something to prove here and decided to stay.

If we win the title this season then he may leave to go to Real Madrid but I hope that he stays to tackle the Champions League under Conte next season.

CC: Nathan Aké is playing brilliantly with us at AFC Bournemouth do you expect him to play for Chelsea next season?

CD: I would like to say yes, but I think he has another year out on loan before he comes into the squad. We have a player called Andreas Christensen who has played out in Germany who is ahead of Ake in the pecking order at the moment and he will be in our squad next season for sure.

CC: Who will be the bigger miss in the game against AFC Bournemouth – Costa or Kanté?

CD: It's a hard one but it has to be Diego Costa purely because the guy can win a game for you from nothing as he demonstrated a couple of weeks ago against West Brom. In saying that, look out for Michy Batshuayi who will come in as his replacement. He is young, talented, raw and strong with a good eye for goal. He has all the attributes to be the next Didier Drogba!

CC: What do you think of the form of Fabregas this season?

CD: It's been good when he has been involved but he has become a casualty of the 3-4-3 tactical switch along with Oscar who has just been sold. Fabregas is out and out quality and demonstrated that against Manchester City. He will play tomorrow.

CC: How do you think Chelsea will line up for this game?

CD:

Courtois, 

Cahill, Luiz, Azpilicueta, 

Alonso, Moses, Matic, Fabregas, Hazard, 

Willian and Batshuayi.

CC: A big thanks to Chelsea Daft as I know they have been very busy and it was kind of them to spare some time to answer the questions for us. It is good to hear a Chelsea fan that sounds quite grounded and not thinking too far ahead as if the job is done. I think Conte is like that is well - very astute and working out how the Premier League works as much as what his own players are capable of. He has had some hard tests in the games against Arsenal and Liverpool, but there has not been too much to trouble Chelsea since, and it's up to AFCB to make it a difficult game for Chelsea, especially when they are missing two of their best players. If you want to read some more views on how Chelsea are shaping up do go over to the Chelsea Daft site to get more on their season so far.

Is an AFCB double against Chelsea unthinkable?

I guess before the start of the season I have to hold my hand up as an AFCB fan and say that I would not expect the Cherries to take maximum points out of the two games against what was then Jose Mourinho's side. But a lot can happen in eight months as we have seen. Not only has Jose departed and the Cherries delighted in getting an away win at Stamford Bridge, but a Cherries' win this Saturday would put them on the same amount of points as Chelsea after 34 games and that just seems crazy or does it?

It was okay at Stamford Bridge. We'll have some more of that.

The Blues have threatened to get back into form all season but they have never had a sustained period when they have looked like the side that won the Premier League last season. Now there is a definite rebuilding project for Antonio Conte to do at the Bridge and I imagine the side that Guus Hiddink puts out at Dean Court will look very different from that which starts the 2016-17 season for them. 

The form of Chelsea is something that should not hold too much panic for the Cherries. They may have spanked Aston Villa 0-4 on the road, but defeats at Swansea and Everton in the cup suggest that Hiddink is still looking to get the best out of this Chelsea side. Okay, they have had some injuries and the centre back absence of John Terry is perhaps the biggest quandary that Hiddink has had to deal with for most of the season. But this is not a fantastic Chelsea side anymore and it is up to the Cherries to find the weaknesses.

Of late Courtois form has been called into question but his misjudgement in their last home match against Man City saw him dismissed and he will not be in goal for Chelsea. It will be Begovic between the sticks. So there may be something to exploit there.

What was pleasing about the match against Liverpool was the amount of shots AFCB did get away in the second half. It may be that Liverpool were not really playing as forcefully by then, but the shot count on Begovic has to be high if the Cherries are to win the game.

Chelsea Away Form
DWWWL

AFCB Home Form
LWWLL

Meanwhile, Harry Cornick has signed a new deal to keep him at the Cherries into 2018 and Eddie Howe has been spotted at the Madejeski Stadium of late and is believed to be looking at winger Jordan Obita, central midfielder Oliver Norwood, defender Jack Coper and even Chelsea's centre back Michael Hector who is on loan with the Royals.

Are Chelsea still under performing?

Under Guus Hiddink the troops at Chelsea were doing well and stabilised themselves until they found the going a bit hard against Paris St Germain in the Champions League. That defeat resonated into their recent Premier League performances with defeat coming away at Swansea and at home against Man City. Chelsea were also knocked out of the FA Cup in March at Everton, so has Hiddink lost his magic touch?

To be honest I just think it has not just been about Chelsea feeling sad for themselves, but they have come up against sides that wanted the wins more. Swansea had every reason to play their socks off at home to Chelsea to edge towards safety while Man City have the top four finish to worry about. But what is there for Chelsea to play for now? A top 10 finish? A chance to play the youngsters?

Chelsea's players have had a strange and disappointing season.

The announcement of their next manager last week is perhaps an indication that they are a club already looking at the 2016-17 season under Antonio Conte. You might expect some of the Chelsea super stars to start putting in top performances and looking to catch the eye, but I get the feeling that the end of this season can't come soon enough for the players or the fans.

The one good thing that I can see has come out of Chelsea's season is the emergence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek who probably would not have had the chance if Chelsea were competing for a top four place. Whether he gets a look in next season or not, other clubs should be looking to see if they can take him on loan if Chelsea won't sell.

Williain has been the one outstanding player in Chelsea's ranks that has kept his reputation in tact, but on their day players like Fabregas, Costa, Cahill, Matic, Hazard and Courtois can play teams off the park and even an under performing Chelsea side is a match for many of the Premier League clubs. AFCB have seen how going a goal down to this type of team is all top sides need to get a real grip on a game and for AFCB there is still much to learn about playing a side like Chelsea - under performers or not.