The Saints can be beaten - tonight would be handy!

It would have been nice if Southampton had little to play for when they turn up at Dean Court. However, with their first defeat in seven still fresh in their minds and only three points outside the top six, there is every reason for the Saints to do AFCB no favours tonight.

With a positive goal difference of nine and plenty of goals coming from the feet and heads of Shane Long and Charlie Austin, there is an an unease about facing the Saints at the moment. Long is an injury doubt but the Saints have other options and the Cherries are likely to have to be wary of James Ward-Prowse who has shown he is starting to grow at this level, while Dusan Tadic is also worth attention for his ability to pop up with goals. At the back too they are strong with Fraser Forster having just set a club record for not conceding, even though Chelsea got the better of him in the end at the weekend.

Eddie Howe has to find some way of playing positively against the Saints from the start. Their quality in the last third is excellent and the battle for possession in this game could be key as if Southampton get a platform they have the players to find a finish in a snap moment if they are controlling the game. 

Arter made his Premier League debut against Southampton in November.
Can he have more of an impact now on this game?

The Cherries record against Southampton is pretty poor, but that mental block has to be overcome sooner or later. We have not seen many dominant performances from the side at home this season and when they have played well like against Norwich, for example, it was the finishing power of Afobe that mattered. Getting him on the ball and running at goal is going to be important. Gradel (or Pugh) and Ritchie must also take the fight to the Saints. We have seen the Cherries' finishing more than anything costing them points of late and a goal rush now would start to build some momentum which is what the side needs most of all right now.

One win at home in the last five for AFCB is not something that the players can be too pleased about, but they can do something about that tonight. UTCAID!

Possible AFCB team (4-1-3-2)
Boruc (GK), Smith (RD), Francis (CD), Cook (CD), Daniels (LD), Ritchie (RM), Surman (CM), Arter (CM), Gradel (LM), King (FW), Afobe (FW)

Subs
Federici, Elpjick, Distin, Gosling, Iturbe, Pugh, Murray   

Saints Away Form
LLWDW

AFCB Home Form
DLWLL

AFCB are set to help raise funs for Wimborne Town on Wednesday with a friendly. Remember The Back of the Net podcast is scheduled for release later today. 

The Cherry Chimes Newsletter is also out today.
Cherry Chimes' March Newsletter brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month, plus there is a special Newsletter article entitled: Afobe underlines lower league quality.

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Koeman will feel he has the edge on Howe

Ronald Koeman may not have been at Southampton nearly as long as Eddie Howe has been at Bournemouth, but the Dutchman will feel he has the experience to keep his near rivals at arm's length and come out on top. Having managed at teams such as Ajax, Benfica and Feyenoord amongst others, Koeman has a great grasp of the continental game and with a distinguished international playing career himself he is a heavyweight among managers in the modern game.

Eddie will look t beat one of the best football
brains in the game when he takes on Koeman.

So what chance might Eddie Howe have of toppling the Saints and getting one over Ronald? You can't knock Koeman's pedigree and the Saint's talented crop of players. Eddie certainly has a hard task and sometimes us fans don't acknowledge that he is also learning this season in the Premier League as well as his players. Each bit of information he can tap out of playing these teams though is going to give him ideas to work on, and while we have seen the Cherries well beaten in some games it is those kind of matches that will enable Eddie to find something to add to AFCB's style of play. Anyone of those ideas could become a successful one and he'll be looking to set his side up with some extra motivation against the Saints.

Koeman's time at Southampton has been on an upward curve. While he has not won a cup he has led taken them into Europe and won the Premier League manager of the month title twice since his arrival in June 2014. He has seen some top players leave the Saints, but has brought in fabulous quality like Jordie Claise, Saido Mane and Duscan Tadic.

At the moment Southampton are six points ahead of the Cherries in eighth place. The gap seems much bigger than that between the two clubs. However, a win for Eddie Howe's side would be a massive achievement not only for the team but also for Eddie Howe personally. Eddie's record against Southampton has not been strong and that will already be grating on him. Beating Koeman would be a big boost for him and having already beaten one Dutch manager this season he could already make it an early double Dutch. 

Later this morning I'll be putting a Rival Lines' post up with Southampton Blog - George Weah's Cousin as we build up to the derby match. 


Look out tomorrow as well for the Cherry Chimes' November Newsletter which brings you the best stories on the blog and the thoughts behind them from last month, plus there is a special Newsletter article about whether AFCB should set a target: 17 points by Xmas?

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