AFCB were tested to the brink against Sunderland

I got the sense of there being some relief after the Sunderland match rather than a feeling of a comfortable win. Eddie Howe will have a lot to digest after that match as the game was very open, and plenty of mistakes were made that could have been pounced upon if AFCB had been playing a better side.

AFCB have come through the tests this season.

We saw the ball given away and turned over fairly regularly. Both sides were so keen to get the ball forward that they did things in a frantic manner and both teams seemed happy for the game to run from one end to the other. It was a super contest for the neutral, but one where it was an energy-sapping game and the quality of passing certainly suffered the longer the game went on. It was still pleasing that the Cherries did not give way under pressure from set-pieces, and they defended Sunderland's six corners without too much difficulty. Artur Boruc was fouled for one of them, when stretching for a punch, but the big man had one of those days again when just about everything went right for him.

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Boruc was certainly tested and he made some big saves from Fabio Borini and George Honeyman in particular, but Howe will wonder why he was not better protected on some occasions. Sunderland got to the last line of defence several times, and I thought Simon Francis was most determined not to let Jermain Defoe get the better of him.

This was a tight match when one mistake was likely to decide the outcome and the fact that both teams were right on the edge for the whole match perhaps took away some of the quality. The importance of a win was huge for both teams, and it's not often that you get great games in those circumstances, but Sunderland contributed to the game and will feel unlucky that they did not get at least a point to keep their Premier League status for another week. It was a hard test for AFCB's players to come through, but they can look ahead now with a belief that they may be able to play more football in the next three matches without that high tension.

AFCB have to unpick Sunderland's organisation

Under Sam Allardyce there has been a resurgence in the Black Cats fortunes. They have got back in touch with the pack and more importantly for their prospects they have found ways to get Jermain Defoe doing what he does best. Far from being a shambles, Sunderland are an organised team now with reason to believe they can pick up points. 

Sunderland will be virtually cut adrift with Villa if
they lose to Bournemouth as a 9 point gap could open up between the teams.

So how do AFCB go about such a crucial game? As always the first goal is important and the Cherries will want to start well with a crowd of some 40,000 behind the Black Cats. There are weaknesses in their back line though. It was back in early November when they last secured a clean sheet at home. They have also let in the most goals in the Premier League at 45, while their 14 defeats is on a level with Aston Villa. AFCB will want to put Sunderland under as much pressure as they can early on and should look to test Jordan Pickford if selected with as many shots as they can from distance as well as with crosses coming in. The young keeper made his debut at Spurs last weekend and played well even if Sunderland conceded four goals. While Sam Allardyce says Vito is his number one keeper Mannone, does he bring him back in for this game?

Lee Cattermole, Wes Brown, Sebastián Coates and John O'Shea have plenty of experience at the back and it will also be interesting to see who Sam Allardyce picks in defence and how they do up against a powerful forward like Benik Afobe. Jan Kirchoff, recently signed from Bayern Munich looked well off the pace last weekend at Spurs when he was at fault for Christian Eriksen's second goal that deflected in off of him. His foul on Danny Rose also gave away a penalty and it is perhaps likely that we won't see him this Saturday.

They do have knew wonder kid Duncan Watmore, but Allardyce has been resting him of late and bringing him on as a sub. Their new signing is Senegalese forward Dame N'Doye who signed from Turkish side Trabzonspor this January and played for Hull City in the Premier League last season. Fabio Borini and Jermain Lens are also likely to start, but it's Jermain Defoe who is the man that Eddie Howe will be making most plans to nullify. He is such a live wire though that it is hard to prevent him from not having some impact if he does see a sight of goal in and around the box and AFCB's main job will be to stop him getting any service.

Sunderland Home Form
LWLLW (Allardyce has won 3 of Sunderland's 6 home games since his arrival)

AFCB Away Form
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Cherries have to be positive for Sunderland game

There aren't too many teams below the Cherries in the table but Sunderland are of course one of them. That doesn't make this next encounter an easy game for AFCB. If anything it makes it a more difficult game as Sunderland have everything to gain by getting a result at the Vitality stadium.

Sunderland's last defeat was not exactly showing a team that were despondent or feeling down on their luck. They gave Spurs a good battle and only shed one goal on the day in the last 10 minutes. They also got a draw in their last away game against Aston Villa and showed that they could get on the score sheet. So are we seeing a resurgent Sunderland?

Jermain Defoe is getting opportunities and should have scored against Spurs when through one on one on Hugo Lloris. Jeremain Lens was the man of the match against Spurs even though he was on the losing side and manager Dick Advocaat said that everyone played well, but they were just short of some match fitness and out of luck. Yann M'Vila is another player AFCB will have to be aware of when it comes to free kicks as well, having scored a beauty against Villa before the international break. Midfielders  Ola Toivenen and Jordi Gómez have also been a preferred choices with several more well known players left out of Advocaat's side who are looking at this game to start their season.

The Black Cats have other star names too like Fabio Borini, Jack Rodwell, Seb Larsson, Lee Cattermole, Adam Johnson, Steven Fletcher and John O'Shae. Don't tell me that Sunderland don't have some quality, they just have not clicked as a team to a high enough level yet. Advocaat admitted that he as only seen deadline day loan signing full-back DeAndre Yedlin play on TV!

John O'Shea remembers his time at Dean Court fondly.

So it's important that AFCB try and keep them on the back foot - they have to be positive. I'd like to see Elphick and Cook meet the challenge of Steve Fletcher with determination, if he is Advocaat's plan B, as we know he is back from injury and I believe Gosling is a good pick to come in for this match as a former Newcastle player who will run his socks off to get the upper hand in midfield.

Dan could come in for Eunan O'Kane on current form.

My Cherries team
Boruc, Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels, Ritchie, Gosling, Surman, Stanislas, Kermorgant, Wilson  

AFCB subs: Federici, Smith, Distin, MacDonald, Pugh, Tomlin, Murray 

Sunderland last time out:
Pantilimon, Jones, O'Shea, Kaboul, van Aanholt, M'Vila, Gómez, Lens, Toivonen, Borini, Defoe

Sunderland Away Form
LDL

AFCB Home Form
LD