AFCB XI against Crystal Palace? Who should get the nod?

AFC Bournemouth travel to London again this evening, just a few days following their narrow defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

This (Tuesday) evening the Cherries face former England manager Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace at one of the old traditional grounds in the Premier League, Selhurst Park.

Adam Smith could return following an illness, but if this fixture comes too early expect Jack Stacey to continue in the right-back role.

Dominic Solanke returned to the squad against Spurs after a hamstring scare, however, Joshua King remains unavailable.

Philip Billing and Simon Francis both return from suspension.

Will AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe keep faith in a back four or return to a back three with wingbacks?

Could he opt for a central midfield three with Billing, Jefferson Lerma and Lewis Cook all available? Or will he stick with the tried and well tested 4-4-2?

Garbo

Ramsdale

Stacey
Cook S
Ake
Rico

Smith
Lerma
Billing
Wilson H

Solanke
King(or Wilson)

Boruc/Gosling/Fraser/Cook/Danjuma/Mepham & Wilson C (or Ibe)

northstandmark

I’d prefer Smith at Right Back, we saw him play midfield a couple of years ago and it wasn’t good, whereas Stacey is better in attack than he is defence.
(That we’re considering Stacey in midfield instead of Fraser says a lot)

Ramsdale
Smith Cook Ake Rico
Stacey Billing Lerma Danjuma
H.Wilson
C.Wilson

NWCherries98

————Ramsdale————
Smith*—-S. Cook—Ake—-Rico
—-Gosling—Billing—Lerma—-
Danjuma—-Wilson—-H. Wilson

Subs: Boruc, Stacey/Francis, Mepham, L. Cook, Fraser, Kilkenny, Solanke

*If he’s back and available; if not Stacey should keep his place. For the love of God if Eddie Howe puts Francis up against Zaha again I’m going to egg his house.

Topfarrier

Rambo
Stacey Cook. Ake. Rico
Smith. Billing Lerma. Danjuma
HWilson
CWilson

Smithy in midfield to help Stacey take care of Zaha….. Danjuma to cause mayhem on the other wing with Harry Wilson given licence to roam between the lines and shoot from anywhere….
Sorry I meant to play in Callum.

Tinpot Club

Every time we play Palace we go through this “ZOMFG we can’t play Franno against Zaha” bedwetting. As it happens Franno has always done well against him but also Zaha doesn’t always play down that side anyway. And the one time he did rip us a new one was the time Franno wasn’t playing.

For what it is worth, I wouldn’t actually play him. Harry in for Fraser and I think this game is more suited to Billing than Cook. Hopefully, Smith has recovered from his illness. If we can match the Spurs performance but sort out the defensive nonsense we will get something. – Join the conversation, click here.