Written by billythekid
With a fixture list building up because of postponed games, the latest being the home game against Nottingham Forest and the away match at Swansea because of structural damage to the stadiums, our football club and its fans will be hoping it’s third time lucky for our home game against Stoke City on Saturday at 3 pm, our first game for two weeks.
After AFCB’s victory at Stoke in October earlier this season, with 13 games played the Cherries were six points clear at the top of the table and Stoke City manager Michael O’Neil’s team were in sixth place. Since that game the Potters have had mixed results and after 32 games are in 14th position in the table with 44 points.
On their travels since our game at their ground in October, Stoke City in their nine games have beaten Blackpool, Luton Town, QPR and Hull City and drawn with Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest. Lost at Millwall, Bristol City and Coventry City. They were home on Wednesday night where they lost 0-2 against Luton Town.
The last time the Cherries met the Potters at Dean Court was the last game of last season, AFCB lost 0-2, their goals from Will Forrester and Tommy Smith.
In AFCB’s home games against Stoke City, they have W 5, D 5, L 4.
In all competitions, AFCB have W 10, D 7, L 14.
AFCB v Stoke
AFCB Win
Draw
Stoke Win
AFCB Team News
Ryan Christie we were told would miss the home game with Forest and away at Swansea. So possibly could be close to a return, maybe on the bench. Same for Gary Cahill and Ethan Laird. Jefferson Lerma sits out his second game of the four-game suspension.
AFCB Player To Watch
Looking forward to seeing Siriki Dembele on Saturday. We have had wingers in the past that excite the fans, hopefully, we can add him to the list.
Stoke City Team News
Players who have been out injured, Mario Vrancic, Abdallah Sima and Harry Souttar. Josh Tymon went off injured in the home game against Luton Town on Wednesday night.
They brought in a few players in January, some signed, others on loan.
Stoke City Player To Watch
Nick Powell is an important player for them but hasn’t played many games this season. But in the 11 games he has started, Stoke City have won five and drawn three. In the 21 games, he hasn’t started, they have won seven. Tyrese Campbell missed most of last season and a number at the beginning of this season through injury, gradually coming back to form and scored a brace at home against Birmingham City last Saturday. Lewis Baker free signing from Chelsea in January has scored 3 goals in his last four games
The Referee
Tim Robinson is in charge of this game.
Previously this season, referee for our game at home with Luton Town and the away at Fulham.
Your say…
kirsikka wrote…
I’d say the postponements have magnified the importance of this one. A good result keeps heaping pressure on the chasing pack whilst a defeat gives them significant hope as the actual gap will close down. Players at the hopeful teams will have the mindset that we may have games in hand but they aren’t points on the board. Time to disavow them of that hope by racking up more points whilst still having those games in our back pocket.
Stoke have struggled of late but if Campbell was to go on a scoring run they could still drag themselves back into the playoff picture. We need to keep him quiet. – Join the conversation, click here.
