Written by billythekid
The first game of the new year is in the Third Round of the FA Cup. The Cherries have been drawn away to play Queens Park Rangers from the Championship on Saturday 6th January 2024. QPR also have a Spanish manager, Marti Cifuentes, who comes from Catalonia in North Eastern Spain. His former team was Swedish club Hammarby IF. He was appointed towards the end of October after former manager Garry Ainsworth lost six Championship games in a row and were 23rd in the Championship after 14 games with 8 points and six points from the 21st place.
In his twelve games in charge of the London club he has gained 13 points, but still 23rd in the Championship table with 21 points, but still 4 points short of safety. Now he comes face to face with our manager Andoni Iraola in the FA Cup. This will be a new experience for both managers, as neither have been involved in this competition before.
The Cherries have only met QPR once before in the FA Cup and that was back in January 1967, 57 years ago. QPR won 2-0. Our team that day, Roger Jones, Terry Gulliver, David Stocks; Joe Ashworth, Jimmy White, Tommy Naylor; Ray Bumstead, Chris Weller, Tom McKechnie, Ralph Norton, Tony Priscott.
In all competitions against QPR, AFCB have W 29, D 15, L 34.
QPR v AFCB
QPR Win
Draw
AFCB Win
QPR Team News
Ilias Chair, Steve Cook, Chris Willock and Jack Colbeck missed the game against Cardiff City with injuries.
QPR Player To Watch
If fit, Ilias Chair, a strong all-round player and has scored 2 goals and leads with 4 assists. Two other players are ex-AFCB, Steve Cook and Asmir Begovic.
AFCB Team News
Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo will miss this game as they join their countries for the Africa Cup of Nations. Ouattara was also injured against Spurs, so could be a doubt for his country.
AFCB Player To Watch
Think we will see some of our players rested, so a difficult one. Alex Scott and David Brooks may be given starts and also Mark Travers will probably be in goal, so those three.
The Referee
Rebecca Welch will be in charge of this game. For those that didn’t know, she was the first female to referee a league game, an FA Cup game, and recently a Premier League game. The first was a League 2 game between Harrogate and Port Vale in April 2021, the FA Cup game was between Birmingham and Plymouth in January 2022, and also recently the first to referee a Premier League game between Fulham and Burnley. She also was the referee for the first round between Banbury United and Barrow in November 2021, she was called up to replace Robert Madley.
To join the conversation, click here.
