Andoni Iraola’s side travel to Elland Road this weekend, for a match that I suspect Bournemouth fans will fear more than to be expected. Performances against newly promoted sides hasn’t been a strong point for Iraola, and given they will likely line up in a low block, his players will have to perform better than against Newcastle last time out. Here is my predicted XI for this weekend’s game:

GK – DJORDJE PETROVIC

Petrovic has kept 3 clean sheets in the last 4 league games, and put in another commanding performance against Newcastle. No chance he loses his place.

RB – ALEX JIMENEZ

I didn’t expect Jimenez to immediately displace James Hill so soon – but his starting berth last time out was very promising. He would have been disappointed to get hooked at half time, but it wasn’t surprising given his booking just before the break. Jimenez looks every bit an ‘Iraola full-back’, so I would expect him to get the nod again. Having attacking full backs on both sides may be key against a low block.

CBs – BAFODE DIAKITE + MARCOS SENESI

Diakite came in for Veljko Milosavjlevic against Newcastle, which did seem harsh on the young Serb. But Diakite showed why Iraola entrusted him, as he and Senesi kept the dangerous Nick Woltemade very quiet. This looks to be the chosen pairing at centre back, and that’s not surprising, given they have kept three clean sheets in a row playing together.

LB – ADRIEN TRUFFERT

It was another excellent display last weekend by Truffert, and like his fellow summer signings Petrovic and Diakite, that place in the side will be his unless he gets injured or suspended.

DM (‘6’) – TYLER ADAMS

I spoke in my previous article about perhaps starting Alex Scott in this position with Ryan Christie ahead of him – but this one may just mean more to Adams. He was never able to show his true capabilities at Elland Road, taking a lot stick from their fans. Adams doesn’t deserve to be dropped, plus he may feel like he has something to prove this weekend – not that he needs any extra motivation, given his excellent character.

CM (‘8’) – ALEX SCOTT

Scott hasn’t really done anything to deserve being dropped – but if AFCB struggle again against a low block, it wouldn’t surprise me if Andoni Iraola looks to freshen up his midfield in the future. For now, Scott should get the nod over Ryan Christie for me, although I expect that Christie will get his chance before too long.

AM (’10’) – JUSTIN KLUIVERT

The first change! Kluivert has the abilities to break down a low block in this position that Marcus Tavernier doesn’t. He’s better at finding space between the lines, and truly has the ability to make something out of nothing. I would have him make his first league start of the season here.

WINGERS – DAVID BROOKS + ANTOINE SEMENYO

If Iraola is to drop Marcus Tavernier, it wouldn’t at all surprise me if he is chosen over Brooks. But Brooks hasn’t done too much wrong to be dropped, and the team may be lacking a leader if he isn’t selected. Semenyo wasn’t at his best against Newcastle, but as long as he is fully fit, his place in the team is at no risk.

ST – EVANILSON

AFCB need to utilise the Brazilian much better, especially against low blocks – but that isn’t Evanilson’s fault, so he will start again this weekend.

PREVIEW:

When I said Bournemouth fans are more nervous than to be expected – I was talking about myself. That could be considered slightly odd given how well the season has gone thus far, but playing against low blocks does scare me, plus I have terrible PTSD from my last visit to Elland Road, where we somehow coughed up a 3-1 lead in the second half to lose 4-3.

Daniel Farke will be without first choice goalkeeper Lucas Perri, so Karl Darlow will continue to deputise in between the sticks in Perri’s absence. Jayden Bogle picked up a knock against Wolves, but is set to feature this weekend, with Farke set to have Daniel James back to bolster his attack, after the Welsh winger missed their win last weekend. However, Willy Gnonto is set to miss out again.

For Bournemouth, Lewis Cook has been training but is still experiencing discomfort in his shoulder, so a late call will be made on him. Meanwhile, Enes Unal and Adam Smith remain out.

Farke’s side have made a solid start to the season, with wins over Everton and Wolves, and holding Newcastle to a 0-0 draw at home that was eerily similar to AFCB’s game against the Magpies. Farke has conceded in his press conference that any promoted side is never ‘favourite’ going into a Premier League match, but these games scare me more than games against ‘bigger’ sides.

Leeds will be organised, hard to break down, look to frustrate and then hit on the counter with pace. It will be very important for AFCB to try and grab an early goal and wrestle the momentum of the game early doors. Elland Road can be an intimidating place to go and if the home fans can get into it, then that could fuel theLeeds players to get a win. 

I am not completely confident after watching AFCB try and break down a low block last week, but hope important lessons would have been learned. I expect it to be a game of few chances, so it’s important to be more clinical than we have done so far this season.

PREDICTION: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 AFC BOURNEMOUTH