With Miles Addison out for the Christmas and New Year period, Tommy Elphick and Steve Cook have been handed an opportunity to maintain the Cherries push up the League One table as Addison was diagnosed with a foot injury, which is going to rule him out for a period of up to 4 weeks.
Manager Eddie Howe is quoted in the Bournemouth Evening Echo as saying on the current situation: "Cookie has only played three games for us but has done well in all of them, while Tommy has been a very consistent performer so, providing we can keep those two fit, we will be okay. With Miles and Stephane out, the dilemma would be beyond that. Joe Partington has played there in reserve games and has done well so is probably next in line. We have also got Simon Francis but that would give us another problem in terms of the full-back positions as we are not blessed with a lot of cover there. Defensively, we are a little stretched at the moment. We have got a couple of injury problems at the moment but these things tend to happen. Although we are a little thin on the ground in certain positions, that is what the squad is there for and we know we have players who can come in and do a job if needed. Also, we have got a couple of versatile players who can cover different positions and that is a really good thing to have within the squad".