Talking Tactics: How bruised Cherries can pick off Swansea

Bournemouth will not have to wait long to bounce back from a bruising defeat. 

The Cherries were left feeling sour after a 4-0 home thrashing by Liverpool last Sunday. 

Tonight, they are back in action in the FA Cup fourth round, against a team they knocked out of the Carabao Cup earlier this season.

Ahead of the tie at the Vitality Stadium, we take a look at the tactical issues for Andoni Iraola to address. 

Close encounters

Last August, Bournemouth won a close game 3-2 at Swansea in the Carabao Cup second round, with Ryan Christie scoring the winner in stoppage time. 

Back then, the Swans were managed by Michael Duff, who was sacked in December. 

In January, Luke Williams was brought in from Notts County as his replacement. 

Under the new manager, the Championship side have beaten Morecambe in the FA Cup, drawn with Birmingham and lost to in-form Southampton. 

Speaking ahead of the fourth-round clash, Iraola was expecting a tough game. 

He said: "It's not easy because they haven't played so many games with their new manager, they've used different systems, they will change a little bit the way they play. 

"They are very good players especially on the ball and we have to be ready to be intense. Otherwise it's going to be difficult to take the ball from them. 

"They are a very good possession-based team." 

High press

Bournemouth are used to facing possession-based teams in the Premier League. 

Iraola was appointed because of a desire to move away from a passive, deep-lying strategy, to a more ambitious style. 

Now playing with a high defensive line, the Cherries look to press aggressively, challenging the opposition to play through them. This creates attacking opportunities.

No team has had more shot attempts from a defensive action this season than Bournemouth's 15, which is level with other high-pressing sides such as Chelsea and Tottenham. 

It took time for Iraola's methods to bear fruit, with his new team failing to win any of their first nine Premier League games. 

They now come into this match having only lost two of their last 10 games across all competitions and those defeats were inflicted by title-challenging Liverpool and Tottenham. 

Their most recent victory was a 3-2 win at QPR in the FA Cup third round, in which Bournemouth fought back from being two goals down. 

Team selection

The win over QPR, along with the Carabao Cup victories against fellow Championship sides Swansea and Stoke, all followed a similar pattern. 

An understrength Bournemouth side struggled in the first half of these games, before Iraola made changes in the second, to turn the match around. 

It will be interesting to see whether the Basque coach opts for a stronger starting line-up this time, or continues to give fringe players a chance. 

The biggest selection problem is at right-back. With Max Aarons, Ryan Fredericks and Adam Smith all injured, centre-back James Hill is likely to deputise. 

Another dilemma is whether to give an opportunity to Kieffer Moore, or to go with top scorer Dominic Solanke as striker. 

Earlier this season, Iraola denied that he prioritised league games over cups. 

He said: "I don't see the competitions like you have to choose. Or think if it is a good moment to try and go for the cup, whatever our position in the league."

Iraola will be eager for a strong showing tonight to ensure a blip does not become a malaise.