The last international break of the season, coupled with a lack of involvement in the latter stages of the FA Cup, have combined to give Bournemouth more than three weeks off between games, with no fixture between 20 March and 11 April.
As it stands, their last seven games should then play out in a straightforward one-game-per-weekend, although potential spanner in the works remain, as should Leeds United make the semi-finals and/or Manchester City reach the final, the Cherries’ league games on those weekends would be rearranged.
With no league action until after Easter, fans' thoughts will naturally turn to the uncertainty around head coach Andoni Iraola's future as the Spaniard's contract enters its last few months.
Certainly, there can be no doubt in his mind how much the club, and the supporters, would love him to extend his stay on the south coast.
"It means a lot to me. I feel very valued," Iraola told Sky last week when asked about the affection he enjoys, while remaining politely tight-lipped about his future, having insisted all along that he has been happy to sign contracts on a year-by-year basis in the past.
However, while there has been plenty of speculation in the past year or so linking Iraola with other English clubs, one piece of news announced last Friday has left Cherries fans fearing the worst.
Athletic Club head coach Ernesto Valverde confirmed that he would be leaving the Bilbao side at the end of this season after three spells in charge, and it would be inconceivable that Iraola – a former Athletic Club captain who made over 400 league appearances in a 12-year stint – would not be among those shortlisted as Valverde's replacement.
Acknowledging the speculation, Iraola insisted on Friday that while the Valverde news affected him "as a supporter" of Athletic Club, his focus remained with the Cherries.
And while remaining in Dorset would keep him at the helm of a club with an exciting young squad, a new state-of-the-art training ground, a stadium due for long-awaited expansion this summer, and a stable ownership determined to keep the club on an upward trajectory, the pull of returning "home" cannot be quantified.
The next few weeks may provide some answers.
