Cherries midfielder Lewis Cook knows all about the quality possessed by Saints striker Adam Armstrong, having grown up with him through the age group system with England. Asked about former Newcastle and Blackburn man Armstrong,
Lewis Cook said: “I have been through all the age groups with him. He is a close friend of mine and a good player as well, so he is someone we are going to have to watch out on and try to nullify his threat. He’s just a top lad, like everyone in our team as well. Just a normal guy playing football and he obviously possesses real, real quality on the football pitch. It’s going to be tough. We are going to try to nullify him as much as we can and a few other players in that team. It will be a good game.”
Asked what it was like to go up against the St Mary’s side,
Lewis Cook replied: “It’s great. A great atmosphere and great for the fans. I think we just treat it as another game. We just implement it and give it our all and fight until the end. Hopefully we can get the three points.”
Cherries are currently unbeaten in six top-flight encounters, with Saints having picked up just one point from five league outings. The Dorset club are yet to suffer defeat under interim boss Gary O’Neil, who took charge following the sacking of Scott Parker back in August. Quizzed on what it was like working with O’Neil,
Lewis Cook replied: “I think he’s just a great guy, he’s got the way he wants to play and the way he comes across to the lads is really good. We have enjoyed him coming in, steadying the ship at the start and trying to implement his style of play now and it’s working out well for us. We are just enjoying playing, winning and drawing and trying to keep that run as long as we can. We worked really hard to get here last year. Every game now we are working as hard as we can and just trying to get those points on the board. First and foremost, that enthusiasm and the willingness to fight and win points and three points – we have got that in abundance.”
