Andoni Iraola
AFC Bournemouth concluded their Premier League Summer Series with a 2-0 defeat against West Ham United in Atlanta, despite dominating possession and territory for significant portions of the match. The Cherries were unfortunate not to convert their chances, hitting the woodwork three times. Evanilson struck the post at 0-0, Illia Zabarnyi hit the bar at 1-0, and the Brazilian once again found the upright at 1-0. Ultimately, Bournemouth’s inability to capitalize on their dominance proved costly against a more clinical West Ham side.
Andoni Iraola said: “I think we did a lot of very good things today, but it’s true that you need to score, and they were much more effective than us. But I finished the game much more happy than I finished the other day. To concede two goals with the game we play today is not the best thing, but I finished with the thinking of, ok we have some good things to build around.”
Iraola continued: “Probably about the moment of form of the players. We have some players that I think they are in a lovely spot to start the season, but we have others that probably they are not where we want them to be. I think we need them to load them with good minutes, quality minutes, because they haven’t been able to train like they others because of their international games.”
He added: “Not only for the players, for the club to play in this kind of stadiums today with the roof, you don’t really care about the weather or if it’s hot or if it’s raining. And also it has been a very good experience. I think we’ve played three very high-quality games. We’ve done some better and some worse, but I think they have been very good games.”
The loss to West Ham marked the end of Bournemouth’s pre-season tour in the USA, which included a 3-0 victory over Everton and a 4-1 defeat to Manchester United. Despite the mixed results, Iraola expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance and the valuable insights gained regarding the players’ form. The manager highlighted the importance of providing players with quality minutes to ensure they are match-ready for the upcoming season, especially those who missed training due to international commitments.
Bournemouth’s experience playing in high-quality stadiums and against top-tier opposition was seen as beneficial for both the club and the players. Iraola emphasized the importance of these experiences in preparing the team for the challenges of the Premier League season. As the Cherries return to England, they will aim to build on the positives from their pre-season tour and address the areas needing improvement before the league campaign kicks off.
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