Andoni Iraola
AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has opened up about the team’s recurring pattern of inconsistent performances, despite achieving notable unbeaten runs in previous seasons. The Cherries have often oscillated between periods of success and slumps, a trend that Iraola acknowledges and seeks to address.
Andoni Iraola said: “Past season, we did 30 points in the first half, we did 26 in the second half of the season. But if we had got the 30 points and we would have been the same, we would have finished in the same position. Okay, you have four points more, but it wouldn’t change a lot. Because sometimes when we talk about past season is, no, you were incredible at the beginning and then you were very bad. Okay, we did 30 and 26. It’s not like there isn’t a difference, but it’s not massive. And even if we continue with the 30-30, past season was super difficult and super expensive to get Europe. Even with 60, I think Brighton got that and they were out of Europe. So we wouldn’t have arrived. This season we have the reference of 23. That is not good enough, probably at this level. If we want to, I don’t know, to finish in the top 10 or something like this. It is true that you see the micros is, yes, good run, bad run, but it’s always like this. It’s probably if we have some in the bad run of 11 games, we have one win there in between, the Burnley game that we lost [two points] in the 90, I don’t know how many minutes, and then we don’t win against Everton. It’s a draw, everything looks level and quite sustained and the performance hasn’t changed. So I like to see it with more perspective.”
Iraola’s remarks highlight the challenges faced by AFC Bournemouth in maintaining a consistent form throughout the season. The manager pointed out that while the team has shown the ability to go on impressive unbeaten runs, the overall performance across the season has not always been sufficient to secure a higher league position. Last season, Bournemouth managed a record-breaking 11-game unbeaten run, which included a standout 5-0 victory propelled by Dango Ouattara’s hat-trick. However, the team also experienced periods of poor form that undermined their efforts to climb the league table.
The manager’s analysis underscores the importance of consistency and the need to convert good performances into tangible results. Iraola’s reflection on the previous season’s points tally illustrates that despite strong starts, the team must sustain their performance to achieve their ambitions, such as finishing in the top 10. The manager’s perspective offers a pragmatic view of the team’s current standing and the areas that require improvement to compete at higher levels.
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