The Scotland international featured in 19 of the club’s first 21 Premier League games of this season, starting 12 of those. But Christie has been left as an unused substitute for each of Cherries’ past three matches, with January recruits Dango Ouattara and Hamed Traore selected instead in the advanced attacking midfield areas. Asked if there was a danger of Christie being left behind given the profile of player Cherries have recruited in his area of the pitch, or if he still had plenty to offer,
Gary O’Neil said: “He’s still very, very important. He’s an incredible lad as well. His training levels have not dropped by one per cent since, as you say, his minutes have got slightly less over the last couple of weeks. Most of that is just situation based, what you feel you need at the time. Some changes you can make here or there and just for the last couple it hasn’t been Ryan Christie, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be moving forward. He’s a really important player for us and I’m still delighted he’s part of the group.”
Asked if he would like to see Christie contributing more goals and assists, or if he focusses more on the defensive work the midfielder brings to the side,
Gary O’Neil said: “I think he can do both. Obviously one of his real strengths is how diligent he is and how hard he works for the team, of course. But he has good quality on his left foot and he can provide key passes and crosses and has quality. He can improve those numbers. Of course, being in the Premier League in a team that has been at the bottom of the league makes it difficult in attacking numbers. But he’s very, very important. He can do lots of things that are important to a club like us in the position we are in. I have no issues with Ryan Christie whatsoever.”
