Scott Parker is hoping players with Premier League experience can be added to his Cherries squad by the end of the transfer window, insisting: “Everyone is trying everything they can to try and strengthen us.” Cherries fell to a second humbling defeat in as many weeks on Saturday, crashing to a resounding 3-0 home loss against Arsenal, having been beaten 4-0 at Manchester City seven days earlier. Parker’s men currently sit 14th in the embryonic Premier League table, picking up three points from an opening-day win over Aston Villa. They are set to drop to 15th tonight, once the third round of matches have been completed. Speaking after the loss to Arsenal, Parker slammed his squad’s first-half performance, in which they conceded twice in the opening 11 minutes.
Scott Parker said: “In terms of our general endeavour, our body language, our humility to accept certain situations, I thought we were just easily disappointed. Our general demeanour was pretty poor really and I was disappointed immensely with that.”
Asked if he felt any of that could be put down to his squad lacking in Premier League experience, and perhaps some players being overawed by the occasion,
Scott Parker added: “Maybe, it could be. I think you’re right to maybe say that. This is a young team. There’s a lot of young players out there, players that have probably not experienced the level and the quality that they’re going to be facing. That’s my job to obviously let them understand that that’s part and parcel of the Premier League. Many a bigger team than us have faced what they faced (on Saturday) and Arsenal have done that to them. But we need to understand that and keep going in those situations really.”
Cherries have so far this summer recruited five players, but only one of those arrived having played in the Premier League before, in injured full-back Ryan Fredericks. Asked if he would like to bring in some more players with Premier League experience before the transfer window slams shut on September 1, or if it is hard for the club to get deals over the line for players within that sort of bracket,
Scott Parker added: “Hopefully that can be the case, for us to evolve as a football club. When you get promoted, the expectation of getting promoted and the levels of what you’re going into, to evolve and to improve is certainly something that hopefully we can do with obviously getting promoted. There’s 10 days left and everyone is trying everything they can to try and strengthen us and try and move the squad on in that sense.”
Scott Parker hailed his young charges for their battling display and “endeavour” away at Norwich City in the League Cup, although he also admitted that his side could have put the game to bed far earlier. First-half goals from Canaries’ Jordan Hugill and Cherries’ Emi Marcondes were added to by substitutes Adam Idah and Brooklyn Genesini late on, with the tie eventually decided by penalties. However, the away side had numerous opportunities, with a combination of the crossbar and City goalkeeper Angus Gunn keeping Cherries out for large periods of the game. Speaking after advancing,
Scott Parker shared: “Overall, it was a good night. I thought the way we played tonight was fantastic, really. The game probably should have been out of sight in that sense. The keeper, he was absolutely exceptional for them. He pulled off some incredible saves, really. And we’ve probably not done a lot wrong other than we’ve hit the target in those moments. And, I mean, he’s making saves where he’s just not got the right to do. I thought overall, I thought we were superb. Controlled the large parts, had some big chances and then showed big character at the end. To go down 2-1, with a young team on the pitch as well, to come back and then get that equaliser later on was very pleasing.”
Parker then went on to share his belief that Norwich will be there or thereabouts in the second tier come the end of the season, stressing how impressive his side looked at times against what he views as a “very good side.”
Scott Parker continued: “I thought we had a real endeavour about us. I thought we had some lovely bits and created and unlock the door, really, for big opportunities against a very good side.cThis is a team that’s going to be in and around the top part of the table this year, looking to get promoted into the Premier League. And I thought we came here tonight and really put a strong performance in.”
Meanwhile, David Brooks has become the latest Cherries star to commit his future to the club, signing a new four-year contract extension. The Wales international first joined the club in the summer of 2018, but has not featured for 11 months, having been diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma last year. Cherries chief executive
Neill Blake said: “We are all aware of what David has been through over the last year so to have reached this moment is very pleasing for us. He still has a huge role to play for the club so we’re delighted he has become the latest key player to commit their future to us. He has made incredible progress in his recovery alongside our backroom team and, whenever the time comes, it will give everyone at the club great pride to see him back on the pitch in an AFC Bournemouth shirt.”
Brooks, whose game-time was previously limited by ankle injuries, has made 90 appearances for Cherries, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists. The Warrington-born star also featured for Wales at Euro 2020 last summer, and has 21 caps for his country. Discussing the progress of the former Manchester City youngster last week,
Scott Parker said: “David is pushing on really. He’s now with the team, modified in terms of his training, but he’s with us. He’s no longer on his own. So now he’s split between the two groups of being on his own and also being with us in a controlled environment. I’d like to think that maybe over the next week or 10 days, we can start pushing him into full training. And then from there try and get him up to a level and speed of participating at Premier League level really.”
