Bournemouth Manager Andoni Iraola Offers Squad Insight Before FA Cup Showdown with Wolves

Bournemouth’s manager, Andoni Iraola, has shared his thoughts in a recent press conference as his team gears up to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup.

This weekend, Iraola’s squad will be battling league rivals Wolves, a team they faced earlier this month, suffering a 1-0 defeat due to a first-half strike from Matheus Cunha.

The Cherries will be aiming for a more favourable outcome this time around as they seek to advance to the next stage of the tournament.

Iraola began by providing updates on Ryan Christie, Julián Araujo, and the rest of the team as they recover from the loss to Brighton on Tuesday night.

“(The squad) is unlikely to experience major changes within just two or three days.

“I think it’s going to be quite challenging for Ryan Christie to be fit; while he hasn’t sustained an acute injury, he is still dealing with something.

“I don’t want to rule him out entirely, as we do have another day to assess the situation, but I anticipate it will be difficult.

“On a positive note, we have good news regarding Julián; he recently travelled to Finland to consult a surgeon, and everything seems fine. He is cleared to start training without restrictions, so he’s available.

“I don’t foresee any significant changes, no.”

Iraola further commented on Araujo, acknowledging that he may not be included in the matchday squad as his recovery continues.

“He returned from Finland a couple of days ago and, from a health perspective, he is available as he has been given the green light to train and play normally.

“However, it’s still early for him, and I’m uncertain about his inclusion in the squad; this will depend on our available spots.

“This is positive news for him, and if not for this match, then certainly for the upcoming fixtures.”

The final update focused on captain Adam Smith, with Iraola confirming that Smith will not return for this weekend’s clash.

“His situation remains unclear. He is experiencing some calf issues during his recovery; initially, it was a hamstring injury, but now he’s facing calf problems.

“He is still not training with us, no.”

Iraola then addressed the absence of defender Illia Zabarnyi, who will miss three matches following his red card against Wolves.

“It’s tough, as he’s a player we rely on when he’s available. He’s robust, dependable, and a key player for us.

“Such situations are not uncommon for teams throughout the season, and we need to demonstrate that we have other players who can step up and perform crucial roles. But Zaba is definitely a vital part of our squad.”

He was then asked about the previous game against Wolves, which ended in defeat, and whether he is analysing the footage to aim for a different result this time.

“We essentially only played about 30 minutes against 11 players, so we did review those 30 minutes, but there’s also another match from our perspective to consider.

“There’s another game from their side as well. We can use small adjustments as references, but for the majority of the game, it was unbalanced due to us playing with one less player.

“Therefore, there’s not a great deal we can learn tactically. It’s also important to remember that this is a cup competition. One team will end their journey tomorrow, and we want to be part of the draw.

“We’re talking about the possibility of reaching the quarter-finals, which sounds really appealing. So, the nature of these games differs somewhat.

“We also need to consider the potential for extra time or penalties, which adds another layer of complexity.”

Finally, he addressed Lewis Cook’s prospects of being included in the England squad under new manager Thomas Tuchel. He expressed his belief that many of his players deserve a chance at that level.

“Ultimately, that decision is not mine to make. I hold Lewis Cook in high regard; he’s an exceptionally talented player.

“I feel fortunate to have him in our squad, but this is similar to the situation with Dom Solanke last season.

“For us, he’s immensely valuable, but I can’t predict the new manager’s plans or ideas. All I can assert is that he’s a top player, and I’m grateful to have him on board.”