Welcome to our live blog, Andoni Iraola is speaking to the media at 1pm today to preview AFC Bournemouth’s Premier League game against Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday evening, quotes to follow.
1.00pm- Iraola is here. He says the team is quite thin at the moment, Brooks twisted his ankle against Newcastle and it has previously given him trouble. Iraola is waiting to see if he will be available. Christie is feeling better and is training ‘at a better level’ than he was previously.
1.03pm- Iraola has no idea how long Brooks will be absent for but expects it not to be a long injury.
1.04pm- The boss says he cannot speak about players that are not his players but admits the club is working to try and sign players.
1.05pm- Iraola declines to comment on Toth or Rayan and says he knows nothing about the news. He says: “Sometimes there is something behind the news, sometimes there isn’t.”
1.06pm- The wingers are the position that Iraola feels is most important to replace right now, highlighting that they are very thin there due to Semenyo’s transfer and Kluivert’s injury.
1.07pm- Asked about Brighton, Iraola says Brighton is a team that plays very well and has a strong squad that finished games well due to the strength their bench possesses, he adds: “It’s very difficult to guess their starting eleven”
1.10pm- On Bournemouth’s away defensive record, the boss says it concerns him as to be a very good team you cannot concede that many goals.
1.11pm- Enes Unal has an abductor injury and will be out for a few weeks.
1.12pm- Iraola says it’s a shame because Unal was getting minutes again and was back in the squad after his last injury and now he faces more time out.
1.13pm- The Cherries’ boss admits that most team’s in the league have numerous injuries at the moment but a lot of the other teams have larger squads than Bournemouth so you notice their absences less.
1.15pm- On Alex Jimenez, Iraola says the defender is improving defensively and is finishing games stronger than he was before as he has improved his fitness. Iraola says that his position is a right back but admits he can help the team out further forward, as he did for AC Milan.
1.16pm- “His future looks very bright, but he has to be very aware that he has to keep this level of training and playing to be at his current performance level” says Iraola, speaking on Jimenez.
1.18pm- On Brighton playing out from the back: “It’s not just Van Hecke, all of their defenders and midfielders are very comfortable on the ball.” Iraola adds that if his team is not switched on they will suffer as Brighton are one of the best teams in the first phase of the game.
That’s all for the broadcast section of today’s press conference, keep an eye out here on BUzz for the written section tomorrow morning.
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