Read every word from the broadcast section of Iraola’s press conference here.
Premier League Productions: We start with the latest team news. Any update on Evanilson?
Andoni Iraola: I don’t really know, it’s still too early. The only thing I can tell you, yesterday he didn’t train, he still was very sore, but we train this evening, so I hope he comes with better feelings and he gives a try at least, and let’s see where he is. He’s not injured, it’s just a knock, he has a dead leg, but obviously we are talking about one or two days and still he’s a little bit sore, yes.
PLP: It looked like Marcos Senesi was involved in a collision with the goalkeeper. How’s he doing?
AI: No, he should be fine. It’s true that after the game he had a good mark. At the end is the situations that we were talking the other day. It’s like after the game I also thought it was with the ball was not on play, but the ball is in play and they elbowed him. The keeper elbowed him. And the consequences— Marcos goes out, 30 seconds, he didn’t ask for any medical attention— is, I think they should, I don’t know, change the rules. But definitely it doesn’t look like it’s fair. You receive an elbow and then you have to leave the pitch and leave your team with 10 players. For me, it’s strange, but it’s what it is. But I don’t think it will affect him of playing tomorrow or not.
PLP: 10 matches to go in the season, how do you think things are going?
AI: I think we are in a good spot. We are 10th, I think, right now in the table. Even the distances are so small that we draw the other day and we lost two positions because everyone around us won their game. And, and it can be opposite. We can win a game and then recover, and then everything is very compact, especially there in in the middle of the, of the table. So we’ll see. I think especially tomorrow we have one of the more difficult games I think we have remaining, and we have to be very ready, otherwise it’s going to be very difficult.
PLP: In February, Bournemouth had 62 shots, scored four goals, a lot of shots. How can you get your team to be firstly putting all those on target and eventually scoring?
AI: I think it’s true, the other day, looking back at the game, we had like 21 shots or something like this. A lot of them were coming from set-piece situations and this, and I don’t have the feeling we are missing like super clear chances. It’s true that we could score a little bit more or we could take better decisions in the last third, but I think overall it’s a matter of balance. I think lately we are definitely receiving less goals but also scoring less goals. I think we are at the end is if you want to correct a little bit your defensive side, probably you have to be a little bit more compact. You are giving up a little bit the chances that you can get in the other side. It’s how to be more efficient. But it’s true that I think last two or three months we are changing a little bit our approach.
PLP: Without the draws, do you sometimes wonder how much higher up the table you could be?
AI: Yes, yes, that’s the thing, no? Draws, sometimes you have to do a lot of things to draw a Premier League game, but they don’t give you a lot. It’s just one point. And I think no, I think no. We are the team with more draws in the Premier League and there is no big reward. There is a positive from there, is like normally we are very competitive in all the games, the ones that we are playing better and the ones that we are not playing as well. I think apart from a couple of games, Villa and Brentford actually, I think in all the other games we’ve been there around the result and I hope we can continue until the end like this.
PLP: The record against Brentford, it’s not very good. Why is that?
AI: No, exactly. No, I said the other day, I think there is a reason. It’s not just a matter of luck that we never beat Brentford. I think they are one of the teams in a different way, but I would compare it like when we play against Liverpool, that the things that we do that punish almost all the teams, they don’t punish Brentford because they are very physical. They are very fast. So if we open the game a lot, they have no problem because especially now they have Schade, they have Igor Thiago, they have Dango, they are physically lovely players. With the spaces, they are punishing every opposition. So it’s a matter of maybe of changing a little bit our style, doing a little bit different things because it’s true that the same way we match up very well against certain opposition, I think Brentford match up very well against us and I don’t think it’s just a matter of we always play badly against Brentford. There is a reason and there are certain things that they do that hurt us and I hope we can improve our past performances against them. But they are probably in the best moment I’ve seen them. They are, let’s say, the best of the rest. They are playing very well, especially away, I think they are coming from three wins in a row, even four if we include the cup game. Difficult games also, Newcastle, Villa, Burnley, the other day in a crazy game. So for me, it’s one of the most difficult games we have until the end of the season. Probably there are other teams with more name than this, but football-wise, I think it’s one of the most difficult ones.
PLP: What did you make of their match against Burnley?
AI: Crazy game. Crazy game. I think they were much, much better in the first half. It looked like the game was over, but this is the Premier League and it’s never over. Never. Every opposition can put you under difficulties. And now I think Brentford are in a moment where every small detail also is going their way, because the 4-3, Jaidon Anthony is offside by, I don’t know, 1 millimeter the shoulder, and it goes your way. Even the 4-4, you concede at the end they there is a small touch, hand ball, sometimes it goes for you, these moments, no? And you need this little bit of luck, especially when you are in a good run. And I think Brentford now are in— they are playing very well, they have amazing players, very well coached, but also these things are going to their side right now.
PLP: The last time Bournemouth beat Brentford in a standard league match, Tommy Elphick was in the side!
AI: It was a long time ago then, I will ask him how the game went. But no, it’s true, I think it’s the team that we have worst stats from all in the Premier League. And I hope we can improve them a little bit tomorrow. But I know that probably is the worst moment or the moment where they are strongest.
PLP: And just finally from me, Keith Andrews said earlier that it’s going to be a very energetic and aggressive match, like you said, how important in the potential battle for Europe is tomorrow evening’s match?
AI: I see it like Keith Andrews says, I think it’s going to be very physical. I think they have a lot of speed, especially outside, the full-backs, the wingers, the players up front, they are very, very fast. We also have always the threat and I hope we can still have the threat in behind and we are able also to play this these high-intensity games. But probably this doesn’t give us the advantage it gives us against other opposition because they are more than happy if the game goes demanding, they are more than happy to match it because they have these physical tools. So I focus on other parts of the game where we can make our differences.