Key Player Profile: Bournemouth
Which Cherry could be key to Arsenal's match on the south coast?
Bournemouth are a very fun side from where I sit. So far Andoni Iraola’s men are sixth in xG, one space behind Arsenal, and 9th in xG against. As Scott covered this week, they are extremely direct and among the more press-happy sides in the league. That should make this weekend’s tilt an entertaining one, at the least.
In the hopes of starting a new regular feature here at Cannon Stats, I’m going to choose one player from the opponent and offer some insight into why he’s key to the potential outcome.
My choice for this week is Lewis Cook, Bournemouth’s 27-year-old central midfielder. Cook has started each of the Cherries’ 7 league games so far, and the results to date are encouraging.
My attack-centric mind told me to select Antoine Semenyo for this, a really likable player, but I leaned Cook for a few reasons:
He is Bournemouth’s primary ball progression hub. If Arsenal are going to succeed in thwarting AFCB’s direct style, it’s going to have to come with a lesser performance from Cook, who leads the side in both progressive passing and touches this season. It would be wise of Arsenal to not let this talented passer find space to work.
He is beatable in duels. While he’s key to progression, Cook is also not an excellent ballcarrier and can be taken off the ball. His size and lack of physicality can be exploited, and this is also true defensively, where he’s not the most astute player. You may be surprised to learn that Arsenal are a physically imposing side, making a Christie-Cook midfield potentially exploitable.
He works hard, and plays smart. Physical freaks are definitely a good thing to have, but I find smart opponents particularly key to Arsenal’s undoing. Cook’s football IQ could make him a major contributor to any Bournemouth result, especially if he can stay composed in the face of an intense press.