Iraola: 'Not fair' to look only at numbers for Cherries forwards

Dango Ouattara has seen two goals disallowed in the first two games of the season, while Antoine Semenyo has picked up a goal and an assist, with Marcus Tavernier scoring on Sunday against Newcastle.

When asked by the Daily Echo about what impact those two disallowed goals may have on Ouattara’s confidence, Iraola was emphatic that he does not select players purely on their goalscoring form.

“Dango, Tavernier, Semenyo, [Luis] Sini[sterra], they will not play because they score or not,” the Cherries boss said.

“This, I think they have it quite clear. I'm not evaluating Dango because he could have scored two goals, or he's not going to play, or not play because it was valid or not valid, the goals.

“At the end of the season, probably you look at the numbers, but it's not fair to look at the numbers.”

(Image: Richard Crease)

Speaking about Tavernier, Iraola pointed to last season, where the Englishman scored three goals, but said this did not tell the whole story, with him being ‘very good’ for Iraola’s Cherries.

“He did a lot of work for the team and he made us better, and Dango, the same,” the Basque boss said.

“It’s unlucky for him because obviously with the same performance he could be already in two goals.

“Also, we could be already with two goals from corners, offensive corners, and now we have zero.

“I said we already scored, but we've been unlucky.

“The numbers don't tell everything. You have to read more and you have to analyse more.

“But I think it's a signal that he [Ouattara] has done a very good pre-season.

“He can make more numbers. I think he has the level to do it, but I don't want him to focus on the numbers.

“I don't want him to because I think everyone is a worse player if you only play for the numbers.”

(Image: Richard Crease)

Asked about how impressed he was with Semenyo’s opening two performances, Iraola said: “I think he played this one [Newcastle] better than the first one [Nottingham Forest].

“The first one he scored a goal, probably it wasn't his best performance. He knows, I told him, but the other day he played very well, and I think he was a threat, always.

“He was a threat and he was dangerous. He gave an assist, [hit] the crossbar, [created] a couple of situations where we could finish them. He did a very good job.

“I think it's a performance to give him confidence.

“He knows that we trust him a lot, but he has to keep pushing, because he also knows that he has a strong competition behind and there are a lot of players willing to play more minutes in those positions and he has to continue with the same level of intensity.”