Andoni Iraola admits Bournemouth lacking numbers ahead of FA Cup showdown with Everton

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola acknowledges that he is facing a shortage of players as his team prepares to take on Everton in the FA Cup fourth-round match scheduled for Saturday.

Iraola admits that he will likely field a squad similar to the one that suffered a defeat against Liverpool in the league last week.

He remarked this morning: “I anticipate that we will have the same players as we did previously.

“I do not foresee any losses, nor do I expect to recover any players.

“We still have today’s training session, but I believe it will be very, very similar, if not identical.”

Regarding the team's injury situation, Iraola elaborated: “It is indeed true that we are facing challenges with injured players.

“Upon reflection, we are not experiencing a high volume of injuries.

“If you examine the injury statistics, we are likely in the lower half of the table; however, the injuries we do have are prolonged.

“This is primarily due to their severity and some minor complications in the rehabilitation processes.

“That is why we currently have a limited number of players, but I remain hopeful that we can gradually bring back those who are unavailable.”

When discussing the possibility of rotation for the FA Cup, the manager emphasized: "I do not differentiate between competitions; it is not a matter of needing more or less in the league.

"Regardless of our league position, we will always strive to advance to the next round and achieve success in the cup, although we face a formidable opponent.

"In the end, there is no assurance that resting players will guarantee a victory in the subsequent match, so we will aim to approach the game with the intent to win, which will undoubtedly be challenging."

On the recent acquisition of Eli Junior Kroupi from Lorient, Iraola commented: "He is a player that the club has monitored for some time, particularly due to our connection with Lorient.

"I believe this was an opportune moment for the club to secure a player who, at his age, is ahead of the typical development path. He has been performing exceptionally well and has enjoyed success with both Lorient and the national team. I am very pleased."

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