Afrigather 
Andoni Iraola has burdened the significance of avoiding a sluggish begin to the brand new Premier League season as they journey to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Cherries initially struggled to seek out their footing below the Spaniard final season, failing to win any of their first 10 video games, however went on to report their highest factors tally within the competitors.
They didn’t lose throughout a robust pre-season however have since misplaced star man Dominic Solanke to Tottenham, leaving query marks over their probabilities of repeating their success.
Iraola’s major goal, although, is to make sure they get three factors on the board sooner somewhat than later.
“Now we have to reach right away at the start of the season,” Iraola advised Sky Sports activities. “We can not management expectations, and I’ve mentioned numerous occasions that I don’t belief the long-term objectives an excessive amount of.
“As soon as we play towards Forest, if we lose, [people will say] we’re going to get relegated and if we win, [people will say] we’re going to be within the prime 10!
“You must management what you’ll be able to management. Now we have to focus in each recreation. Now we have to attempt in each recreation.”
Actually so buzzing for the primary one pic.twitter.com/Oj4deccink
— AFC Bournemouth (@afcbournemouth) August 15, 2024
Forest, in the meantime, want to put a dismal finish to the 2023-24 season behind them, having received simply 4 video games after the flip of the yr, as they embark on their first full season below Nuno Espirito Santo.
The Tough Timber additionally had a degree deduction for a breach of the Premier League’s guidelines to cope with earlier than they staved off relegation within the remaining weeks, however they loved a optimistic pre-season wherein they solely misplaced as soon as (received three, drew two).
And Nuno’s goal for this season is easy: “Hopefully, we enhance.
“That’s the principle concept, that we enhance our recreation. The ends in the pre-season don’t imply quite a bit now. We now have the actual moments to guage what we have to enhance. There’s at all times an opportunity to do higher.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nottingham Forest – Morgan Gibbs-White
Since their return to the Premier League in 2022, Morgan Gibbs-White has been concerned in additional Premier League objectives than every other Forest participant (28 – 10 objectives, 18 assists).
His 18 assists on this time are twice as many as every other Forest participant, whereas within the competitors’s historical past, solely Ian Woan has offered extra for the Tough Timber (27).
Again in @premierleague motion this weekend pic.twitter.com/bHS4z9GGCu
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 12, 2024
Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo
Solanke scored a hat-trick on this precise fixture final season and netted 19 objectives within the Premier League for the Cherries final time period, however his departure has left Iraola with a gap to fill.
Semenyo was their second-highest scorer with eight objectives in 33 appearances, and it could be as much as him to supply the spark for Bournemouth.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Forest are winless of their final eight league video games towards Bournemouth (drawn three, misplaced 5), shedding every of their final three at residence towards the Cherries.
They usually have misplaced their opening league recreation in every of the final 5 seasons, conceding precisely two objectives every time.
Nevertheless, Nuno has not misplaced on matchday one in any of his final 11 league campaigns (received seven, drawn 4), contemplating time in Portugal, Spain, England and Saudi Arabia. His aspect have received their final 4 such matches, maintaining a clear sheet every time.
It’s simply the second time these two sides have confronted one another of their opening league match of a season, following a 0-0 draw on the Metropolis Floor in League One in 2007-08.
Bournemouth are literally unbeaten of their final 4 season openers within the Premier League (received two, drawn two) after shedding their first match in every of their first seasons within the competitors.
The Cherries have solely failed to attain in three of their final 30 Premier League video games, with every of these coming towards final season’s prime three (0-4 v Liverpool in January, 0-1 v Manchester Metropolis in February, 0-3 v Arsenal in Could).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Nottingham Forest – 38.1%
Draw – 26.4%
Bournemouth – 35.4%
