ANDONI Iraola was pleased to see Cherries show a different side to their game, describing their display at Crystal Palace as “really efficient”.
Cherries were not at their free-flowing best at Selhurst Park, but ground out a 2-0 victory, Kieffer Moore’s late header adding to Marcos Senesi’s first-half opener.
Palace pushed for a leveller during the second half, albeit without seriously testing goalkeeper Neto. Former Cherries midfielder Jefferson Lerma went closest, with his shot coming back off the post.
Reflecting on the victory, head coach Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I think it was an important win for us.
“I also think the way that we won was good for the team, because we were not as brilliant as the last games I would say.
“But today we have been really efficient, really compact and scored from a set-piece. We are adding small things to the team that are very important.”
Asked how pleasing it was to see his side show a different side to their game, Iraola added: “We knew Crystal Palace don’t concede transitions. It is difficult.
“They defend really well. They are always well positioned, their centre-backs are really good defenders, really smart.
“We knew that it was going to be important to score first and then have a little bit more space.
“We scored at the end with a very good transition, but we’ve had moments, especially at the beginning of the second half where we were not suffering, but conceded Jeff’s chance - that was the clearest.
“But we were quite compact and defending well.”
Cherries, now unbeaten in four, move up to 15th in the Premier League table, nine points clear of the relegation zone.
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