ANDONI Iraola was full of praise for his centre-back pairing of Illia Zabarnyi and Marcos Senesi after their performances against Manchester City.
The pair were fantastic in keeping the City forward line quiet for much of the 90 minutes, with the champions only registering their first shot on target after the 80 minute mark.
Erling Haaland continued his relative-poor goalscoring form against the Cherries, with just one goal in five games against Bournemouth, as he was unable to add to his 74-goal tally in 76 games played in the Premier League.
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Asked by the Daily Echo how impressive the performances from Zabarnyi and Senesi were, Iraola said: “I think they've been very brave because it's difficult to play with the spaces we've had behind all the game, against Haaland, because he's always a threat.
“At the end of the game, it was a different game where they were pushing us and we had to defend crosses, deal with difficult [situations], not only Erling, they put the centre backs, everyone, was pushing there.
“I think they've done the basics of the defending really, really well.”
Asked before the City game about the Argentine and Ukrainian partnership as it develops at the heart of the Cherries defence, Iraola said the pair are playing very well.
“The centre backs, I would say even Dean Huijsen and Hilly [James Hill], they are training amazingly,” he said.
“I sometimes feel unfair with them, but it's difficult, they are putting me [in a] very difficult [position], Marcos and Zaba to give minutes to the others.
“This is a good thing for the team because they are in moments where we are playing well.
“They are very good on possession.
“I think Zaba especially is improving a lot in his first decision making on the ball.
“And defensively they are being really solid, they are doing the basics very well.
“They are winning also some leadership, I would say, in the sense of not only worrying about their position, worrying about the structure overall.
“And I'm really happy with them.”
The Cherries so far this season have conceded 12 goals in their 10 games, keeping one clean sheet, against Arsenal.
In the previous three games, against Champions League opposition in the Gunners, Aston Villa and City, Iraola’s side has conceded just twice.
Previously, the Basque boss told the Daily Echo how he selects his pairing based on the opposition they are facing, with Huijsen starting twice this season, against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
But with Zabarnyi and Senesi in a fine vein of form, the pair have made it difficult for Iraola to consider dropping either.
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