ANDONI Iraola is expecting an open game as his AFC Bournemouth side travels to face Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Cherries will be hoping to return to winning ways against Iraola’s predecessor, but the Basque boss knows that it will not be an easy game at Molineaux.

Asked if O’Neil’s knowledge of the Bournemouth playing squad changes how they prepare for the game, Iraola told the Daily Echo that it is difficult to surprise any team in the Premier League.

“Imagine we go with five at the back tomorrow, we will surprise them,” he said. “Yes, of course, but probably it’s worse for us.

“We'll surprise them for two minutes but then if you don't play well, you are surprised, yes, but it's not worth it. So I think we know very well each other.

“Obviously he will have the advantage to know most of our players even better. But after already playing each other twice last season, I don't think there is a surprise factor.

“I think we know everyone quite well.”

(Image: PA) Iraola said his side must get better at converting their chances – and while he said his teams tend to be ‘volume sides’ in creating chances, they must also become more efficient.

On evolving his side to do this and improve at chance conversion in games where they get fewer opportunities, Iraola said: “It's not because we decide today, we are going to have less chances.

“No, it's because sometimes the opposition pushes you, is better than you, wins more duels and then you have to retreat, defend lower, survive.

“We haven't had a lot of moments like this this season, but I remember Villa away where we had some moments where it was a matter of keeping the structure and wait until we have a better moment.

“Liverpool first half, some minutes there when we lost the game, but we haven't had a lot.

(Image: PA) “But especially playing away, you can face this kind of pressure. They [Wolves] are a team that they are scoring a lot of goals, they are conceding a lot of goals.

“They are playing very open games also. So we have to be ready to defend, to attack because I think it looks like it's going to be quite an open game.”

On if he prepares the team to be tighter at the back in games like this, Iraola explained: “We had the same feeling before playing Brentford.

“They have a different team but stats wise, teams that are scoring a lot, conceding a lot and it was like this, the game and we lost 3-2.

“We had even more chances, we could even score more and I hope we can accept that there is going to be some movement there and chances for both sides.

“We can keep it more controlled in the moment, especially when we can go ahead.”