Andoni Iraola knows his Bournemouth side face a tough task against a “very good” Wolves at Molineux on Saturday.
Wolves, managed by former Cherries boss Gary O’Neil have found form after a difficult start to the season, going unbeaten in their last four Premier League games including victories in their last two.
The Cherries boss said: “I think it is going to be a good game because they are in their best moment of the season. They come with the last four with no losses,” said Iraola, whose side have lost their last two after beating Manchester City.
“They had a difficult start but they faced only top teams.
“We have to be ready for a very good team. This week we are facing three opponents – Wolves, Spurs, Ipswich.
“The three of them are now probably in a very good moment and a good run, so we will have to be also at that level.”
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Team news: Semenyo out
The Cherries will be without key attacking star Antoine Semenyo for the trip to the West Midlands after the Ghanaian accumulated five yellow cards in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend.
Other than that, Iraola is hoping to have the same group as he had, long-term absentees Alex Scott, Luis Sinisterra and Julian Araujo still out.
The Basque coach said: “It will basically be the same players. We will have Antoine [Semenyo] out [he is suspended for picking up five yellow cards].
“The ones who were injured, they are long-term injuries…we have one or two players with very small things, but I hope they are available for tomorrow.”
On Semenyo, Iraola added: “He was doing very good things and we are using this week for him [to unload] a bit.
“The break he had with the international break we focused it in a positive way and he can have a small break and then be ready again for a very demanding month of December.”
Yellow card problem?
Semenyo is the second Cherries player within the space of a week to miss a game after picking up five yellow cards, with Ryan Christie returning to the fold after missing last weekend.
On whether Bournemoth have a problem with picking up bookings, Iraola said: “No, I think there are some clubs with more yellow cards than us.
“But it is true, the way we play sometimes, when you press aggressively you risk arriving a little bit late and sometimes you have to accept the yellows.
“When those are the cases I have no issues, sometimes you have to take a yellow because it is a very dangerous situation.
“Dissent or touching the ball when you shouldn’t, these types of yellows we should avoid.”
