Marcus Tavernier praises Bournemouth’s progress under Andoni Iraola ahead of visit to Premier League leaders Arsenal

The 27-year-old has been a key cog in Bournemouth’s team, enjoying a season in which he set his career-best goalscoring season with five goals in the Premier League, helping the club progress to Europe.

Last season, the Cherries achieved a club record 56 points in the top tier. Ahead of this weekend’s game at the Emirates, Andoni Iraola’s side sit on 42 points, four clear of the top seven and their first European qualification spot.

“Last season we achieved a new points record and we want to repeat the same this season and take the club to a new level,” Tavernier said in an exclusive interview with TNT Sports.

Tavernier, who recently committed his future to the club on a new four-year deal, admits extending his stay on the south coast was not a difficult decision.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “It was an easy decision for me to sign a new contract here. I have to thank the club for the faith they have shown in me since I joined.”

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve felt at home and I’ve really enjoyed my time.”

Raya, Arsenal’s ‘most important’ player – Cole

Video credit: TNT Sports

A major factor in Bournemouth’s rise has been the influence of head coach Iraola, who transformed the team with his high-intensity style.

“As you can see from when I first joined, we have never been as exciting as we are now,” he said.

“We continue with the same format of pressing high, exciting the fans no matter which team we play and creating as many chances as possible. As a forward player, it’s really fun to be involved. It’s demanding, but if you play well you get a lot of reward.”

“If you ask other teams that have played against us, I don’t think they like it because they know what type of game they’re going to be in. It’s very physical and tough.”

Although the transition under Iraola took time, Tavernier believes the team adapted quickly to his ideas.

“When the manager first came, we probably didn’t quite understand it. But as soon as we did, everyone started looking at us as a different type of team, and we’ve come a long way since then,” he said.

Tavernier has been a key part of that evolution, playing a number of roles on the pitch.

“I feel like he has a lot of confidence in me,” Tavernier said. “I have played a lot of games under him and he has shown faith in me so I have to thank him for that.

“He has played with me in many positions and that shows his confidence. I know that I am a versatile player and continue to develop in each position.

“My favorite position is when I’m on the pitch. I’ve had good games wide and in the middle.”

HBO Max is the new streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK

Video credit: TNT Sports

Despite his influence, Tavernier is determined to add more goals to his game.

“Getting numbers that everyone talks about and makes a fuss about is probably something that’s missing a lot in my game,” he admitted.

“I feel like I’ve got to shoot more this season and I’ve got to take advantage of opportunities when they come. I still feel like I’m not good enough at that and I need to improve in that area, so I’m going to continue to focus on that.”

“He (Iraola) encourages the whole team to finish the game in the final third with a shot or a cross and try to score. That’s what we’re trying to do. We have a lot of players in the team who have taken that on and put it into practice on the pitch.”

For Tavernier, personal goals have taken a backseat as he focuses on enjoying soccer.

“Up until now I’ve been looking at goals, but this season I’m just enjoying my football. I hope the goals will follow,” he said.

The enjoyment reflects what he describes as a “really exciting” time in his career.

“This season and the last few seasons have been really exciting,” Tavernier said. “We have had a good run in the league, but we always strive to be a better team and want to build this club to a new level. We continue to do that this season and hope we can achieve good results.”

Amid growing talk of qualifying for Europe, Tavernier acknowledged the challenge but insisted the team would remain inactive.

“I think there was always a lot of buzz about going to Europe, but as a player that’s something you want to achieve,” he said. “You know it’s difficult to play in a league with the best players in the world. You go into the league every week and you have to do your best to make things happen and sometimes even get points.

“I feel like I have to focus on one game at a time. I know it’s a cliché, but it’s not good to think too far ahead or dwell on the past.”

All eyes will now turn to the final week of the season with seven league games remaining, starting with the visit of Arsenal.

“We’ve had a bit of a good break after the international break, but now it’s the final push. This is when the season will finally be decided for good,” he said.

“We have to start with a strong performance against the league leaders. It will be a very tough test, but we know what we are capable of and what we can do on the day.”

“We’ll have a little more freshness in our legs than them, but I don’t think it will affect us too much because they have a lot of things to play like us. We want to finish the season well and achieve new things.”

– – –