Bournemouth vs. Southampton: Opposition threat – 20/10/18

Ryan Fraser 

Scottish Winger Ryan Fraser is the final man on the list. Through the past few seasons, Fraser has battled with teammate and former Liverpool youngster for a place in the Bournemouth starting eleven.  After a handful of god performances, the former-Aberdeen man has seemed to get the better of Ibe, with Fraser starting all eight premier league matches this season, restraining Ibe to just two substitute appearances in the league.

Despite being predominantly right footed, Fraser is usually equipped on the right hand side of the pitch, with Eddie Howe seemingly playing him as more of an inside forward on occasions, allowing him to cut inside and take a shot, but has also used him behind the two striker as well.

So far this season, Ryan Fraser has contributed to six Bournemouth goals, scoring three, and assisting three. Looking at how he scored the goals, there’s no one way to keep him quiet, with all three coming in very different capacities. Whilst one was making a last second run into the box for a free strike at goal around the penalty spot, the other two came from cutting onto his right foot and bending the ball round the man and goalkeeper into the corner, and making a run in behind the defence to set up a one on one opportunity.  The different styles of goals will make him difficult to keep a hand of because it means he’s constantly using different methods to get into dangerous areas and catch the defence unaware.

Like said previously, its not just his scoring prowess, but his eye for a pass as well. Fraser does not only stick on the left and whip crosses in but also attempt defence splitting passes when he sits just behind the two strikers, playing the ball into feet – the way bot Wilson and King prefer to play. This is shown by his 2.6 key passes a game, the fourth highest in the entire division (WhoScored.com).

Many a Saint will be familiar to the Scotsman, with Fraser a scorer in the 1-1 draw at the Vitality Stadium last season