Premier League: Lead-up to Bournemouth v Fulham
A New Secret Weapon for AFC Bournemouth?
Plenty has been discussed about AFC Bournemouth's solid backline despite a major overhaul in their defense, but it was an attacking recruit who stood out in the game against the Whites.
The young striker was acquired to offer competition for main attacker the Brazilian forward in the Cherries' attack, and it was his last-minute goal that won Iraola's squad a vital point on the road.
The forward bagged an impressive 13 goals in as many games for his former club last season, which assisted the team in achieving promotion into the top flight in Ligue 1.
Going from the France's second division to the Premier League was always going to be a hard task and, as predicted, Kroupi has up to now been limited to an bench option.
His introduction at the recent match coincided with the AFC Bournemouth adopting a go-for-broke strategy, but his coolness to slot home during injury time could emerge as a key asset for the team.
A reliable finisher will know where the net is at any level and the attacker proved that with the way he found space and neatly tucked away under pressure – a pivotal moment for him.
Will Kroupi get more minutes on the back of his contribution on the weekend? Maybe. But it's clear, Andoni Iraola's side have uncovered another cog in Iraola's well-oiled machine.
