Howe Refuses To Change Lerma Style

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe says he will not try and change the way Jefferson Lerma plays despite his disciplinary issues. Lerma has been a revelation since arriving from La Liga side Levante in a big-money deal over the summer, but he has picked up four yellow cards and is just one more away from a suspension.

The 24-year-old was also booked 18 times in 28 appearances for Levante, so he clearly has an issue, but Howe says he cannot change the way he plays the game. “It’s a concern because, potentially, we may lose him to suspension so that’s not something we would want. “But when you are that kind of player, I don’t know if you can take that natural aggression away when that is part of their strength. “I think he’s been unlucky with a couple of bookings and probably a couple have been warranted. “But I’d much rather he played his normal game than tried to become something he’s not.

I haven’t had too many conversations with him regarding that because I think it would be counterproductive. “A player going into a game trying not to get booked is a player going away from his natural instincts and we want Jeff’s natural instincts to be there in the game.”