Why JZ was sacrificed on Saturday

Sports Reporter

BOURNEMOUTH interim coach, Gary O’Neil, said he had to sacrifice Zimbabwean defender Jordan Zemura in their league match against Leicester City on Saturday.

Zemura was an unused substitute, with Adam Smith taking his place in the first XI.

This was the first time the Warriors’ international has been benched this season.

According to O’Neil, the decision to select Smith over Zemura at left-back was based around containing James Maddison.

The City dangerman scored twice and provided one assist as the Foxes thrashed Nottingham Forest 4-0 the previous week.

“James Maddison is obviously a key player for Leicester,” O’Neil told Daily Echo.

“So, we tried to come up with a plan that I felt would fit this side of the pitch. Our left-back didn’t end up playing much at left-back, which is what I expected.

“You end up trying to follow James Maddison around a little bit, so I felt Smudge would be best for that.”

The plan worked well, and the Cherries beat Brendan Rodgers’s side 2-1, with Patson Daka’s opener cancelled out by goals from Philip Billing and Ryan Christie.