Tyler Adams on Bournemouth return: "I haven't reached the top of my ability yet"

12/08/2024 10:27 AM

Tyler Adams was not part of Bournemouth’s trip to Ipswich Town on Sunday but it hasn’t stopped the American midfielder from showing glimpses of his best in recent weeks.

Adams recently made his fourth-straight start for the Cherries and sixth overall appearance in a row. The 25-year-old has fought to get back into the Bournemouth plans after missing most of the first half of the season due to injury.

When Adams was signed last summer from Leeds United, the hope was for him to jump right into the squad following Jefferson Lerma’s move to Crystal Palace. However, injuries hampered his first year on the South Coast, limiting him to only four appearances in all competitions.

Now with a good streak of minutes under his belt, Adams admitted his confidence is back and his aspirations of improving as player have remained very high.

"I am never pleased with myself,” Adams said about Bournemouth’s 1-0 win over Tottenham last Thursday. “I can always do more, continue to evolve, continue to develop. Obviously, I missed a lot of time but I know what I'm capable of, I'm confident in my ability. Whenever I get a run of games, I know that I'm going to be an important player for this team. The guys around me have helped me a lot to settle back in but I am confident in my ability.

"I haven't reached the top of my ability yet,” he added. “I'm still young and I need to continue to develop, this is not my ceiling yet. I want to continue to push my ceiling."

Andoni Iraola rested Adams this weekend after the midfielder made back-to-back 90-minute performances for the first time in 21 months. With the December schedule coming thick and fast for the Cherries, giving the 25-year-old a break here and there could do wonders for his long-term availability this season.

Iraola hasn’t had Adams healthy and on the pitch too often since his appointment as manager, but praised his abilities in the current squad of players.

“The way he plays naturally fits very well with the things we do,” Iraola said about Adams. “He’s very aggressive without the ball, very good at reading situations. Sometimes we have to put the breaks on him because he wants to go to everything. He’s improving in these things.”

Bournemouth has a lengthy gap until its next Premier League match, a home date with West Ham United on December 16.