Fraser feasts on chicken to help Howe out of soup
MOST players report back for pre-season training carrying a little extra weight from their summer excesses. Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser, however, had gone too far the other way. Having subsisted like a rabbit on nothing but greens, the Scot came back too lean, too skinny and desperately short of the energy he needed. So his boss Eddie Howe, having weaned Fraser off pizzas and ice cream at the start of his Bournemouth career, found himself ordering the winger to binge on chicken, pasta and potatoes. And the added carbs have now been converted into a feast of impressive performances, with Fraser scoring twice against Everton on Saturday to propel the Cherries out of the Premier League relegation zone. The 5ft 4in Aberdonian celebrated his matchwinning contributions with a visit to Nando’s — a choice to keep his energy levels high ahead of today’s visit to Brighton. ‘I was eating a bit too healthy,’ said Fraser. ‘I was probably trying to get a summer body rather than a football body, but I’m better now. I eat carbs and stuff like that. And maybe it was not eating enough of that. ‘You can eat anything you like in moderation with a game in two days, it’s all energy.’ Bournemouth benefited from Fraser’s contribution as Sam Allardyce’s unbeaten start as Everton manager came to a halt. Fraser acrobatically volleyed home Joshua King’s cross to reward Bournemouth’s first-half dominance, only for Idrissa Gueye to equalise. Just a minute remained when Fraser received a pass from Adam Smith and found the net via a telling deflection off Michael Keane’s boot. The win lifts the pressure on Howe, who suggested Fraser’s form is more mental than physical. ‘Everyone is a confidence player but Ryan maybe more than others,’ others, said Howe.