Former Celtic ace Ryan Christie was in ‘unstoppable’ form as Andoni Iraola’s AFC Bournemouth side continued their march up the Premier League table with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.
Former Rayo Vallecano boss Iraola built up quite the reputation for himself in Spain as a coach capable of building an exciting, possession-heavy side underpinned by an ‘incredible’ brand of football. So his appointment always felt like good news for one member of the Bournemouth squad.
Ryan Christie, a £2.5 million signing from Celtic in the summer of 2021, was in and out of the starting XI under the more robust Gary O’Neil. Since Iraola’s arrival, however, the Scotland international has barely missed a game.
Former Celtic ace shines in Premier League
He has started all but one of Iraola’s 15 Premier League games at the helm. And while Christie did not technically claim an assist during the 2-0 midweek win at Selhurst Park, it was his wicked delivery which created Marcos Senesi’s opener and his defence-splitting through ball which paved the way for Kieffer Moore’s stoppage-time clincher.
“I really like the look of Christie,” Martin Keown, a three-time Premier League champion with Arsenal, said on Match of the Day. “He’s playing a bit withdrawn. He was playing a bit higher up the pitch. And he can see a pass (from his deeper role).
“He’s definitely got really good vision and he runs well with the ball. That’s what he’s good at.
“Really good, whipped in ball (for the Senesi goal). He is a player who is just going from strength-to-strength. Look at him here (Christie dancing through a number of Crystal Palace challenges)… he’s unstoppable!”
Ryan Christie in ‘unstoppable’ form
Once the creative kingpin of Scottish champions Celtic, Christie is playing his best football since leaving Parkhead two-and-a-half years ago.
As Keown himself puts it, Scotland boss Steve Clarke will be delighted by the 28-year-old’s return to form, the European Championships now only seven months away.
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