Mark Travers has been dropped by Bournemouth.
Ireland goalkeeper Mark Travers was named on the bench for today’s Premier League meeting between Bournemouth and Brentford.
The returning Kepa Arrizabalaga comes straight back into the Cherries side after recovering from injury, but not everybody is pleased about it.
That’s as Travers, who started Bournemouth’s last two games – a draw with Aston Villa in which he won Man of the Match and a 2-1 win over Manchester City – is widely agreed to have been hard done by considering his great form.
The Kildare stopper made as many as seven saves in that 1-1 draw with Villa, preventing 2.23 goals according to XG statistics.
Then, against City, he made another three saves as they upset the champions with a 2-1 victory at the Vitality Stadium.
While Kepa’s pedigree is undeniable as a Spain international and Chelsea-contracted goalkeeper, it will be interesting to see if he can be as effective between the sticks today as his Irish teammate had been for the last fortnight.
In reaction to the news, one fan wrote on X: ‘Surprised Travers isn’t starting very harsh on him’.
Another posted a similar sentiment: ‘Why y’all do Super Mark Travers like this?’.
One fan, however, hit the most pressing issue of all, which is whether Travers should now force a move away from the football club.
‘For the sake of his career Travers needs to leave us. He’s too good to be a number 2. Not put a foot wrong in two games but is dropped as soon as Kepa is back.’
Travers made his Bournemouth breakthrough as a teenager in 2019, making headlines with a Man of the Match display against Spurs.
Consistent gametime has been difficult to come by since, however, and he spent some of last season out on loan at Stoke City in the Championship.
Now 25 years of age, the Ireland international should probably be cementing himself as a number one, but whether that will be possible at his current club is now in serious doubt.
