Cook claims Cherries clean sheets just as good as goals

Steve Cook helped Bournemouth finally keep their first clean sheet of 2017 last weekend and insists the feeling is just as good as scoring a goal.

The Cherries had completed their first ten games of the calendar year without a clean sheet but there’s something about Swansea that agrees with the south coast side.

Cook and co defeated Paul Clement’s men 2-0 – the first time they haven’t conceded in a game since beating the Swans in Wales 3-0 back on New Year’s Eve.

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As a centre-back, Cook – who made a superb double challenge in his own box to keep the score at 2-0 – prides himself on denying the opposition, so was understandably relieved to end the drought.

“A clean sheet’s been a long time coming,” said Cook. “It has been since Swansea away on New Year’s Eve, which is far too long; we’ve conceded a lot of goals.

“As a back four we’ve been working really hard in the last couple of weeks and ever since Manchester United [where they drew 1-1 on March 4], we’ve looked very solid.

“I’m delighted – it’s like scoring goals when you’re a defender so a clean sheet is huge for us.

“We’ve been persistent. Obviously it’s disappointing to concede goals; we’re an attacking team so sometimes you are left a little bit exposed.

“Over the last three games we’ve looked more solid as a team and we’re working very hard out on the pitch and on the training ground.”