Enes Ünal
BOUTurkey
Right
May 10, 1997
28
6'2"
172 lb
CF
--
Target Striker
BournemouthBench option
Unal (groin) is on the bench for Saturday's match against Liverpool.
Analysis: Unal was a late call for Saturday and appears to have passed his testing to be fit, with the forward on the bench to face Liverpool. A rotational role should continue as he tries to build a spot in the team, only bagging one goal in nine appearances (zero starts) this season.
Could return against Liverpool
Unal (groin) could be an option for Saturday's clash against Liverpool, coach Andoni Iraola said in the press conference, according to the Bournemouth Echo. "Enes is the only one who has a chance."
Analysis: Unal missed Monday's draw against Brighton after suffering a groin injury early against Newcastle United in the FA Cup. The striker could be an option to return in Saturday's clash against Liverpool since the issue was revealed to be only minor. Unal will likely be assessed after the final training session to see if he can make the match squad. That said, he has mainly been a bench option this season for the Cherries and his return to the squad shouldn't impact much the starting squad.
Return timeline confirmed
Unal (groin) will miss two to three weeks of competition, coach Andoni Iraola confirmed in the press conference. "It's not a big injury but he felt it straight away. He will be out for two or three weeks. It's a shame because he was doing well after the [ACL] injury. He was slowly getting more minutes and training normally with the team, now it's another stop and it's not easy, but you have to accept these things."
Analysis: Unal suffered an adductor injury shortly after returning from a long term ACL injury. The striker will be sidelined for the next two to three weeks due to this new setback, which is a blow for both him and the Cherries, as he had been returning well to full fitness and scored against West Ham United. The Turkish forward will likely see a decent role in the second half of the season given the injuries and the recent departures of Antoine Semenyo.
Likely out at least three weeks
Unal has suffered an adductor injury and is out for the next three weeks, according to manager Andoni Iraola, per the BBC. "He felt the right abductor. It is a shame because it has nearly been one year without playing, and he was in the process of regaining his form, and now he is going to be out."I think it is a muscle injury. Abductor is not the worst compared to a hamstring or quad, but three weeks is always the minimum. He needs to be assessed, but I think he will be out for some time."
Analysis: Unal is facing a rough series of events this week, as he returns from a nearly year-long absence due to an ACL injury just over a month ago, only to hit the sidelines for at least three weeks due to an adductor injury. Unfortunately for the forward, this comes just after his first start, needing to work back up his fitness levels once again. He will likely eye a return near the end of the month, with a return potentially coming in February if all goes to plan.
Forced off Saturday
Unal was forced off the field in the 28th minute of Saturday's match against Newcastle due to an apparent injury.
Analysis: Unal would start Saturday but wouldn't last long into the match, forced off the field just 28 minutes in. This comes after he was already a late call for the match appearing to have returned too early from the issues he was suffering. He will now await evaluation and hope to avoid a major injury, although he is yet to start in a league match this season, so this is a minor loss.
Starts in frontline
Unal (undisclosed) makes the starting XI for Saturday's Carabao Cup match against Newcastle, confirming he is fully fit for Bournemouth.
Analysis: Unal was a doubt ahead of Saturday's Carabao Cup match against Newcastle but ultimately passed the late fitness call since he is in the starting squad to face the Magpies. This is great news for the Cherries since it allows Evanilson to get some rest on the bench and it could give Unal some confidence moving forward as he could get a larger role with the recent departure of Antoine Semenyo for Manchester City.
Availability uncertain for Saturday
Unal (undisclosed) is uncertain for Saturday's FA Cup match against Newcastle United, according to manager Andoni Iraola. "[Evanilson and Unal] finished the game with some issues and will be assessed."
Analysis: Unal could be in line to see more minutes in the attacking line following the departure of Antoine Semenyo. However, his presence for Saturday's clash is uncertain after picking up an undisclosed injury against the Spurs. A late call will be needed to determine whether he'll be available or not for this FA Cup clash.
Scores in return
Unal scored one goal to go with two shots (two on goal) and one cross (zero accurate) in Saturday's 2-2 draw against West Ham United.
Analysis: Unal was back from a long-term knee injury and found the back of the net Saturday. His return should bring a new element to the already excellent Bournemouth attack. Unal has plenty of upside if he can earn a consistent starting place, especially with so many in-form players around him.
Finds bench role
Unal (knee) is on the bench for Saturday's clash against West Ham United.
Analysis: Unal was nearing a return from an ACL injury and has now returned to the bench on Saturday after training in full in recent weeks with the team, giving the Cherries an additional attacking option as he works toward full match fitness. This role allows him to reintegrate gradually while still contributing when needed. He will hope to earn more minutes over the next fixtures as his condition improves.
Training in full
Unal (knee) resumed team training two weeks ago and is training in full with the squad during the break, the club posted.
Analysis: Unal is nearing a return from an ACL injury and was spotted still training in full with the squad during the break, which is a positive sign since it indicates he has not experienced any setbacks for now. The striker will hope to reintegrate the match squad in upcoming fixtures and become a useful option in the rotation for the Cherries once he is fully fit again.
Training normally
Unal (knee) trained normally with the team after playing 45 minutes with the development squad in the match against QPR on Monday, coach Andoni Iraola said in the press conference.
Analysis: Unal is likely still a few weeks away from returning to competition but has seen a very positive upgrade this week in his recovery since he was spotted training normally with the team after playing 45 minutes with the development squad in the match against QPR on Monday. The striker was only a bench option when available for the Cherries last season and will likely find that role back once fully fit.
Playing with development squad
Unal (knee) is taking part in a development sqaud match against QPR on Monday, according to his club.
Analysis: Unal is ramping up his fitness levels and is taking a decent step in his recovery Monday, with the forward back in action for the development squad. He then appears to be earing a return and on pace for his current timeline, likely returning within the next month. It does appear he is still waiting to rejoin full training with the first time, probably around one to two weeks away from returning when that takes place.
Still out
Unal (knee) remains on the sideline with an ACL injury.
Analysis: Unal is still just eight months removed from a torn ACL. The forward hasn't been spotted in team training and is still struggling to make the next major step in his recovery. With ACL injuries it's entirely possible Unal is still months away from a full recovery.
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