ANDONI Iraola confirmed that yellow cards impacted his thinking behind substitutions during AFC Bournemouth’s defeat to Aston Villa.

Cherries were downed 3-1 away in Birmingham on Sunday, Dominic Solanke’s first-half penalty overhauled by goals from Morgan Rogers, Moussa Diaby, and Leon Bailey.

In the first period defenders Marcos Senesi and Adam Smith were shown yellow cards, before centre-back Illia Zabarnyi joined the duo in the referee’s book in the second half.

Noticing how frequently his defenders were up against pacey Villa attackers, Iraola brought Smith and Senesi off.

Max Aarons replaced Smith at the break in a like-for-like move, whilst Antoine Semenyo was brought on to replace Marcos Senesi has Iraola shuffled the team around in search of a way back into the match.

Asked if bookings impacted his tactical plans, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “That was a little bit my thinking on the sub of Adam Smith.

“He's with a yellow card.

“We know that we wanted to play.

“We were taking risks and every time that you arrive a little bit late, it could be a second yellow.

“Also with Marcos it was a little bit the same there.

“Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, they're very, very fast players.

“And every decision that you don't take in the right moment could be the second yellow.

“But it's true that from the subs, we didn't defend as well.

“And if we don't defend well, we are not good without the ball, it costs us much more to attack.

“And it's something that in this kind of high-level games we have to we have to do better.”

Senesi’s caution was his 10th of the campaign, but the Argentine international is safe from suspension as 10 bookings only incur a ban if they are reached before a team’s 32nd fixture.

Cherries have five games remaining in their Premier League season.