On his return from injury, Matt Ritchie hit the ground running, with a number of fine performances and well taken goals. In more recent times, his form has been more erratic, with those goals drying up.
Speaking in the Bournemouth Evening Echo, Ritchie is quoted as saying: "As an attacking player, people look at the goals you score and create and in my first six or seven games back, my form was very good. Over the past four or five games I have probably been a little bit off it and not quite my usual self. My legs have felt tired but I have started to gain that bit of fitness I missed out on at the start of the season. When I came back I felt fresh and while playing a lot of games over a short period at Christmas might have caught up with me a bit, that is no excuse. I wouldn’t put my form down to that at all. I have not been on it as much as I could have been. When I came on against Leicester, I tried to play my part and contribute to the team. I felt like I did okay and, hopefully, I can work hard in training this week and push on. I’m getting over that barrier now so, hopefully, what I am doing will pay off and I can put in good performances for the club".