MAX Aarons is pleased Cherries do not have long to wait to try and get back on track, having not been at their “usual level” in defeat at Aston Villa.

Cherries led, before losing 3-1 at Villa Park on Sunday. They return to the Midlands tomorrow, taking on Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux (7.45pm).

Aarons began Sunday's game on the bench, before coming on to replace Adam Smith at half-time in the loss to Unai Emery’s in-form Villans.

Reflecting on the defeat, full-back Aarons told the Daily Echo: “Obviously really, really disappointing to lose the game.

“I think they are a really, really good side and you could feel that.

“But with the start we had, taking the lead, it’s disappointing to have lost the game. But I think they deserved it.

“Over the whole game, the first half and second half, I don’t think we were at our usual level.

“We felt before the game that we could really trouble them. To concede before half-time and then pretty soon after half-time as well, it was disappointing.”

Asked what his instructions were coming on at the break, and how tough he found facing Villa’s fluid frontline, Aarons added: “It’s difficult, because a lot of the teams that you play these days like to have the wingers really high and wide.

“I think with the way they play, it’s really fluid. They have the left-back going high, the left-sided midfield player rolling in and across the pitch they roll into different areas.

“That’s for us to combat that and deal with that, but across the whole game really, I don’t think we did that well enough.”

Bournemouth Echo: Max Aarons has been hampered by two hamstring injuries this season

For Aarons, it has been a season of frustration. After an impressive start following his summer arrival from Norwich City, the 24-year-old has featured just seven times since mid-November due to two separate hamstring injuries.

“After some minutes last week against Man United, and then now the 45 (at Villa), I feel in a really good place now to really kick on,” said Aarons.

“I think it’s a real positive that the game is so close around the corner now.

“We’ve got no choice but to come in and get straight onto Wolves now.

“We’ve got real targets ourselves to finish this season really, really strong.

“That starts with the Wolves game, where we fully believe in our strengths in going there and being able to get the win.”

He added: “I feel like I started the season really well and that injury came at a really disappointing time.

“Then I came back in and got the other injury.

“Now it’s just about finishing the season personally as best I can and getting those minutes as well.

“But more importantly, for the team, we’ve got that aspirations and goals internally we want to hit. That starts on Wednesday now with the Wolves.

“Our main aim this season is to hit that points record. I think the manager spoke about it.

“That’s what we want to do, but we have to come in on Wednesday now against Wolves, win that game and give ourselves the best chance of doing that before the end of the season now.”

Cherries currently have 42 points and are seeking to break the club’s all-time best top-flight tally of 46, set in the 2016-17 season.