Written by Green_Cherry
I’m sure others are more capable of doing a detailed report than I am but I wanted to share my thoughts on what has been a rollercoaster of a season, to say the least!
After a fairly underwhelming summer transfer window, the signings of Tavenier, Neto and Senesi were the only notable additions that ended up having an impact. (I have probably forgotten someone I know). Many people gave us no chance much like they did last time we came up, and to be honest I know most fans did as well.
Nevertheless we ended up winning our first game 2:0 against Villa with Moore showing that maybe he can be a premier league player with a great header past Martinez. After this however our form dwindled and as we all remember under Parker, the players started to show fear and doubt themselves after his comments to the press. Then the Liverpool game happened and all our fears came true. Parker was sacked (rightly so) and Gary O’Neil was appointed caretaker manager.
O’Neil provided the squad with what they needed, a release and a manager who would not critique them personally. This had a good effect and we went on a 6 game-unbeaten run, making the media see him as some sort of messiah.
Meanwhile, Maxim Demin was selling the club to some old American businessman called Bill Foley. Would he provide us with the investment we needed or will he be another American who will exploit our beautiful game? Time would tell.
The World Cup then came and went, and after it, the poor form started. We had done so well to get in a good place before the break, and oh how wrong it went afterwards. We needed investment from the top in January but would we get it? I remember around this time Bill Foley gave an interview saying “We will not be relegated”. O’Neil was controversially given the permanent job amongst rumours of us talking to other managers such as Marcelo Bielsa, a bold decision choosing a rookie over the grand master
Following this came the spending. In January we bought: Zabarnyi, Semenyo, Traore, Dango, Randolph and Vina. While many went out on loan. Would this be enough to keep us up?
After the spending, the form started to pick up with that win over Liverpool and the famous Tottenham game, with the new signing winning the game in dramatic fashion, money well spent by the look of it.
All we needed was to beat the teams now below us. And boy did we, we went to the scum up the road and won comfortably, despite a late Adams goal being disallowed. We beat a woeful Leicester and Leeds to all but guarantee safety. Plus a good win over Fulham was the icing on the cake in a good spring for the cherries.
With 4 games to go, we were safe. Many praised O’Neil for his form and the media claimed he should be manager of the season. However many here never agreed with this… I’ll come to that.
The last few games were shocking, the players looked on the beach and Gary made some strange tactical decisions during this time showing some weakness in his managerial credentials.
At the end of the day, WE STAYED UP! Nobody expected that let’s be honest, especially with 3 games to go. And we have an owner who isn’t afraid to spend money and seems to make good buys with all but Randolph making a difference after the January window.
Now, O’Neil. I’ll try to make this short. In my opinion, he has gone a good job of keeping us up, so thank you for that. However, next season I fear for him. I don’t see him having a good start, I think we should say thank you but we should bring in an experienced manager. However, we won’t do this and I hope my prediction is wrong.
Should Gary O'Neil be replaced before the 2023/24 campaign?No - He's kept us up and deserves his chance
Yes - Well done, but we need better
Yes - We've stayed up inspite of him
Undecided
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Lastly the players. We have a few leaving this summer for definite and a clear lack of full-backs and midfielders, so these are areas we need to invest for definite. Also, we need a striker. I know everyone likes Dominic Solanke, but he hasn’t exactly proven himself as a top striker and Keiffer Moore certainly hasn’t. For me, Moore should be moved on and Solanke and Semenyo kept as backups to a new big striker.
Overall, what a season full of twists and turns, and in the end, we beat the odds and stayed up! What we do in the summer will be very interesting to see and I can’t wait for the roller coaster that will be the 2023-2024 season!
UTC!!!
SlowDownDerek wrote…
It’s a difficult one regarding O’Neil. Although the run of four defeats post-Leeds was disappointing I don’t think you can put too much stock on those four games. Other than Palace the performances were ok if not typical ‘on the beach’ lacking 5% type games.
He’s done well and there’s no reason to suggest he can’t do the same again. Of course, he’s got to our defensive frailties but the key is more goals. The side was competitive enough but the style of play doesn’t create many chances. We relied on the talents of a handful of creative players and it really showed when these players weren’t available.
He’ll be given time at the start of next season but they also need a plan B if that does not work. Having said that the constant clamour for the manager to be replaced by inpatient and reactionary fans has reached ridiculous levels and clearly did not work for many clubs last season.
Neil Dawson said…
The first starting point is a proper manager. Watching someone make the same tactical errors game after game after game is just painful. He got fortunate in April with A Mitro less Fulham, a demoralised Leeds, the delightful swing at Spurs from Richarliasons astonishing miss and then Che Adam’s toenail. We got away with appointing him let’s not double down.
Then a CDM who can pass as well as tackle.
Following that three fullbacks of which Vina could be one.
Then one modern goal-scoring forward that can play across the front line. Maybe Jackson.
Red_till_im_ded posted…
On reflection, it has been an eventful season. Bookies, pundits and media favourites for relegation. A fear of how Parker-ball would fare in the PL after the most boring promotion campaign the season before. Minimal investment during the summer. As it turned out we started with a victory! Joy is short-lived as results then backed up everyone’s predictions leading to Parker losing his job for not keeping his mouth shut.
GON steadied the ship and seemed a good choice as a temporary step in but his style was unconvincing and his post-match monologue very Parker-esque. After being given the job full time we needed to get behind him and for the most part we did, however, having spent most of the season flirting in and around the relegation places we hit good form in April winning four matches that ultimately kept us up giving us a 15th place finish. Had we just tried that bit harder over the last four games we could have finished very respectably 11th or 12th but the players seemed to give up.
Whether that’s because they know they are moving on or just felt the job was done it wasn’t fair on the supporters who continued to spend their money watching them.
The new owner came in in January and in true American fashion, just minus the jet flyover and cheerleader fanfare, declared Bourne-mowf will not get relegated. New players appeared, new flags appeared, a lick of paint and a free beer towel left on seats. The Yanks had landed! Thank God no one brought a stars and Stripes flag into the ground which would have been the height of cringe worthy. However, standard pictures of Foley and Mrs Foley adorned in Cherries shirts appeared in the press. The new Reynolds and McIlhenney? Then in bounced Big Jim Frevola to promote Soccer-ball to new a American Cherries market and parade around twitter in new merchandise. Hurrah! A billionaire owner, throw those old buckets away we won’t need those anymore. Big words from Bill and a forgotten whisper questioning why ST prices hadn’t risen for 8 seasons. He soon changed that! In fairness though he spent big in January and fired up the dormant diggers at Canford Magna. New stadium talk. New academy talk. Frevola bounces around in the background. Blake filling up the new Bentley. All happening in the background but still inconsistent on the pitch.
Not all bad though when you look back. We beat Liverpool. We beat Spurs, away, in the last minute. We helped relegate Leeds and beat Southampton away. Some great results which we won’t forget.
Some good performances from the players.
Neto. Changing from the Nou Camp to our garden shed and claiming the No 1 spot.
Tavernier making the step up from the championship look easy. Shame about the injuries.
Billing. Easily our best player and season-ending top scorer.
Rothwell. Took his time but was instrumental in confirming our safety.
Jeff. As always consistently inconsistent but always a fan favourite.
Outtarra. Looking forward to seeing him again next season having had a summer to properly acclimatise himself to the club and the area.
Senesi. Overall a good season and no reason why he and Zabaryni can’t be our main CB pairing.
We need to sign Vina. This guy is good.
Cheerio Stan. How you’ve managed to milk tens of thousands in wages over the last couple of seasons is sheer genius on your part. Congratulations, thanks for the good moments but time to fly. There are a few more that need to follow as well.
Next season will be interesting though and by the beginning of July, I’ll be chomping at the bit waiting for the new season to start so we can do all of this all over again. Not just the football but this forum as well. It’s certainly been more entertaining than a lot of what’s happened on the pitch. Maybe some more ‘ new forum signings’ to add to the eclectic bunch we already have.
Up the Cherries ! – To join the conversation, click here.
