AFC Bournemouth hosted Brentford on Saturday in the final home game of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
There was a party atmosphere around Dean Court following a successful season that has seen the Cherries beat their all-time top-tier points total in a single season. The party atmosphere was helped by a sponsorship campaign by Visit Las Vegas, that saw Elvis Presley and some showgirls walking around the ground before the game. Trips to Las Vegas were also given away at both half-time and full-time. Whilst all home fans were given a free t-shirt.
Unfortunately, rookie referee Matthew Donohue was also in a giving mood, but what he was handing out on a regular basis was poor decisions.
The Cherries saw Dominic Solanke have two goals disallowed, the first by VAR, who decided to reward a handball against Antoine Semenyo for a ricochet inside his own half, the second the referee opted to blow the whilst before the ball hit the net, preventing VAR from checking if he had made a poor decision.
In the second half, the poor decisions continued this time with Donohue trying to gift Brentford a penalty, only for VAR to overturn it.
Yet again AFC Bournemouth supporters left the ground bemoaning a newbie, fast-tracked, incompetent referee rather than discussing the actual football that we’ve all paid to see.
After the game, AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola told Sky Sports…
“At the end you have lost the game and it is always ugly when you complain after you have lost the game. But the truth is, we should have been 2-0 up after the first half.
“Especially the first goal that VAR overturned, it was a rebound and he is not the one scoring the goal. According to the rules, it is not on purpose just a rebound and after the play keeps going there is a pass and another player scores and VAR to overturn it. I don’t understand it.
“The second goal is obviously a big, big, big mistake. You whistle the foul, in two seconds there is a goal, and then you can see it in the replay there is no foul.
“Obviously, you can’t give the goal because you have whistled and that is a big, big mistake that has cost us a lot.
Man of the match against BrentfordChristie
Senesi
Solanke
Cook
Smith
Travers
Someone else
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Thomas Frank: "I think the referee did well today, for his first Premier League game.
"I think he got all the key decisions right." #afcb
— Tom Crocker (@TomCrockerEcho) May 11, 2024
boscombe botn
The ref’s decision to blow up for a so-called foul by Solanke? on their player just before Solanke scored was truly bizarre.
One of many bizarre decisions throughout the game.
A Sunday league ref couldn’t have done any worse than that.
Whoever recommended/cleared that ref to officiate anywhere near Prem level should be sacked in my opinion!
The boss reflects on our final home game of the season 👇 pic.twitter.com/fWHXshyTKX
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 11, 2024
kirsikka
The better team out there. What is it with Brentford and outrageous reffing decisions against us? That ridiculous play-off penalty, the one where Ivan Toney fouled a defender and was given a penalty for it and today the ref disallowed a perfectly good goal and then desperately trying to give Toney a penalty. Even he couldn’t justify that though when he saw the replay…
They’re a horrible, horrible team. Not a single redeeming feature to them and got over the line today yet again by the ref keeping them in the game.
Toney was an absolute passenger out there. One of the worst striker performances I’ve seen this season. The fact he chose to collapse on the most minimal of contact when he had the ball 12 yards out with the goal gaping rather than shooting shows he’s a busted flush right now. There’s no way he should make the England squad when other English strikers are bang in form. One of whom out there on the same pitch today got the ball in the back of the net three times, at least two of which should have stood. IBET was an embarrasment.
Onto us, shame it worked out as it did. The game completely turned to basketball after the 80th-minute subs but I’m not going to criticise a manager that loses a game by chasing a win rather than shutting up shop after 60 minutes, as happened with the previous regime. We went for it but it didn’t come off. I’m glad we tried.
Dango was a painful watch. Meanwhile, Semenyo was a joy. I love the way he brings long raking balls under his spell. What a contrast between the two sides of the pitch, even if there was rotation between them and JK.
There are definitely things we need to tighten up at the back and that’s something to address in the summer.
The superior team who created the better chances and scored multiple goals that should have stood lost. These things happen in football. Onto the last match of the season.
Vitality, thank you for your support this season! Kamui🍥. pic.twitter.com/aNrL9BUV1z
— Dom Solanke (@DomSolanke) May 11, 2024
AFCBade
Thought the referee was appalling but Brentford’s gamesmanship is a contributing factor. Is there a more cynical team in the prem?
After a great season, the ending is starting to feel sour after the officiating vs Man Utd, Arsenal and today. Really has lowered my enjoyment of the game and I know others feel the same.
Think we will finish behind Palace now after they stunk out the league for most of the season while we would be behind a really poor Everton side on GD without their points deductions. Food for thought. – To join the conversation, click here.
After the game, Dominic Solanke was awarded the Junior Cherries Player of the season and the players’ player of the season awards.
Two awards for the archer 🏹
The Players' Player and Junior Cherries Player of the Year 🏆
Some season this guy has had 😍 pic.twitter.com/TtMuKG7sY6
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 11, 2024
Illia Zabarnyi was awarded the AFC Bournemouth supporters player of the season award.
Voted for by you ♥️
Illia Zabarnyi is crowned your Supporters' Player of the Year for 2023/24 🏆🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/jiuzRcOyuZ
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) May 11, 2024
