AFCB Vital Match Zone

Everton v AFCB – Highlights & Reaction

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The final day of the Premier League season saw the spotlight fall on Goodison Park, a defeat for Everton and a win for either Leicester City or Leeds United would see Everton slip out of the Premier League for the first time in their history and see their top-flight status expire for the first time in 70 years.

The visitors to Merseyside were AFC Bournemouth, a side who have been dreaming of their holidays for the past four weeks, having secured their own top-flight status for the 2023/24 campaign, the Cherries have failed to earn a single point since, a run that would continue and ease Everton to safety at the expense of Leicester and Leeds who join Southampton in the Championship next season.

AFC Bournemouth were without captain and goalkeeper Neto, who had flown back to Brazil following the death of his mother.

Cherries named Jefferson Lerma in the starting XI for his 100th Premier League appearance, despite reports in the media that he has agreed a summer move to Crystal Palace on a free transfer.

After the game, AFC Bournemouth head coach Gary O’Neil told Sky Sports

“It was enjoyable, I thought the lads handled it well and stood up to Everton’s direct play. It was what I expected it to be. I thought we were the better side and had control for the most part. Still lots there we need to progress on.

“We knew what we were coming into against a direct team. We’ve struggled against direct sides this season and maybe didn’t create enough. I’m excited that we’ve got to the point where we can perform like that in those conditions under a lot of pressure. I saw a team that stood up to the battle and represented what I stand for.

“The fact we had 39 points against this level of officiating is a miracle. I thought the refereeing was terrible. It’s a miracle it’s taken this amount of time for me to get booked. It can’t be us who always suffer on the day. Hopefully next season it improves for us as it’s been really poor this season. My biggest disappointment this season has been the level of officiating we’ve suffered.”

Man of the match against Everton

Travers

Travers

Billing

Billing

Kelly

Kelly

Brooks

Brooks

Someone else

Someone else

langham wrote…

Four successive defeats, one goal. So Gary O’Neil does it in bursts, with clusters of losses, followed by wins, then a bunch of defeats. Pity – a month ago we seemed to be getting somewhere. Survived but the season dribbled to an end ….

Red_till_im_ded said…

Well, I sort of pleased it’s all over. It hasn’t been the most enjoyable of seasons. Mission accomplished of course by staying in the league and thankfully those results in March/April that kept us up. The last four games have been dull. Major changes are needed in most positions if the Yanks want to achieve their goal of turning us into the ‘ Super Cherries’. Still undecided over GON. Two months off which is welcome. Apologies to Leicester for that showing. Half could be arsed and half couldn’t. Solanke has to be replaced.

adam0102 added…

My two penn’orth….

Started brightly with several Smith forays down the right but that didn’t last long. After that, lots of passing around the back six with little progress until the ball went forward to Solanke, who lost it.

And repeat.

I’m a Solanke fan but he was awful today.

Thought the back five did ok, the centre mid should have closed down the scorer more quickly, Brooks was bright but very lightweight, Moore barely won a header. Generally, it all smacked of an end-of-season-with-nothing-to-play-for game for us, a bit of huffing and puffing but really not great.

Oddly, was just talking to a couple of Evertonians at the station and they thought we gave them a good game and “certainly didn’t just roll over”

Everton clogged us frequently, should have had at least two yellows for fouls on Brooks and Vina before we had our first card.

Thought their fans were very loud for five minutes after the start, five minutes after half time, five minutes after the goal and at the end. Apart from that they were pretty quiet; we did our best but with the lack of effort on the pitch it all seemed a bit wasted.

Oh, and the referee is a useless

rikki39 posted…

The problem is as much as I think GON will become a good manager I don’t feel we can afford to have another season of him finding his feet, we could strengthen a lot but we need some experience in the dugout.
I believe he has over-achieved this season and that can’t last forever so the question is do we replace him now and give the new manager a preseason or do we keep our trust in him and potentially sack him 10 games in with new manager playing catch up on the league

MB1980 said…

I don’t think we can be surprised or judge him (O’Neil) to much on yesterday’s showings, or the games since securing PL status. I don’t necessarily agree with it, but defo been a sense of ‘mission’ accomplished so don’t break your backs lads. I’m certain we’d have seen much different output if we were still playing for survival.

Resting players with slight niggles, integrating Zab and Brooks, which perhaps holds as more value than sticking with the usual choices, so those players get experience under their belts for next season.

Plus there’s little doubt in my mind, we’re going to seriously strengthen the team/squad this summer, alongside a fit Traore and Tav. Disappointing end to the season, but overall doesn’t mean anything imo, or a sign of O Neil not being up to the job. Like I say, I’m sure we’d have seen a different level of performance had we still needed points. – To join the conversation, click here.

Should Gary O'Neil be replaced before the 2023/24 campaign?

No - He's kept us up and deserves his chance

No - He's kept us up and deserves his chance

Yes - Well done, but we need better

Yes - Well done, but we need better

Yes - We've stayed up inspite of him

Yes - We've stayed up inspite of him

Undecided

Undecided

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